90 Minutes Beginner Biceps Workout with Barbell
A 90 minutes muscle building workout targeting your biceps using barbell equipment. 6 exercises, 20 total sets, designed for beginner lifters.
90 Minutes
Duration
20
Total Sets
8-12 reps
Rep Range
~1050
Est. Calories
The Workout
Start with this as your primary movement. Warm up with 2 lighter sets first.
Form cues
- Grip a barbell with a shoulder-width overhand (pronated) grip, arms fully extended.
- Curl the bar up by bending at the elbows — keep your wrists straight and locked.
- Squeeze at the top, then lower slowly for a controlled three-count eccentric.
Lie face down on an incline bench (45-60 degrees).
Form cues
- Lie face down on an incline bench (45-60 degrees).
- Let your arms hang straight down, holding dumbbells or a barbell.
- Curl the weight up by contracting your biceps.
Sit at the preacher bench with your upper arms flat against the pad.
Form cues
- Sit at the preacher bench with your upper arms flat against the pad.
- Grip the bar or dumbbells with an underhand grip.
- Curl the weight up to shoulder level without lifting your arms off the pad.
Grip the angled portions of the EZ-bar with an underhand grip.
Form cues
- Grip the angled portions of the EZ-bar with an underhand grip.
- Stand tall with elbows pinned to your sides.
- Curl the bar up by contracting your biceps.
Stand with feet shoulder-width, grip the bar at shoulder-width with an underhand grip.
Form cues
- Stand with feet shoulder-width, grip the bar at shoulder-width with an underhand grip.
- Pin your elbows to your sides and keep them stationary throughout.
- Curl the bar up by contracting your biceps — do not swing the weight.
Finish strong — take the last set close to failure.
Form cues
- Hold a barbell with an underhand grip at full arm extension, elbows at your sides.
- Curl the bar by pulling your elbows straight back — the bar should drag up your shirt.
- The bar travels close to your body the entire time; your elbows move behind your torso.
Why This Workout Works
This workout is built around the principles of muscle building training. Use moderate loads (65-80% of your 1RM) with controlled eccentrics and full range of motion. Prioritize progressive overload by adding reps before adding weight. Train each muscle group 2x per week with 10-20 hard sets per muscle per week.
Training Parameters
- Rep Range: 8-12 reps — the hypertrophy sweet spot for maximum muscle growth
- Rest Periods: 60-90 seconds — long enough for quality reps, short enough for metabolic stress
- Sets Per Exercise: 3-4 sets — optimized for muscle building
Biceps Training Tips
- *Vary your grip width and angle — supinated, neutral, and pronated grips each emphasize different portions of the biceps and brachialis.
- *Incline curls stretch the long head more than standing curls, producing a fuller peak.
- *Keep elbows pinned to your sides — swinging reduces bicep activation.
Get this biceps workout personalized for you
Revy's AI will analyze your training history, recovery status, and strength levels to customize every set, rep, and weight for maximum muscle building results.