Before starting with the short head biceps exercise, we need to understand the muscle.
The biceps muscle is also known as the biceps brachii. The biceps brachii muscle has two heads, short head and the long head.
Both short head and long head are involved in biceps exercises. It is technically impossible to isolate one head. However, at certain positions and angles we can emphasize more on one particular head.
Understanding the short head of biceps
Before starting with the short head biceps exercise, we need to understand the muscle.
The biceps muscle is also known as the biceps brachii. The biceps brachii muscle has two heads, short head and the long head.
Both short head and long head are involved in biceps exercises. It is technically impossible to isolate one head. However, at certain positions and angles we can emphasize more on one particular head.
Function of the short head of biceps
- Elbow flexion : Just like the long head, short head is also involved in elbow flexion or curling your arms
- Supination: Short head is also involved in supinating your arm.
- Shoulder Adduction : the short head of biceps is involved in shoulder adduction movements like internal rotation.
How to target the short head of biceps
To target the short head of the biceps muscle, we have to make a few adjustments
- Keep your arms in front : This moves the short head in a stretched position. Exercises like spider curl, preacher curl do this precisely.
- Keep your arms wide : Wide grip isolates the short head and gives a better pump.
- Use supinated Grip : Supinated grip works better on the short head.
Why you need to train the short head of biceps
Training the short head of biceps is important for a variety of reasons.
- It gives mass to your arms – especially the front double biceps pose.
- It gives support to the shoulder and helps avoid shoulder injuries.
Best exercises for short head of biceps
- Preacher barbell curl
- Dumbbell preacher curl
- Cable preacher curl
- Barbell wide grip curl
- Cable wide grip curl
- Spider curl
- Concentration curl
- Inner biceps curl
- Lying high cable curl
- Reverse grip inverted rows
- Zottman curl
- Upright rows
- Chinup
Short head bicep exercises with dumbbells
- Concentration curl
- Dumbbell Wide Curls
- Waiter Curl
- Preacher Dumbbell Curls
Short head biceps exercises with cable
- Wide Grip Cable Curl
- Wide grip Cable Preacher Curl
- Overhead Cable Curl
Short head biceps training tips
- For an ideal biceps development you should train biceps 2-3 times a week.
- If biceps is a lagging muscle, you should train it as a priority and train it first during your workout.
- Training volume : You should train 2-3 exercises per workout with 4-5 sets per exercise. Overtraining the biceps muscle will not help you grow.
- Track and make progress in your workouts: make sure you are able to increase your lifts over time.
Summary Short head biceps exercise
Biceps exercise involves both short head and long head. When training for the short head, try to keep your arms in front, use wider grip and keep your arms supine. Slight change in angle and position will help you isolate the short head of the biceps and get bigger, more muscular arms.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3737788
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8404567