Everyone wants to have big biceps, as it is the most visible muscle.
Exercises that target the biceps should be a part of any workout program.
Weightless biceps exercises are more difficult to do than weighted biceps exercises.
This article will show you 20 bodyweight biceps exercises you can do anywhere.

What are the benefits of bodyweight exercises?
BWT is a great way to build muscle and improve cardiorespiratory health, no matter your physical fitness or experience. A bodyweight exercise routine can offer many benefits.
- Increase cardiovascular health and endurance
- Building muscle strength
- Boosting cognitive function
- Improve core stabilization and joint stabilization
Bodyweight training is also easy to do anywhere. It’s a great way to get an at-home workout since there is no need for equipment.
Can you build your Biceps at home with only bodyweight exercises?
You need resistance and time spent under tension to build muscle. You can achieve both at home or in the gymnasium. The body does not know the type of resistance that you apply. Your body does not have a magic switch to determine whether you’re using dumbbells or body weight.
The body knows how to resist, and it works well for the majority of body parts, including the biceps. You should apply 30-40 seconds under tension per set in order to stimulate muscle growth. This can be achieved by using body weight in several ways.
- More Reps
- Concentric contractions should be performed at a slower rep speed.
- Pauses and isometric contractions
You can do all of this in your home without using any special equipment.
We are not saying dumbbells or other equipment is better than bodyweight biceps exercise; we say you can build big muscles by using your own weight.
If you do have equipment available, it is easier to progressively overload the weights, and you will have more variety of exercises. You can still do a lot of biceps work with your body weight, as you will see in the following paragraphs.
Best Bicep Warm-Up Exercises
Let’s look at a few warm-ups before we discuss the best bodyweight workouts. Although bodyweight exercises are less likely to cause injury than weighted exercises, it is still important to warm up.
1. Arm Circles
You can also use them as part of a cooldown after the workout. They can be used as a cooldown after the workout.
Slowly increase the size of each circle until you feel the stretch. Continue to reverse the direction of your circles about every 10 seconds.
2. Standing Bicep Stretcher
This exercise will prime your chest, shoulders, and biceps. Interlace your fingers behind your back.
Straighten your arms, and then turn your palms towards the ground. Hold the position at the top for 10 seconds, and then lower your arms back to the original position. Repeat the stretch ten times.
3. Doorway Bicep Strength
This warm-up for one arm is also a great chest stretch. You can target each hand individually. This simple stretch can be done to correct the problem if one arm is more tight or sore than another.
Find a space or doorway on the wall. Place your palm on the doorway after lifting your left elbow up to shoulder level. The elbow should be bent 90 degrees.
While your weight is moving forward, rotate your trunk. Feel the stretch in your shoulder and arm. If you want to stretch one side, make sure you do it on the other side.
10 Best Bodyweight Bicep Exercises
1. Dive-bomber push-up
With dive-bombers, you can really get your biceps to take off.
Start with Upward Dog. Place your pelvis on the ground, hips up in the air, and feet shoulder-width apart. Bring your head slowly down and arch your back. Pro tip: Imagine you are lowering yourself beneath an imaginary bar.
Return to the original position by reversing the movement.
2. Towel curl
This move doesn’t require any special equipment — only a bath towel and a simple chair. Twist the towel several times to form a long, noodle shape. Place the towel’s center under your foot while seated in a chair.
Slowly bring the towel toward you while holding one end in each hand. Use your foot to resist. Hold as long as possible. Repeat.
3. Isometric chin up
It’s like a regular chin-up but isometric – a fancy term for the fact that the move puts tension on the muscles without lengthening or reducing them. The muscle contracts but does not compress or expand.
Start by doing a regular chin-up:
- Pull yourself upwards until your chin is clear of the bar.
- Instead of going up and back down, try to hold it for as long as possible.
You still can’t do a chin-up? Same. But you can still do an isometric-modified chin-up. Jump into position using a step or chair.

4. Inverted Row
For the inverted rows, you will need an empty barbell and a squat rack. Remove the bench and set the barbell about waist-high on the rack.
- Lay on your back with your chest under the bar.
- Grab the bar with palms facing you, balance on your heels, and then raise your chest to the bar. Hold it for a few seconds, and then slowly return to your previous position.
5. Negative Inverted Row
This exercise will use the same setup as the inverted row. However, instead of pulling your body upward, you should start by raising it and then lowering it slowly and carefully.
6. Reverse Push-Up
Push-ups are great for core stability and chest, triceps, and shoulders. When you reverse the hand alignment, it causes more elbow flexion and more involvement of the biceps. This advanced variation of the push-up puts more strain on your wrist and anterior shoulder. Start with fewer reps and maintain good form.
How to:
- Straighten your legs, and then get into a solid plank.
- Slowly lower yourself to the ground, bending your elbows so that your chest is barely above the surface.
- As you push back, extend your elbows fully.
7. Biceps Curl Inverted Close Grap
Close-grip curls are the same exercise as above, except that you curl your hands together. Close-grip curls are designed to target the long head on the biceps. This gives your biceps a nice peak when you flex. This is an extension of the shoulder-width variation.
How to:
- Set the barbell at the desired depth in the squat holder.
- Grab the barbell with both hands together and grab underneath. Please adjust to your comfort.
- Straighten your legs, and then engage your glutes to bring your body into a straight line.
- As you curl your chest, feel a strong contraction.
- Repeat the process of lowering down slowly and then resetting.
8. Biceps wide-lifted curl
This exercise can be performed without adding any weight. You can also use items from your home, such as water bottles or soup cans.
- Slowly bend your arms back to their starting position after slowly extending them straight out to the side.
- Do 2-3 sets of 15-20 repetitions.
9. Underhand Inverted Row
This bodyweight biceps exercise is easier than chin-ups. The underhand grip puts more tension on the muscles of the biceps. Trainees can also adjust the difficulty by changing the body angle.
- Grab a horizontal bar with an underhand hold (palms up).
- Pull yourself up to the bar by squeezing the biceps and tucking your body underneath the bar.
10. Planks
You can see that over time, these muscles could become tense, painful, or even worse, cause you to hurt yourself. That’s not what we want!
For a plank, you should assume a pressing-up position while on a mat for yoga or exercise. For a forearm or full plank, bend your elbows at 90 degrees. Rest your weight on your arms.
Your trunk should be straight and rigid, and your entire body must be aligned from your ears down to your toes. Look down and relax your neck and head. Do not forget to breathe. Hold the position as long as possible. It’s normal to struggle at first.
Dumbbell biceps workout at home
You only need a pair of dumbbells for these biceps-building exercises.
1. Biceps Curl
Biceps Curls are a great alternative to other arm exercises that target multiple muscle groups.
- Standing straight, with feet at shoulder width apart and dumbbells in each hand.
- Bend your elbows and turn your arms so that they face forward to raise the dumbbells toward your shoulders. Slowly lift both dumbbells (around 2-3 seconds). Avoid moving your body and arms, as this will take the focus away from your biceps.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly (around 3 seconds) until you return to the starting position. This is one rep.
- Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
2. Hammer curl
The hammer curl changes the grip on the dumbbell so that it targets both your biceps as well as your Brachialis. This nearby muscle is important for building strong arms.
- Standing straight, with feet at shoulder width apart and dumbbells in each hand by your sides. The palms should face inward.
- To lift the dumbbell towards your shoulder, bend your right elbow. The dumbbell must be vertical. Avoid swinging the arms.
- Then, repeat the process with your left hand.
- Perform 8-12 repetitions of each arm. Do 2-3 sets.
3. Reverse curl
The reverse curl is exactly what it sounds like, the exact opposite of traditional biceps curls. This small change will help you to target your biceps more effectively.
- Standing straight, with feet at shoulder width apart. Holding a dumbbell with each hand, palms facing backward (palms at sides), and your hands by your side.
- Switch sides after 8-12 reps. Perform 2 sets.
4. Backpack curl
You can perform biceps curls with a bag, backpack, or purse if you do not have dumbbells available or find them intimidating.
- Standing with arms at sides, feet apart, shoulder width, and shoulders wide.
- Grab an empty bag or backpack and grip its handle with the right hand (palms facing forward) in an underhand grasp.
- Lift the backpack by bending your elbow. Avoid moving your body and arms. Focus on only moving your forearm while squeezing the biceps.
- As you lower it, slowly straighten your arm. As you lower the backpack, try counting three. This is one rep.
- Perform 8-12 repetitions for each arm. Perform 2 sets.

Build Your Own Biceps Workout
How do we create the ultimate routine using this? Ask our CPTs a question:
Fauci suggests that newbies start slowly to avoid injury and burnout. He says that most people won’t need a day dedicated to biceps or arms.
Weightlifting is a great way to get in shape. He suggests doing 2 or 3 exercises per week, with anywhere between 6 and 20 repetitions, depending on your weight, intensity, and experience.
Fauci says, “We want to squeeze as much as possible from the bicep exercises we plan for our sessions.”
Adams says that for intermediate and advanced lifters, it is important to target the desired areas at least 2 or 3 days per week in order to maximize muscle development. Adams’ targeted muscle program includes at least 25 total sets with 12 to 15 repetitions per set.
Conclusion:
Bodyweight biceps exercises are a great way to tone and strengthen your arms without having to use any external equipment or weights. These exercises are especially useful for those who prefer to work out at home or do not have access to gym equipment.