Building bigger biceps is not necessarily about doing more curls. Kevin Lieberwirth says his own progress stalled for years because he focused on standard dumbbell and barbell curls without considering how different parts of the biceps respond to different positions.
In a YouTube video, Lieberwirth explains the training changes that helped him improve his arms, focusing on exercise selection, stability, wrist position and progressive overload.
Why Standard Curls May Not Be Enough
Lieberwirth says he spent years adding curls to the end of his upper-body workouts but saw little change in his arms. His approach changed after studying biomechanics and looking more closely at the functions of the biceps.
The biceps has two heads, the short head and long head, and Lieberwirth explains that their positions can influence which one is emphasized during an exercise.
“I realized that I was curling the weight, but I wasn’t really training the biceps,” Lieberwirth says.
His solution is not to abandon curls, but to choose movements that place the arms in positions that better target each part of the muscle.
Preacher Curls for More Stability
Lieberwirth recommends preacher curls as his first movement, explaining that they bias the short head because the upper arm is positioned in front of the body.
However, he says stability is one of the biggest advantages.
When lifters allow their upper arms to move forward during a curl, they can reduce the biceps’ range of motion. The preacher bench keeps the upper arm fixed, making it harder to shift the work elsewhere.
He also highlights supination, the action of turning the palm upward. Lieberwirth recommends actively rotating the hand throughout the curl, particularly bringing the pinky toward the ceiling.
Train the Long Head With a Stretch
For the biceps’ long head, Lieberwirth recommends exercises where the arm moves behind the body. Options include incline dumbbell curls, Bayesian curls and drag curls.
His preferred option is the supported incline dumbbell curl because the setup provides additional stability while keeping the biceps loaded through the movement.
Lieberwirth also acknowledges that biceps shape is partly determined by genetics. The attachment points influence whether someone naturally has a longer-looking biceps or a higher peak. Training, however, can still help maximize the muscle someone has.
How Lieberwirth Programs Biceps Training
For programming, Lieberwirth recommends 10 to 12 hard sets per week, divided across at least two workouts. He suggests training biceps earlier in a session if arm growth is a major priority.
For progression, he uses a 10 to 15-rep range with double progression. Lifters increase repetitions until they reach the top of the range, then add the smallest available weight increase and build the repetitions again.
Putting It Into Practice
Lieberwirth’s approach is less about finding a secret curl and more about making each set more deliberate. His two-movement strategy covers different biceps positions while emphasizing stability, controlled execution and measurable progression.
For lifters whose arms have stopped responding to endless curls, changing how the exercises are performed may be more useful than simply adding more sets.
About the Author
Jeremiah Oliva
Jeremiah Oliva is a writer passionate about fitness, sports, and active living. He has experience in songwriting and managing content and social media for online radio and magazine platforms.
He covers HYROX, CrossFit®, and competitive fitness, with a focus on performance, mindset, and athlete development.
Outside of writing, Jeremiah trains in boxing, cycles, explores the outdoors with his kids, and plays the guitar.
