BIG BICEP BONUS

W hy bodybuilding feels so good and is good for you too - even if it’s not your
primary focus.

For a great many people, bodybuilding routines were their first introduction to train-
ing in gyms. Curls, bench, lat pull downs, cable push downs, abs, shoulders, and the
occasional leg day are what got us first excited about training and lifting weights.

Later on the introduction of functional training came along, and the high intensity
craze seems to dominate more and more of the fitness landscape. But there is still
something so satisfying about a good old fashioned bodybuilding movement. None
more so than the Bicep Curl in my opinion. This is a shared sentiment for many of you,
as evidenced by the countless group fitness members I see sneaking off to the dumb-
bell rack after class to knock out a few sets of bicep curls.

I’m here to validate this desire as one that you shouldn’t ignore. Isolation bodybuild-
ing movements have their place and I’m here to provide you 3 reasons why - as well
as 15 unique variations on the classic curl to explore with 3 different loading imple-
ments.

3 Reasons Why Bodybuilding Feels Good - And Is Good For You Too

1. Pump - when you isolate muscles with focused contractions you drive a lot of
added blood and nutrients to that muscle. This results in a pumped up feeling in
the muscle that is a psychological reminder of hard work and is immensely satis-
fying and simply FEELS GOOD. Furthermore, the added blood perfusion and nutri-
ents can support local muscle adaptations.
2. Mind Muscle Connection - Getting focused with isolated contractions can help
you connect your brain through motor units to the muscle and develop great
control over specific movements. Simplifying contractions down to isolated single
join drills can enhance your motor control when you return to complex move-
ments.
3. Safer Volume - In order to see adaptations to your strength, muscles, and body
composition over time you must use a variety of progressive overload principles.
One of those principles is increased volume of contractions. But how can you add
more reps without overdoing it with intensity. Added 50 more reps of deadlifts
might push you over the edge and limit your ability to recovery. But adding more
isolation bodybuilding movements for increased volume can be relatively safe and
help enhance muscular adaptations.

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*Hover over movement names

for Demo Video Links

15 Curl Variations - 3 Different Ways to Load

D on’t baby your biceps with the same old dumbbell curl - there’s a wide world of
movement out there to explore. Functional Bodybuilding will keep your training
fresh with an enormous library of movements, borrowing from both bodybuilding and
functional training - with a few innovations along the way.

Functional Bodybuilding can use a whole gym’s worth of equipment, or just your
bodyweight and one or two simple tools. Here are three ways to get a great pump
with a variety of ways to load:

Barbell Bicep
• Reverse Curl
• Mixed Grip Curl
• Offset Curl
• 1 + ¼ Curl
• Narrow Grip Curl

DB Bicep
• Hammer Curls to Press
• Zottman Curl
• Incline Bench DB Curl
• Tall Kneeling Crush Grip Curl
• Eccentric Curl

KB Bicep
• Tall Kneeling KB Horn Curl
• Top Down Alternating Curl
• KB Horn Pallof Press
• Seated KB Preacher Curl
• Bottom Up KB Curl Eccentrics

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3 Bicep Finisher Formats:

Add these at the end of any session if you have a little extra time, or hit them on your
N
own on a day when you just need a little something to feel good.

1. Barbell Bicep + Core - 3 Sets

• 3 Sets - Rest as needed between movements in the superset
◊ Barbell Reverse Curl x 10-12rep @ 30X0
◊ Barbell Windshield Wipers x 10/side
◊ Barbell 1+¼ Curl x 8-10reps
◊ Barbell Hollow Flutter Kicks x 30-40sec

2. Kettlebell Bicep + Shoulder - 4 Movements Chipper

• For Time @ 80% Effort
◊ 50 Tall Kneeling KB Horn Curls
◊ 40 Tall Kneeling Hip To Halo
◊ 30 Seated KB Preacher Curl
◊ 20 Seated Single Arm KB Press/arm
◊ 10 Top Down Alternating Curls/arm

3. Dumbbell Bicep + Tricep - EMOM

• EMOM 16mins
◊ 1st min - Seated DB Zottman Curl x 6-8reps
◊ 2nd min - Tall Kneeling DB Overhead Tricep Extension
◊ 3rd min - Hammer Curl to Press x 10-12reps
◊ 4th min - Elbow Plank Press Ups 8-10reps

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WHAT’S
NEXT?
W hether you want to look good, move well, or both, Functional Body-
building has you covered. Grab a FREE two-week trial of the Persist
subscription, and get:

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tions.

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nutrition tips.

• Demo videos, coaching notes, and athlete support for questions and
high fives.

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