Are Bicep Curls a Waste of Time Reddit

If you're searching 'are bicep curls a waste of time reddit', you've seen the endless debates. Forum threads are filled with people claiming compound lifts like rows and pull-ups are all you need. Others swear by isolation work. It's confusing, and it makes you feel like you might be wasting hours in the gym for nothing.

The direct answer is no, bicep curls are not a waste of time. In fact, they are the single most effective way to maximize bicep growth. While compound movements build a great foundation, relying on them alone for arm size is like trying to become a great painter by only sketching with a pencil. You need to add the focused, detailed color work to complete the picture.

Key Takeaways

• Bicep curls are not a waste of time; they are the most direct way to stimulate and grow the bicep muscles for maximum size.
• Relying only on compound lifts like rows and chin-ups is not enough for optimal bicep growth because your larger back muscles will always give out first.
• The ideal volume for bicep growth is 10-20 direct sets per week, with each set taken to 1-2 reps shy of failure.
• For effective curls, use a weight you can control for 8-15 reps without swinging your body; form is more important than the number on the dumbbell.
• To fully develop the bicep, you must use a variety of curls, such as incline curls for the long head and hammer curls for the brachialis.

Why People Say Curls Are a Waste of Time (And Why They're Wrong)

You've seen the posts on Reddit. Someone asks for arm advice, and the top comment is inevitably, "Just do heavy rows and chin-ups, bro. Curls are a waste of time." This advice comes from a good place, but it's fundamentally incomplete for anyone whose primary goal is bigger arms.

The argument is that compound exercises are more efficient. They work multiple muscle groups at once, burn more calories, and build "functional" strength. This is all true. A workout built around squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows is fantastic for overall strength and muscle mass.

But it's not optimal for aesthetics. Not if you have a specific goal, like building impressive biceps.

Your biceps have two main functions: flexing the elbow (bringing your hand toward your shoulder) and supinating the forearm (turning your palm up). During a chin-up or a row, your biceps are helping, but they are not the prime mover. Your lats and other back muscles are doing the majority of the work.

Think about it: your back muscles are far larger and stronger than your biceps. When you do a set of pull-ups, which muscle group fails first? Your back. Your biceps rarely get pushed to the point of true muscular failure required to trigger maximum growth. They are just along for the ride.

Leaving bicep growth up to compound lifts is leaving gains on the table. It's like expecting your calves to grow just from doing squats. Sure, they get some work, but will they ever reach their full potential without dedicated calf raises? Absolutely not. The same principle applies to your arms.

If you want to maximize the size and shape of your biceps, you must train them directly with isolation exercises. Curls allow you to put 100% of the tension directly onto the bicep muscle through its full range of motion, something no compound lift can do.

Stop guessing if your workouts work.

Track your lifts. See your strength and muscle grow week by week.

Start your 7 day free trial

The Real Reason Your Curls Aren't Working

So, you're already doing curls, but your arms aren't growing. You're putting in the work, but the tape measure isn't moving. This is the frustration that leads people to Google things like "are bicep curls a waste of time reddit." The problem isn't the exercise; it's the execution.

Here are the three most common mistakes that sabotage your bicep growth.

Mistake 1: Ego Lifting and Swinging

This is the number one killer of bicep gains. You see someone in the gym swinging around 50-pound dumbbells, using their entire body to heave the weight up. They are training their ego, not their biceps. The moment you use your hips, back, and shoulders to create momentum, you take the tension off the muscle you're trying to grow.

Your bicep doesn't know if you're holding 20 pounds or 50 pounds. It only knows tension. A perfectly executed curl with a 25-pound dumbbell, where the bicep does all the work, is infinitely more effective than a sloppy, swinging curl with a 50.

The Fix: Pin your elbows to your sides. Imagine they are bolted in place. Lower the weight by at least half and focus on a slow, controlled movement. Squeeze the bicep at the top of the movement for a full second, and control the negative (the lowering phase) for a 2-3 second count. This discipline will build more muscle, faster.

Mistake 2: Not Enough Volume (Or the Wrong Kind)

The second mistake is doing the wrong amount of work. Some people do a few lazy sets of curls at the end of their workout as an afterthought. Others blast their arms with 30 sets once a week, leaving them unable to straighten their elbows for days.

Both are wrong. The sweet spot for muscle growth for a small muscle group like the biceps is between 10-20 total direct sets per week.

The Fix: Split your bicep work across two sessions per week. For example, perform 6-8 total sets on Monday and another 6-8 sets on Thursday. This allows for adequate stimulation and, more importantly, adequate recovery, which is when the muscle actually grows.

Mistake 3: Only Doing One Type of Curl

Doing endless sets of standard barbell curls is better than nothing, but it's not optimal. The bicep has two heads (a long head and a short head), and underneath it sits the brachialis muscle. To build a truly impressive, full-looking arm, you need to target all of them.

The long head, which forms the "peak," is best targeted when the arm is stretched behind the body. The short head gets more work when the arm is in front of the body. The brachialis, which adds thickness to the side of the arm, is best hit with a neutral (hammer) grip.

The Fix: Your bicep routine should include three types of movements: a standard curl (barbell or dumbbell), a curl that emphasizes the stretch (like an incline dumbbell curl), and a neutral-grip curl (like a hammer curl).

The 3-Step Bicep Protocol That Actually Builds Arms

Stop the guesswork. If you want to add an inch to your arms in the next 6 months, this is the plan. It’s not magic; it’s just a systematic application of what works.

Step 1: Choose Your Exercises (The "Big 3" Curls)

Don't get lost in dozens of fancy variations. Stick to the basics that have built great arms for decades. For each bicep workout, you will choose one exercise from two of the following three categories.

1. The Mass Builder (Standard Curl): This is your bread and butter. It allows for the heaviest weight and builds overall size.

• Best choice: Standing Barbell Curl or Standing Dumbbell Curl.

1. The Peak Builder (Stretched Position): This puts maximum tension on the long head of the bicep, which creates the coveted "peak."

• Best choice: Incline Dumbbell Curl. Set a bench to a 45-60 degree angle and let your arms hang straight down.

1. The Thickness Builder (Neutral Grip): This targets the brachialis and brachioradialis, adding thickness to your arm and improving your forearm tie-in.

• Best choice: Hammer Curl.

Step 2: Apply the Right Volume and Intensity

Here is your exact prescription for two weekly bicep workouts.

• Workout A (e.g., Monday):
• Standing Barbell Curls: 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
• Incline Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
• Workout B (e.g., Thursday):
• Standing Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
• Hammer Curls: 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

For every set, you must take it close to failure. This means stopping the set when you feel you only have 1-2 good reps left in the tank. If you can easily do 15 reps, the weight is too light. If you can't get 8 reps with perfect form, it's too heavy.

Step 3: Use Progressive Overload

This is the most important principle in all of strength training. To grow, your muscles must be forced to do more work over time. If you are curling the same 25-pound dumbbells for the same 10 reps three months from now, your arms will look exactly the same.

Progressive overload is simple. Each week, try to beat your previous performance. Here’s how:

• Add Reps: If you did 3 sets of 8 last week, try for 3 sets of 9 this week with the same weight.
• Add Weight: Once you can comfortably hit the top of your rep range (e.g., 12 reps) for all sets, increase the weight by the smallest increment possible (e.g., from 25 lbs to 30 lbs) and start back at the bottom of the rep range (8 reps).

Track every single lift. Write it down. This is non-negotiable. It is the only way to guarantee you are progressing.

Weeks of progress. All in one place.

Every workout logged. Proof you're getting stronger.

Start your 7 day free trial

What to Expect: A Realistic Timeline for Bicep Growth

Let's be brutally honest. Your biceps are a small muscle group. They will not blow up overnight. Anyone promising you an inch on your arms in a month is selling you something.

If you are a beginner following the protocol above with consistency and eating enough protein (around 1 gram per pound of body weight), you can realistically expect to add a quarter-inch to half-inch to your arms in the first 3-4 months. For an intermediate lifter, that progress will be slower.

Growth is not linear. You will have weeks where you feel stronger and your measurements go up, and you will have plateaus. This is normal. The key is consistency.

Also, understand the difference between a "pump" and real growth. After your workout, your arms will be temporarily swollen with blood and look bigger. This is satisfying, but it's not permanent. True growth is measured "cold," for example, first thing in the morning before you've eaten or trained.

Finally, you cannot build a house without bricks. You cannot build muscle without a surplus of calories and protein. If you are in a significant calorie deficit trying to lose fat, your ability to build muscle will be severely limited, if not impossible. For optimal arm growth, aim to eat at maintenance or in a slight surplus of 200-300 calories per day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are chin-ups or pull-ups enough for biceps?

No. They are a fantastic compound exercise for your back and a good assistance lift for biceps, but they are not sufficient for maximizing bicep size. Your much larger back muscles will always be the limiting factor, preventing you from taking your biceps to true failure.

How heavy should I be lifting for bicep curls?

Use a weight that you can control for 8-15 repetitions with perfect form. The weight should be heavy enough that the last 1-2 reps are a real struggle, but not so heavy that you have to swing your body to lift it. Form always comes before weight.

Should I do bicep curls every day?

Absolutely not. Muscles grow during rest and recovery, not during the workout itself. Training your biceps 2-3 times per week with at least 48 hours of rest between sessions is the most effective frequency for growth and recovery.

Are barbell curls or dumbbell curls better?

Both are excellent and have their place. Barbell curls generally allow you to use more weight, making them great for progressive overload. Dumbbell curls allow for a more natural range of motion and help identify and fix strength imbalances between your left and right arms.

Why do my forearms hurt during bicep curls?

This is often caused by gripping the bar or dumbbell too tightly, which over-engages your forearm flexors. Try using a thumbless (suicide) grip, focusing on pulling with your pinky and ring fingers, or using an EZ-curl bar, which places your wrists in a more natural position.

Conclusion

Bicep curls are not a waste of time. They are a specific tool for a specific job: building bigger, more defined arms. While the internet loves to debate absolutes, the truth is that a smart training program includes both compound movements for foundation and isolation movements for detail.

Stop debating on Reddit and start implementing a structured plan. Choose your curls, apply progressive overload, and be patient. The results will follow.