If you want biceps that look full and thick from every angle, you need to pay extra attention to the short head of the biceps. This sometimes overlooked part of the muscle helps build width and inner-arm density, giving your arms a rounded, powerful look.
Whether training at home or in the gym, adding the right exercises to your routine can make a big difference.
Below, we’ll explain the structure of the biceps and the difference between the short and long head and share 9 of the best short head bicep exercises to level up your arm strength.
Understanding the Bicep Structure
Despite its notoriety, the bicep is a relatively small muscle found in the front of the upper arm. Its primary functions are elbow flexion (bending your arm) and wrist supination (rotating your wrist so your palms face up).
The biceps is made of two heads, a longer outer head and a shorter inner head. They originate from different points on the scapula (shoulder) and cross the shoulder joint. These heads then run parallel to each other down the forearm and merge as a single muscle before inserting into the radial tuberosity (bony bump) on the radius bone near the elbow joint.
Short Head vs. Long Head
Both the short and long heads come together to form a single muscle, and both contract simultaneously when you bend your elbow. Therefore, developing both heads is essential since the long head plays a crucial role in the peak of the bicep (along with the brachialis) while the shorter head adds more thickness and width.
However, while they work together, each also has its own area of expertise. The shorter inner head plays a crucial role in stabilizing the shoulder joint while supporting adduction (bringing your arm towards the body’s midline). The long head is vital in supporting the inward rotation of the arm and abduction (when you move your arm away from the body). This means movements that pull your arms towards the body will promote short head development, while those that push your arms away from the body make great long head biceps exercises.
How the Brachialis Influences Muscle Development
The brachialis is equally crucial for arm development, but is often overlooked in favor of the biceps. However, the brachialis is located beneath the long head, and when it’s well-developed, it pushes up on the long head for a more pronounced muscle peak. It also adds girth to the biceps to give them a fuller appearance.
The brachialis inserts onto the ulna, which is critical in arm flexion (bending). A well-developed brachialis will help give you the strength to develop your biceps better. So, despite it often being overlooked, it’s equally essential in arm muscle development. This is why learning muscle anatomy and what exercises target each muscle is crucial to developing a balanced physique.
Effective Exercises to Target the Short Head of the Bicep
Now, let’s examine some great home arm workouts to target the short inner head.
Barbell Curls With Wide Grip
Using a wide grip when doing barbells is one of the easiest ways to work the shorter inner head of the biceps. With this exercise, you can overload the muscle using more weight. It will create mechanical tension, which will help muscle development. But don’t use so much weight that you cheat using momentum or shorten the range of motion.
How To:
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Grab your barbell in a supinated (underhand) grip, with your hands more than shoulder width apart but not so far that it causes discomfort.
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Stand tall, inhale, retract your shoulder blades, squeeze your glutes, and tighten your abdominal muscles.
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Curl the bar in one smooth motion, bending your arms until your forearms are vertical or your wrists approach shoulder height, depending on your range of motion.
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Pause at the top of the movement before slowly extending your arms in a controlled motion, exhaling as you reach the bottom.
Concentration Curls
Concentration curls are a dumbbell exercise that effectively activates the biceps. Resting your elbow on your leg minimizes movement and better isolates the bicep. By using flexion combined with supination, the focus is on the shorter head.
How To:
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Sit on the edge of a chair or bench and spread your legs wide.
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Grip the dumbbell in your right hand.
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Place your upper arm against the inner portion of your right thigh, with your arm hanging straight down.
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Engage your abs and inhale as you curl the dumbbell upwards until your wrist is slightly higher than your elbow.
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At the top, squeeze your bicep.
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Slowly extend your arm in a controlled motion as you inhale.
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Complete your reps before switching sides.
EZ Bar Bicep Curls
Bicep curls and their variations are excellent workouts because simple variations, like using a different grip or an EZ bar, provide unique stimuli to the upper arm muscles.
EZ bar curls are just like straight-bar curls except the EZ bar has a gentle “W” shape that puts your wrist in a better position and allows for a more comfortable angled grip. Using a wide grip also better targets the shorter inner head.
How To:
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Grasp the EZ bar with a wide underhand grip.
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Stand tall, retract your shoulder blades, engage your abs, and breathe in.
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Slowly curl the bar until your wrists are just higher than your elbows. Keep your elbows tucked close to your sides.
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Pause briefly, then slowly extend your arms in a controlled motion, exhaling at the bottom.
Spider Curls
Spider curls are another excellent dumbbell bicep workout. They involve holding the arms in front of the body to target the shorter head.
How To:
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Set the incline bench to 45 or 60 degrees.
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Lay face down on the bench with your stomach resting against the back support and arms hanging down.
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Reach down and grab your dumbbells (or a wide grip barbell) with arms straight.
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Retract your shoulder blades, inhale, and squeeze those glutes.
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Curl the dumbbells smoothly, keeping the wrists supinated throughout the range of motion.
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Pause at the top, then exhale as you slowly extend your arms.
Wide Grip Cable Curls
Using a cable machine like the Speediance Gym Monster 2 with a wide grip is an excellent, effective way to target the short head, especially since the constant tension provided by the cable leads to better muscle activation.
How To:
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Select an appropriate load and set the pulley to the lowest position.
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Attach an EZ curl bar or a straight bar for a wide grip.
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Bend forward and grasp the bar with an underhand grip.
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Stand tall and step back, staggering your stance for balance.
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Engage your abs, retract your shoulder blades, keep your shoulders fixed to your side throughout, and straighten your arms.
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Inhale and curl the bar in a fluid motion until your wrists are slightly above your elbows.
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Pause briefly at the top before slowly extending your arms as you exhale near the bottom.
Seated Dumbbell Curls
Seated dumbbell curls target both heads by limiting body movement and reducing the risk of cheating with momentum. However, you can easily target that shorter head by keeping your elbows tucked while slightly rotating the dumbbell inward during the curl.
How To:
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Grab a set of dumbbells and sit on the bench with your spine straight.
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Place your arms at your sides, keeping your elbows tucked. Engage your abs and retract your shoulder blades.
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Inhale and curl the dumbbells until your wrists are just higher than your elbows, keeping your elbows in the same position throughout the range of motion.
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Pause momentarily before slowly extending your arms as you exhale.
Wide Grip Preacher Curl
Preacher curls are another great bicep workout that reduces the risk of momentum to enhance muscle activation. Performing them with a wider grip on an EZ bar will emphasize the short head.
How To:
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Adjust the bench seat height so you can comfortably place the back of your upper arms on the preacher bench pad.
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Load the EZ bar with a suitable weight.
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Lean forward, grab the EZ bar with a wide underhand grip, then bend your arms and sit down.
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Ensure your upper arms are placed comfortably on the padded platform, then retract your shoulder blades and tighten your abdominals.
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Inhale and slowly extend your arms until they’re almost straight.
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Curl the bar, squeezing at the top, and exhale.
Chin Ups
Chin ups are an excellent bodyweight exercise that trains the back. However, they also develop the biceps, especially with an underhand grip that places the elbows in front of the torso for better recruitment of the shorter biceps head. Your biceps will contract at the top and stretch at the bottom, enhancing their development.
How To:
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With an underhand grip, grab the pull-up bar with hands approximately shoulder-width apart.
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Retract your shoulder blades, engage your core, and squeeze your glutes.
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Bend your knees slightly as you lift your feet off the floor.
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Inhale as you pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar.
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Pause briefly and slowly lower yourself until your arms are almost straight while keeping your core engaged.
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Exhale near the bottom.
Inner Bicep Curls
Inner bicep curls allow you to target the shorter head with a simple pair of dumbbells.
How To:
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Stand straight holding a pair of dumbbells at your side with wrists supinated and inner elbows turned slightly outward.
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Curl the weight upwards, focusing on keeping your arms supinated and your elbows tucked at your sides.
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Squeeze at the top to enhance the stretch.
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Slowly lower the weights as you exhale, keeping your arms supinated and elbows tucked.
Tips for Targeting the Short Head
Since the short and long heads originate and insert at similar locations, you cannot completely isolate the shorter head. However, there are ways to target that short head for maximum muscle activation.
Use a Wider Grip
Using a wider grip is the easiest way to target the short bicep head. This allows the inner portion of the biceps to do relatively more work than the outer portion.
Keep Your Arms in Front of Your Body
You can also choose exercises that keep your arms in front of your body, such as preacher curls, to target the short inner head. Also, try angling your forearms forward and out when doing dumbbell curls.
Wrist Supination
Wrist supination, when your palms face upwards, is another proven method for better targeting that short head. Try doing dumbbell curls with your palms in a neutral position, but then gradually rotate your hands out, squeezing the bicep at the top of each rep.
Focus on Control and Form
While not technically a way to target the short head, this is a crucial point. Weightlifting aims to build muscle mass, so we often think more weight = more mass. But this approach may compromise form. Optimal muscle growth comes from using the right amount of weight to train close to failure and maintain proper form. This typically means using lighter loads for maximum control. Furthermore, focus on the muscle you’re targeting for better mind-muscle connection and concentrate on maintaining control throughout the entire range of the movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Short Head Biceps Stronger?
Neither head is stronger, just different. Both the short and long heads of the biceps work together to give you strength, along with the brachialis that sits beneath the long head. Since they work together and it’s impossible to isolate each head completely, their strength lies in working together.
Do Bicep Curls Train the Long or Short Head?
Bicep curls target both heads of the biceps since they work together and cannot be completely isolated. However, grip variations like using a wide grip with wrist supination will target the shorter head, which helps give width and thickness to the biceps.
Short Head Bicep Exercises Build Arm Width and Inner Definition
The short head of the biceps plays a major role in adding width, balance, and definition to your arms. By choosing exercises that use wider grips, wrist supination, and keeping your arms in front of your body, you can effectively target this inner head for real results. Remember to prioritize proper form over heavy weight and focus on controlled, focused reps. Whether you're curling dumbbells or EZ bars, stay consistent, and the gains will follow. For a space-saving way to train at home with consistent resistance to avoid cheating with momentum, check out the Speediance Gym Monster 2.
