A bicep workout using body weight can be incredibly effective for building serious muscle and strength. By mastering exercises like chin-ups, inverted rows, and getting creative with curl variations (even isometric holds). The absolute key of bicep workout using body weight, something I hammer home constantly, is focusing on brutally controlled movements and feeling that deep bicep engagement on every single rep. By tweaking your grip and body position, you can absolutely hammer your biceps using nothing but your own body weight. Let’s dive into my top 7 bicep workout using body weight.
1. Chin-Ups
Forget just “good,” chin-ups are the undisputed king of bodyweight biceps builders. Why? Because they force your biceps to lift your entire bodyweight against gravity, through their strongest pulling motion – elbow flexion with a supinated (palms-towards-you) grip. This was the exercise that truly made my biceps pop when I first committed to bodyweight training. It’s challenging, but oh-so rewarding.
- How To Do It:
- Grip & Hang: Find a sturdy pull-up bar. Grab it with an underhand grip (palms facing you), hands roughly shoulder-width apart. Hang fully, arms straight. Engage your core – don’t just dangle!
- Pull & Squeeze: Initiate the pull by driving your elbows down towards your ribs. Focus intensely on using your biceps. Pull yourself smoothly upwards until your chin clears the bar. At the top, give your biceps an extra hard squeeze – hold it for a split second. Feel that burn!
- Lower With Control: This is where most people cheat! Resist gravity. Lower yourself back down slowly and deliberately, taking at least 2-3 seconds. Feel the stretch in your biceps at the bottom. Don’t just drop. Trust me, controlling the descent builds serious strength and muscle.
- Repeat: Aim for controlled reps. Quality over quantity always. If you can’t do full reps yet, use a band for assistance or jump into the top position and lower slowly (negatives).
2. Bodyweight Curls
Okay, so you don’t have dumbbells? No problem. This simple trick using a towel or resistance band anchored low (under a door, around a pole) lets you replicate the curl motion purely with body tension. It’s fantastic for learning that crucial mind-muscle connection with your biceps, something I struggled with early on but now preach relentlessly.
- How To Do It:
- Anchor & Stance: Secure one end of a towel or band low to an immovable object. Grab the other end in each hand with an underhand grip. Stand facing away, feet planted firmly, body leaning back slightly to create tension. Arms should be almost straight.
- Curl & Crush: Keeping your elbows glued to your sides (this is vital!), curl your hands towards your shoulders against the resistance. Focus only on your biceps doing the work. Imagine squeezing an orange in your elbow crease.
- Peak Contraction: Hold the peak squeeze for a full second. Feel that bicep balling up? Good.
- Resist & Stretch: Slowly, deliberately, resist the pull as you extend your arms back to the start. Feel that deep stretch. Fight the band/towel the whole way down.
3. Inverted Rows
Don’t sleep on rows for biceps! Underhand grip inverted rows are phenomenal. They hit the biceps hard while also engaging your back – a fantastic functional strength builder. I use these constantly with clients as a stepping stone to chin-ups or for high-rep bicep burnout.
- How To Do It:
- Set Up: Find a sturdy bar or table edge set around hip-to-waist height. Lie underneath it. Grab the bar/edge with an underhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Straighten your body, heels on the ground, forming a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core and glutes hard – don’t sag!
- Pull To Chest: Keeping your body rigid, pull your chest up towards the bar by driving your elbows down and back. Focus intensely on squeezing your biceps and shoulder blades together at the top.
- Controlled Lowering: Slowly lower yourself back down until your arms are nearly straight. Maintain full body tension throughout. Feel the biceps working the entire time.
- Adjust Difficulty: Make it harder by lowering the bar/walking feet forward, or easier by bending knees/raising the bar.
4. Diamond Push-Ups
“Hang on,” I hear you say, “push-ups for biceps?” Absolutely. While primarily a triceps/chest monster, the close “diamond” hand position forces significant elbow flexion at the bottom under load. This creates intense tension on the biceps eccentrically (lowering) and isometrically (holding the bottom position). It builds serious arm density. I often finish arm circuits with these.
- How To Do It:
- Hand Position: Get into a high plank position. Bring your hands close together directly under your sternum, thumbs and index fingers touching to form a diamond shape.
- Lower With Control: Keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides (don’t flare!), lower your chest slowly towards your hands. Go as deep as you comfortably can. Feel the immense tension building in your arms, especially the biceps as they resist the descent.
- Push Up: Powerfully push back up to the start position, focusing on triceps engagement, but acknowledge the biceps had to stabilize that deep position!
5. Reverse Hand Push-Ups
This variation flips the script. Performing push-ups with your hands rotated so fingers point towards your feet (reverse grip) significantly increases biceps involvement throughout the entire range of motion. It’s tough on the wrists initially (go slow!), but the bicep payoff is real. I discovered this by accident during a wrist mobility drill and felt the bicep burn instantly.
- How To Do It:
- Reverse Grip: Assume a high plank position. Carefully rotate your hands so your fingers point backwards, towards your toes. Palms are flat, wrists might feel a stretch – ease into this.
- Controlled Descent: Lower your chest towards the floor slowly, consciously trying to pull yourself down slightly with your biceps. Keep elbows tucked.
- Power Up: Push back up powerfully. Focus on driving through the heel of your hand and feel the biceps assist strongly in the press. This feels radically different!
6. One-Arm Push-Ups
The pinnacle of bodyweight pushing strength demands incredible core stability and whole-body tension. Crucially for biceps, the single-arm support forces the working side’s bicep to fire intensely to stabilize the elbow joint and assist in controlling the descent and ascent. Don’t expect high reps here – it’s about max tension.
- How To Do It (Progressions First!):Master regular and feet-elevated push-ups before attempting full one-arm! Start with incline one-arm (hands on bench/box) or staggered hands. For the full version:
- Wide Stance: Feet wider than shoulder-width for balance. One hand on the floor directly under your shoulder, the other behind your back or out to the side.
- Core & Glutes ON: Brace your abs, glutes, and legs like your life depends on it. Your body must stay rigid.
- Slow Lower: Bend the working arm, lowering your chest slowly and controlled. Feel the insane tension in your entire arm, especially the bicep fighting to stabilize.
- Power Up: Push back up explosively. The bicep works hard to maintain elbow position under maximum load. This is brutally tough but builds incredible functional arm strength.
7. Plank Shoulder Taps
You thought planks were just for core? Adding shoulder taps transforms them into a phenomenal stabilizer exercise that lights up your biceps isometrically. While holding the plank, your biceps (and shoulders/back/core) work overtime to prevent rotation and maintain position as you lift one hand. It’s a sneaky, effective finisher I love adding to burn out the arms.
- How To Do It:
- Solid Plank: Start in a strong high plank position, hands under shoulders, body forming a straight line. Engage core, glutes, quads. Spread fingers wide.
- Tap & Hold: Without letting your hips rock or body twist, slowly lift one hand and tap the opposite shoulder. Hold that tapped position for a solid 1-2 seconds. Feel your entire arm, especially the bicep of the supporting arm, screaming as it fights to keep you level? That’s the gold.
- Return & Repeat: Place the hand back down smoothly. Repeat on the other side. Focus on minimal movement everywhere except the tapping arm.
Start integrating these 7 bicep workout using body weight moves into your routine. Master the form, chase that deep bicep engagement on every rep, and progressively make them harder (slower reps, less leverage, more pauses). Be patient, be consistent, and feel those biceps respond. You absolutely can build strong, defined arms using the most fundamental tool you have: your own body. Now get out there and squeeze!
Welcome! I’m Jordan Mitchell, the dedicated editor at Leadman Fitness, where we specialize in manufacturing high-quality bumper plates, barbells, weight machines, kettlebells, and dumbbells. With a passion for fitness and a keen eye for detail, I ensure that our product information is clear, accurate, and engaging for our customers. My role involves collaborating closely with our design and production teams to highlight the innovative features and superior craftsmanship that set Leadman Fitness apart in the industry. Whether you’re a professional athlete or a fitness enthusiast, I’m here to provide you with the information you need to achieve your training goals with our top-of-the-line equipment.