The 7 Best Long Head Bicep Dumbbell Exercises

Your biceps have two distinct heads – the long head and the short head. The short head is located on your inner upper arm and adds width and density to your biceps. Your long head bicep is on the outer side of your arm and gives your upper arms an impressive peak that adds height and looks great in shirts (or out of them). If you want a higher bicep peak, focus on including some of the most effective long head bicep exercises. You can train your long head biceps with cables, barbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, and even your own body weight for movements like chin-ups and pull-ups. 

What if you are stuck in a small hotel gym with minimal equipment? Or maybe you’re training from home or while on the go. We’ve got you covered. We review the best long head bicep exercises using only dumbbells so that you can keep effectively training your biceps peaks anytime, anywhere.

1. Dumbbell Hammer Curls
2. Incline Dumbbell Curls
3. Unilateral Preacher Dumbbell Curls
4. Alternating Dumbbell Curls
5. Dumbbell Drag Curls 
6. Concentration Curls
7. Supinating Dumbbell Curls

1. Dumbbell Hammer Curls

Benefits of Dumbbell Hammer Curls

Hammer curls are among the best long head biceps exercises because they require a neutral grip and keep your elbows tucked close to the body. Hammer curls also use the two main functions of the bicep – bending your elbow and supinating your forearm. You can do hammer curls seated or standing. We’ll describe how to perform them seated, as it is the strictest position, eliminates any assistance from the legs, and better isolates the long bicep head.

How to Perform Dumbbell Hammer Curls

1. Sit on a bench with your back pressed against the pad and your feet firmly planted hip-width distance apart. Sit up tall, brace your abdominals, and tuck your chin to keep a neutral and stable spine.
2. Grab two dumbbells using a neutral grip (palms facing inward). Let your arms hang by your sides.
3. Tuck your elbows into your ribcage. Do not let them move during the exercise. Keeping your upper arms stationary, squeeze your biceps to curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders. Maintain a strict neutral grip throughout, and don’t bend your wrists.
4. Squeeze your muscles when the dumbbells graze your front deltoids for 1-2 seconds for maximum contraction. 
5. Slowly lower the dumbbells to their starting position until your arms are fully extended, but your elbows are not locked. Slow down your eccentric (lowering phase) movement to get more time under tension and avoid hyperextending your elbow joint.
6. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Here’s Chad Mollick with a demonstration.

2. Incline Dumbbell Curls

Benefits of Incline Dumbbell Curls

The incline dumbbell curl also targets your long bicep head. Exercises beginning with your elbows behind your torso increase the amount of shoulder flexion – another function of the long bicep head. Incline dumbbell curls increase the range of motion of your bicep, engaging more muscle fibers for better hypertrophy gains and a bigger pump. 

How to Perform Incline Dumbbell Curls

1. Lie on an incline bench set to a 45-60-degree angle, depending on your experience level. For less of a challenge, go for about 60 degrees. To increase difficulty, set the bench to 45 degrees.
2. Grab a pair of dumbbells with a supinated grip and lie back so the bench supports your head, neck, and back. Let your arms hang fully extended by your sides, but do not lock out your elbows.
3. Tuck your chin and brace your abdominals. Dig your feet into the ground to anchor your entire body into the bench. Only your forearms and hands should move once you begin your set.
4. Take a deep inhale to brace your torso. Squeeze your biceps to curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders without moving your elbows. 
5. When the dumbbell is almost at your shoulder, rotate your forearms to further supinate the wrist.
6. Pause for 1-2 seconds at the point of peak contraction, when the dumbbells graze your shoulders or your forearms and biceps touch each other. 
7. Extend your arms to lower the dumbbells to their starting position. Slow down the lowering (eccentric) phase of the lift as much as possible to increase time under tension and avoid hyperextending your elbow as the weight drops.
8. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Here’s Scott Herman Fitness with a demonstration of the incline dumbbell curl.

3. Unilateral Preacher Dumbbell Curls

Benefits of Unilateral Preacher Dumbbell Curls

Preacher curls are a fantastic bicep isolation exercise that uses an incline preacher pad to anchor your upper arms so that only your biceps are working. Preacher curls using dumbbells move the bicep peak through an extended range of motion. Performing preacher curls unilaterally (one arm at a time) improves muscular imbalances and allows you to focus on training one long bicep head. Preacher curls force you to be strict with your form, improving mind-to-muscle connection and engaging more muscle fibers for a greater burn and pump.

How to Perform Unilateral Preacher Dumbbell Curls

1. Starting on your weaker side (or less dominant arm), grab a dumbbell and sit at a preacher curl station. You can also prop your working arm against an incline bench if you don’t have access to a preacher pad. 
2. Rest your tricep and elbow against the pad and let the dumbbell hang in your hands with a supinated grip, so your palm is facing you. Rest your non-working hand against your opposite shoulder for stability. 
3. Plant your feet and inhale deeply to brace your abdominals. Tuck your chin and gaze straight ahead to maintain a neutral upper spine.
4. Squeeze the bicep of your working arm to curl the dumbbell toward your shoulder. Curl the dumbbell as high as possible or until the dumbbell grazes the front of your deltoid.
5. Hold at the point of peak contraction for 1-2 seconds.
6. Slowly extend your elbow and lower the dumbbell to its starting position.
7. Perform an even number of reps and sets per arm.

Here’s a helpful video from Bodybuilding.com demonstrating the single-arm dumbbell preacher curl.

4. Alternating Dumbbell Curls

Benefits of Alternating Dumbbell Curls

This variation of the classic dumbbell curl trains one arm at a time more efficiently. Rather than doing a full set on each arm and then swapping sides, alternating dumbbell curls involve switching arms after each rep until you have completed the desired amount of work per arm. Alternating dumbbell curls are great for the long bicep head because they involve elbow flexion and forearm supination. This exercise builds symmetrical biceps and balances the strength of your left and right arm.

How to Perform Alternating Dumbbell Curls

1. Stand up tall and grab two dumbbells directly in the center of their handles. Use a neutral grip (or hammer curl) to target the long bicep head.
2. Let your arms hang by your sides and pull your shoulder blades back. Keep a slight bend in your hips and keep your abdominals braced. Squeeze the dumbbells to activate the muscles in your upper arms, forearms, and wrists.
3. Keeping your upper arms pinned to your ribcage, squeeze your biceps to bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders. As you raise the dumbbells, let your elbows come slightly forward and internally rotate your wrists to maximize supination.
4. Squeeze your muscles when your arms are at a 45-degree angle, and the dumbbells almost graze your deltoids. Pause for 1-2 seconds while contracting your biceps as hard as possible.
5. Lower the dumbbells with control, taking about three seconds for the descent. Slow down the eccentric movement to increase time under tension and avoid hyperextending your elbow joint.
6. Fully extend your arms and flex your triceps at the bottom of each rep to pre-stretch the biceps brachii, allowing a greater contraction for your next rep.
7. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Here’s Scott Herman Fitness with a demonstration.

5. Dumbbell Drag Curls

Benefits of Dumbbell Drag Curls

This bicep curl variation is more advanced and is most often done with a smith machine or barbells. However, you can also do this long bicep exercise using dumbbells. The drag curl involves dragging your elbows behind you as you curl the dumbbells, so the weight travels straight up rather than arcing away from your torso. Drag curls are among the best long bicep head exercises because they minimize front delt engagement. This exercise stretches the long bicep head more than other curl variations, building a higher bicep peak. 

How to Perform Dumbbell Drag Curls

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells with a supinated (underhand) grip. Let your arms hang, so the dumbbells align with your shoulders.
2. Stand up tall with your feet hip-width apart, and your abdominals braced. Inhale.
3. Squeeze your biceps, bend your elbows, and begin to curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders. Drive your elbows behind your torso as you curl the dumbbells to move in a straight vertical line. The higher you curl the dumbbells, the further back your elbows will travel.
4. Pause when your arms are fully flexed, and the dumbbells are near your front delts. Squeeze your biceps for 1-2 seconds to contract all your muscles.
5. Slowly extend your elbows and allow them to travel forward as you extend your arms and return the dumbbells to their starting position.
6. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

This exercise takes some time to learn, but once you nail the technique, it is one of the best ways to build a bigger bicep peak. For a visual demonstration of the dumbbell drag curl, check out this helpful video from My PT Hub.

6. Concentration Curls

Benefits of Concentration Curls

Mind-to-muscle connection and meticulous technique are powerful strategies for breaking through strength and hypertrophy plateaus. For your long biceps, the concentration curl allows you to focus on squeezing your bicep as hard as possible. Concentration curls are one of the best exercises for isolating your biceps and emphasizing the long bicep head.

How to Perform Concentration Curls

1. Grab a dumbbell with an underhand grip and sit on a flat bench. Start with your weaker or non-dominant arm and match the reps on your stronger arm to address muscular imbalances. 
2. Spread your knees wide enough for your arm to curl inward without bumping into your opposite knee.
3. Keep your feet planted on the floor wider than hip-width distance. Hinge at your hips and lean your torso forward to 45 degrees.
4. Anchor the elbow of your working arm against your inner thigh for stability. The elbow should remain fixed to your inner thigh throughout the exercise. Grab your other thigh with your non-working arm to keep it out of the way.
5. Let your working arm hang down so the dumbbell is near your calf and your palm faces inward.
6. Grip the dumbbell firmly to pre-tense all the muscles in your arm. Your shoulder, elbow, and wrist should form a straight vertical line.
7. Look at the bicep you are working for a greater mind-to-muscle connection. Inhale to brace your entire body.
8. Squeeze your bicep to curl the dumbbell toward your shoulder while keeping everything else stationery.
9. Pause when your bicep is fully contracted and the dumbbell is near your shoulder.
10. Slowly extend your elbow to return the dumbbell to its starting position. Fully extend your arm but don’t lock out your elbow to avoid a hyperextension injury.
11. Repeat for the desired number of reps on your first arm, then switch sides.
12. Perform an even number of sets per arm.

For a visual demonstration, here’s a helpful video from Bodybuilding.com 

7. Supinating Dumbbell Curls

Benefits of Supinating Dumbbell Curls

This variation of the classic dumbbell curl emphasizes forearm supination to maximize engagement of the long bicep head. While there is only a slight difference between this exercise and the standard dumbbell curl, it can be a game-changer for your biceps if you perfect the form.

How to Perform Supinating Dumbbell Curls

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand up tall with your arms hanging by your sides. Use a neutral or hammer curl grip at the start of the exercise.
2. Squeeze your biceps to curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders without moving your upper arms. 
3. As you approach the top of each rep, twist your wrists inward to supinate your forearms. Your hands should now face inward toward your chest.
4. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the rep as hard as possible.
5. Slowly extend your elbows to lower the dumbbells to your sides, reversing the supination so that your grip is neutral between reps.
6. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

Here’s Chris and Eric Martinez with a demonstration.

Best Long Head Bicep Dumbbell Exercises FAQ

How Can I Isolate My Long Bicep Head?

The long and short bicep heads have two distinct attachment points that both connect to the belly of your biceps brachii muscles. You cannot wholly isolate them from each other when training your biceps, as they work cohesively to lift the weight. However, with a few technical tweaks, you can emphasize the long bicep head to focus on building a bigger biceps peak. Using a narrow grip, keeping your elbows tucked close to the body, and using a neutral or exaggerated supinated grip are all useful tactics to improve the biceps peak.

Some of the best exercises for your long bicep head include hammer curls, incline bicep curls, and dumbbell drag curls. You can also target your long head bicep with bodyweight movements like chin-ups and neutral grip pull-ups. Great exercises for the long head of the biceps brachii include the incline dumbbell curl, hammer curls, and supinating bicep curls.

Other Muscle Groups Exercises

If you enjoyed this post, check out our other collections of the best exercises for each muscle group below.

About Emma Lennon

Emma is a Health Science graduate, qualified personal trainer, and writer. She has over ten years of experience in the health, community development, and communications sectors. She is passionate about making reputable information about health, fitness, and resistance training accessible to all.

Emma loves building her own functional strength and fitness outside of work with various training styles, from weightlifting to calisthenics, yoga, and dancing. She advocates for the powerful potential of exercise to improve physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being.