Bicep curls are often derided as a rookie exercise. The rationale? Those doing them don’t know any better. They are yet to understand the power of compound exercises. They just want to look good for their Tinder profile. As soon as February hits they’ll be gone.
However, single isolation exercises, despite being much-maligned (to a degree understandably) by functional fitness enthusiasts, can also have a healthy place in any ‘useful strength’ builder’s routine.
Ross Edgley, a world-renowned strongman who has, among other terrifying accomplishments, completed a 1,780-Mile swim around Great Britain, recently took to Instagram to explain some of the benefits of bicep curls.
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“Biceps & Brownies (my recipe for recovery),” Edgley wrote on Monday. “In all seriousness, when recovering (or when not wanting to place any additional stress on the body) don’t underestimate the power of small, isolation exercises that are bodybuilding-centric in their nature (like the humble bicep curl) as a way of putting force through the joints, muscles and tendons WHILST managing volume, intensity and ‘adaptation energy,’”
He posted this alongside a photo taken before the UK’s latest lockdown.
Other fitness enthusiasts spoke about further recovery techniques they like to use in the comments, including resistance bands.
Food for thought – we all know never to skip leg day. Perhaps it’s best not to skip arm day either.