World and Russian biceps curl records - who owns them and what is the record weight?

November 11, 2022 Admin Home page » Training nuances

Learn 10 variations of barbell curls for maximum development of arm muscles. Train correctly using effective methods.

The biceps curl exercise is performed by everyone, no matter amateur or professional. However, many people do it for a long time and do not feel much progress. The accusation immediately goes towards genetics or the fact that steroids are not used.

First of all, you need to understand the correct technique, because doing barbell curls at random, just to take more weight and show off to others in the gym, will not bring much benefit.

If you find yourself in such a situation, then it’s time to try something new, for example, 10 variations of this basic exercise:

Barbell curl record

Before moving on to the main part, do you know what the record for barbell curls is? If you can lift a barbell weight of 60, 70 or 80 kg for 1 repetition in training, then this is childish weight in comparison with the real monsters who set the world record in this exercise.

The famous video in which Arnold Schwarzenegger lifts a weight with a barbell weighing 110 kg for 3-4 repetitions, when his weight himself was 115 kg. As it turns out now, such a weight is far from the limit.

♦ 3rd PLACE – Derek Poundstone, a lifter and strongman with a biceps of 56 cm and a weight of 155 kg, lifted a barbell with a weight of 138 kg for 1 repetition.

♦ 2nd PLACE – CC Fletcher, owner of an even larger biceps with a volume of 58 cm and a weight of 140 kg. was able to lift a barbell of 140 kg.

♦ 1st PLACE – representative of Russia Denis Tsyplenkov, the famous arm wrestler nicknamed “Russian Bear”, whose biceps are 62 cm and his own weight is 150 kg, was able to set a record that no one has yet conquered, lifting a weight of 160 kg.

SPR rules[edit | edit code]

• The athlete stands facing the front of the platform. The barbell is lifted from the platform or removed from the racks and then must be held horizontally at hip level. Palms facing up, fingers should clasp the bar. The legs should be level on the platform, the knees and arms should be fully straightened. One foot can be in front of the other (staggered feet) as long as the knees are straight and the feet are level on the platform.
• The athlete in the starting position awaits the command of the chief judge. The command is given as soon as the athlete demonstrates readiness and the bar is positioned, the proper signal is an upward movement of the arm along with the distinct command “Curl.”
• As soon as the command is given, the athlete must lift the barbell, arms fully bent at the elbows (barbell at chin or throat level, palms facing back). Your knees should remain straight and your shoulders aligned (at right angles) or back throughout the exercise.
• When completing the lifting phase, the knees should remain straight and the shoulders should be straightened or pulled back.
• The legs and hips should not be used in any way to generate the push to complete the exercise. The athlete should not lean back to assist in lifting the weight. Any pushing with legs or hips is prohibited.
• When the final position is reached, the head referee gives the signal by moving his hand downwards along with the clear command “Down”. The signal is not given until the bar is secured and the athlete has reached the final position.
• Any upward movement of the barbell or any deliberate attempt to lift the barbell is considered a used attempt.
• The athlete is given an additional attempt with the same weight of the barbell if the mistake was made due to the fault of the assistants setting the weight.

Standing biceps curl

The main exercise, when performing which you need to remember important nuances:

♦ ELBOWS - keep pressed to the body, not allowing them to diverge to the sides. They can move forward slightly, but certainly not go beyond the vertical axis of the body;

♦ HANDS – when lifting the barbell, do not bend your hands inward, keep them straight, this way the forearm will not take part of the load and the load will mainly go to the biceps;

♦ BAR - a straight bar loads the central and outer part of the biceps, but at the same time, due to the unnatural position of the wrists, it overstrains them. At the same time, the EZ bar primarily loads the inner part of the biceps, but is more comfortable for the wrists. The solution is to periodically alternate the bars;

♦ REPETITIONS – the number increases strength by 4-6 times, 8-10 works the mass, and 12-20 improves endurance;

♦ AMPLITUDE OF MOVEMENT – at the lowest point the bar should not rest on the hips, it is necessary to stop it just a couple of centimeters before them, and when lifting the bar, do not bring it to the upper chest, about 10 cm. Only in this way will the load be constantly maintained in the biceps throughout the entire exercise;

♦ PAUSE – stopping the bar 10 cm from the upper chest, you need to pause for a second, which will maintain the peak of contraction and maximize the load on the biceps.

It seems like little things are described above, but taken together they will have a strong impact on the final result.

Beyond the “amazing” level

What to do when you reach the “amazing” level? Move on - continue to increase muscle volume! Well, the basis of the methodology will remain increasing training weights. You know the rule: the stronger you are, the bigger your muscles. Everything, as you can see, is extremely simple...

By the way, at this “advanced” stage, you may get tired of training in a strength style and assign yourself a different target - “fine-tuning” your muscles. However, one should not forget one fundamental practical postulate of bodybuilding. It says: the best way to improve muscle shape is to increase their volume. Indeed. It has been noticed that the more the muscle is pumped, the more advantageous its shape. So, if you get carried away with detail, you risk missing the point.

In principle, any stage of training has one task - building muscle. But, unfortunately, we cannot increase strength and muscle indefinitely. Of course, if you start training as an adult, you can progress for quite a long time before nature reverses the process. But if you have been training continuously since the age of 17-20, you should not expect a serious increase in performance after sixty, fifty or even forty-five, although in certain exercises progress can last for quite a long time.

Barbell curls with cheating

The only difference from the exercise above is that the weight is used more than usual and to lift it, a push from the hips is used, throwing the weight up while simultaneously tilting the back back.

Simply put, from the outside it may seem that the exercise is being performed with a gross violation of technique, but at the same time the weight is lowered slowly, and not just lowering your arms down.

Due to the increased load on the biceps, in order to avoid overtraining, you should not perform this version of the exercise more than 2-3 times a month.

Speed ​​of progress

How long does it take to get to an “amazing” level from scratch? The average “weak responder” who does not use steroids and strictly adheres to a shortened training program is able to get to the “amazing” (taking into account age, gender and weight) level in 3-5 years.

For a more “responsive” person, less than three years may be enough, and for someone less fortunate, it may take all of 6 years to go from a level close to “very good” to “amazing.” However, the main thing for you is - This is your own progress, so don't compare yourself to anyone. Moreover, not everything in training depends on your persistence and genetics. Sometimes life lays such pirouettes that it leaves no stone unturned from our plans. In fact, few amateurs are able to devote themselves entirely to pumping. In short, make a reasonable allowance for your amateur status.

Scott bench climb

When performed in this embodiment, the biceps are well stretched before contracting. When lifting up, the angle at the elbow should be no more than 90 degrees, otherwise the load will be removed from the biceps, which will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.

The main thing is to sit down correctly, the curve of the pillow should be strictly under the armpits, and the arms themselves should rest with the triceps on the pillow, and not rest against it with the elbows. It is best when the bench angle is 60-80 degrees; at 45 degrees, the load on the biceps is reduced.

WRPF standards[edit | edit code]

Without undergoing doping control

Seated biceps curl

The peculiarity of the exercise is that when lowering the barbell you will not be able to completely straighten your elbows, and when lifting it you will not be able to tilt your back back, unless of course it rests against the back of the gymnastic bench.

Each standard standing biceps exercise can be completed with a final sitting approach.

Lower body exercises

Lifting the barbell with elbows back

The main feature of the exercise is that the barbell rises straight up, and it is the elbows that move.

The second name of the exercise is the Gironda lift and its main goal is to pump the upper biceps. To learn an exercise, it is better to first practice it in a Smith machine.

Larry Scott, 54 cm

Larry Scott , one of the most famous bodybuilders of the Golden Era, was initially considered to have little potential due to his narrow shoulders. Without listening to anyone's opinions, he began training intensively at the age of 16, and by the age of 20 he won his first bodybuilding tournament - Mr. Idaho, 1959.

He quickly moved to California, won the Mr. California competition in 1960, and the rest is bodybuilding history.

Larry Scott won many other titles in his career and had the nicknames "The Legend" and "The Golden Boy". His bodybuilding titles include Mr. Pacific Coast 1961, Mr. Universe 1964, and Mr. Olympia 1965 and 1966.

When he won the first ever Mr. Olympia competition, he was awarded the crown. In the second Mr. Olympia competition, he won $1,000. Narrow shoulders, which were considered his natural weak point, did not prevent him from pumping up 54 cm biceps, which was an incredible result for the 60s.

Lifting the barbell with emphasis on the biceps insulator

To do this, you need a special device - a biceps isolator. The grip required is narrower than in the classic version, and the emphasis of the load falls on the inner part of the biceps.

The biceps isolator will not allow you to lower the barbell completely down, therefore, in contrast to the Gironda lift, the main load falls on the lower section of the biceps.

Sergio Oliva, 54 cm

Oliva , three-time Mr. Olympia, died on November 12, 2012, aged 71. The legacy he left confirms his status as an immortal, a god of the Golden Age.

In 1967, Oliva became the second bodybuilder to win the prestigious Olympia. He was the only man to ever defeat the seemingly invincible Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Olympia (1969). Oliva also won the 1968 competition because no one dared to challenge him.

Sergio arguably had the best bodybuilding genetics of all time. His contribution to the culture of iron and training is immeasurable.

Concentrated biceps curl

The narrow placement of the arms and reduced range of motion allows you to quickly achieve maximum load on the biceps. Nowadays it’s a real wonder to see this in the gym, but 30-40 years ago in Arnold’s time, this was a fairly common exercise.

The exercise is not for biceps mass, but to increase its height. In addition, a narrow position of the arms increases the load on the internal biceps bundle.

Upper body exercises

Spider curl

This variety perfectly isolates the biceps, because there is nowhere to wait for help. Raise the barbell up and pause for a second to create a peak contraction in the biceps.

It also cannot be called mass-gaining and its main task is to form the peak of the biceps and give it a beautiful appearance.

Dorian Yates, 54 cm

Long before he won his first Mr. Olympia title in 1992 (one of six he would eventually win), Dorian was a thoughtful bodybuilder. Having read all the available training, nutrition and psychology literature relating to performance enhancement, he became known in bodybuilding circles as "The Shadow" (in part due to his ability to come out of nowhere) and "The Beast from Britain" (based on his wild approach to training , tenacity and killer instinct in the gym).

Today, Dorian Yates teaches other bodybuilding candidates everything they need to know to unlock their genetic potential. With his no-compromise attitude, combined with an intelligence and insight rarely found in elite-level sports, he pioneered and revolutionized bodybuilding training, establishing previously unseen degrees of muscle mass and conditioning to become the standard-bearer for extreme size, proportion and shape. Indeed, two periods can be said to define the modern era of bodybuilding: BD (before Dorian) and AD (after Dorian).

Barbell curl against a wall

The technique is identical to the classic barbell curl with the difference that your back rests against the wall and no matter how much you want to, you won’t be able to lean back.

Of course, the working weight will need to be reduced by about 20%, because the usual weights can no longer be overcome, but the load on the biceps will be more isolated.

You don’t need to do it all the time; it’s enough to do the last approach with this variation.

Maurice and Rydin Method

I'll show you how to “translate” one-rep sets with maximum weight into multi-rep sets and vice versa. Using this method, you can compare your current performance with the numbers from the table above, without performing special one-rep sets with the maximum weights for you. You will also be able to compare your current results with those you achieved in a previous cycle when you used a different number of repetitions. For example, in your current cycle you are doing 10 reps of squats and want to figure out what your best one-rep result would be. Or, let's say you're working with a low number of repetitions and would like to compare your current result with the results of a previous cycle when you worked with a much higher number of repetitions. Such a comparison, of course, would open your eyes to the impact of different methods.

My strength friends Dave Maurice and Rich Rydin have come up with two formulas that allow you to compare weights when performing different numbers of reps. For convenience, these formulas are presented here in the form of tables.

Using these tables, you will be able to “convert” the weight with which you perform one number of repetitions into the weight with which you could perform another number of repetitions.

To use one of the tables, look in the left column for the number of reps you are currently doing. Then move along the series of numbers until you reach the column indicating the number of repetitions to which you want to “project” your result.

For example, if you are doing a 10 rep bench press and you are wondering how much weight you could perform 6 reps with, you would multiply your 10 rep max weight by 1.13. Likewise, if you squat for 6 reps and want to determine what your 20 rep squat performance would be, you would multiply your 6 rep max weight by 0.81.

Reverse grip barbell lift

The exercise is mainly aimed at strengthening the brachioradialis muscles and brachialis, which is located under the biceps and its physical development, increases the biceps, lifting it and giving it additional volume. Of course, the weight of the barbell will be minimal, but the main thing here is to perform the exercise correctly.

The number of repetitions is around 7-8, rest between sets is 1.5-2 minutes. At the lowest point, do not straighten your elbows completely, but when lifting them up, maintain a distance between your hands and the upper chest of at least 10 cm.

Use all types of exercise periodically, which will allow you to train your biceps from different angles, involving all areas of the muscles, even deep-lying ones. Good luck with your training!

Mustafa Ismail

An equally striking figure in the world of sports, Moustafa Ismail (Mustafa Ismail), also stands out for his achievements. He is originally from Egypt and currently lives in the USA. Despite his youth (he is only 24 years old), Mustafa has the largest forearms in the world and huge biceps of 79 centimeters.

With his appearance, reminiscent of the cartoon character, the sailor Popeye, Mustafa earned jokes from his friends, however, he is not at all offended by them for this.

Mustafa became involved with sports when he was 14 years old, when he was still living in his homeland. His goal initially was the big biceps that later made him famous. Even after moving with his parents to the United States, Mustafa did not stop training. Now the maximum weight he can lift is 226 kilograms!

Mustafa adheres to a strict daily routine. Wake up at 4 am, training starts an hour later and ends only at 8 am. After training, the athlete runs to his first job, where he stays until lunch. After having lunch at home, he rests a bit and then runs back to his second job.

What is the reason for Mustafa’s success? According to him, it’s all about not only grueling training, but also special nutrition. Mustafa consumes about 3 kilograms of protein, 4 kilograms of carbohydrate foods per day, and also drinks at least ten liters of water per day. Typically, his diet consists of 1.5 kilograms of meat, several cups of nuts and three liters of protein drink.

Ismail shared that his initial motivation for going to the gym was to tease his friends – he was once quite overweight. But over time, the guy managed to get rid of excess weight, gaining muscle in return. And, as Mustafa himself believes, he owes his physique to his father, who was involved in Greco-Roman wrestling for a long time.

According to the athlete, he never dabbled in illegal sports drugs, and achieved such huge biceps only through persistent and constant training. Although most experts doubt his words. As they say, it is quite possible that synthol was involved in his achievements, or silicone implants were involved. Despite all this, Mustafa plans to become the next record holder to be included in the Guinness Book of Records for the most impressive biceps size.