Scott's bench for biceps. Exercises, technique with dumbbells, barbell

Larry Scott's bench, according to legend, helped Larry himself achieve biceps peaks without a genetic predisposition. Modern science refutes such miracles, but the apparatus has taken root in gyms, because it allows you to pump up your arms without cheating. This exercise can be performed with minimal weight, as it is the most isolated exercise available. The Scott Bench Curl can complete a biceps brachii workout, or be the last movement of a back day. The biceps work will be significant.

Design and purpose of the Scott bench

The Scott bench for biceps is a structure made of steel or composite profiled pipe, a support platform and a seat:

• The frame of Larry Scott's simulator is made of profile pipe. Its cross-section and shape may vary depending on the product model. The design consists of two main parts. The first and main thing is the inclined plane. A support cushion for the arms is attached to it. Depending on the equipment manufacturer, this may be two vertical posts that extend from the floor to the top of the machine, or a short, small rectangular frame that reaches halfway up its full height. Regardless of the appearance of the structure, this element of the Scott simulator serves to give rigidity to the equipment and attach support posts for the barbell. The second part of the biceps machine is used to attach the seat. There are variations of the Scott bench in which the arms are curled from a standing position. In this case, this part of the structure is missing.
• The supporting platform is made in the form of an inclined surface . To increase the level of comfort and reduce injury when performing biceps curls using a Scott machine, this part of the machine is covered with a thin layer of soft foam. The filler is protected from mechanical damage by wear-resistant synthetic leather.
• The seat of the exercise machine can have a variety of shapes . In inexpensive models of equipment, it is made in the form of a rectangular bench oriented along the axis of the simulator. Higher quality products are equipped with an anatomically shaped seat.

The L. Scott bench can have a number of adjustments. Depending on the model, adjustments may be made to: the lifting height of the bench and the supporting plane, the angle of inclination of the supporting surface and the installation height of the barbell.

Benefits of training on a Scott bench

Performing biceps curls using a Larry Scott bench allows you to isolate the biceps muscle throughout the entire trajectory of the barbell. A stable placement of the elbows on the support pad of the simulator makes it possible to isometrically load each bundle of shoulder muscles.

Rigid fixation of the body on the bench and inclined plane of the machine eliminates the possibility of cheating. While maintaining the correct position while performing the movement, the practitioner does not have the opportunity to involve inertial forces into the work.

This, at the same time, reduces the risk of injury to the core stabilizer muscles (lower back and upper back) and provides the ability to raise and lower the barbell along the longest and safest trajectory.

Performing biceps curls in the L. Scott simulator allows you to completely relieve the muscles of the back and legs . This is especially important for girls who combine arm training with exercises for the muscles of the lower body. When bending on a Scott bench, it becomes possible to reduce the amount of weight without significant damage to the final result.

Working with less weight further reduces the likelihood of increasing the volume of the upper limbs in girls. At the same time, more intensive involvement of the brachioradialis muscle and the long head of the biceps in the work helps burn subcutaneous fat and give the shoulder muscles a clear outline.

Advantages of exercise equipment from the Italian manufacturer Panatta

The design of Panatta music stands is the result of the joint work of designers and trainers. When developing it, the safety and effectiveness of the exercise were put at the forefront:

• The seat is height adjustable and slightly tilted forward. The correct position of the body is ensured, and the load is stably “supplied” to the muscles throughout the entire flexion amplitude.
• The soft elbow rests have a concave shape. This is not a way to distinguish yourself by design, but a well-thought-out “trick” - a supporting element of this shape relieves your hands from excessive load, even with a large weight of the burden.
• The design includes two pairs of holders: upper and lower. If your visitors like to work with supersets, they can prepare two types of equipment and perform approaches without being distracted by selecting weights.

If you have questions about selecting professional Scott benches for your home or commercial gym, give us a call.

Tags: Gym equipment / professional strength training equipment / block weight training equipment / abdominal exercise equipment / professional cardio equipment / treadmills for fitness clubs / professional elliptical trainers / multifunctional strength training equipment

Who is it suitable for?

Scott's biceps bench is suitable for girls and women who set themselves the task of strengthening their arm muscles . Bending in the Scott machine with a barbell, if combined with a properly selected diet, helps burn fat deposits in the human body.

The use of the Larry Scott simulator in your training is allowed only after consultation with a physician. For girls taking medications that affect the functioning of the cardiovascular system, cholesterol levels and blood pressure, consultation with a specialist before starting weight training is mandatory.

The Scott bench for training the biceps brachii muscle is suitable for women of all ages. However, persons over thirty-five years of age should consult their physician before starting exercise.

What does power curling give you?

Strength curls on the Scott bench for girls can provide tone to the biceps muscle without significantly increasing the volume of the arms. This exercise is suitable for girls working out in the gym with weak muscles on the front surface of the shoulder. When performing curls on a Scott bench, it becomes possible to form the peak of the biceps.

Performing exercises on a Scott bench makes it possible to tone the biceps muscle and form the peak of the biceps

Loose skin in the upper part of the shoulder occurs in women of middle age and older. Performing exercises on the triceps muscle (triceps) is not always able to help solve the problem. In this case, when training this part of the body, it is worth using a combined approach.

Alternating extensions on a block with lifting the barbell for biceps in the Scott machine makes it possible to quickly get rid of the problem and give elasticity to the skin of the hands

Common mistakes

When performing a curling exercise on the Scott simulator, the following errors occur:

• arched back, rounded back;
• swaying of the body;
• raising the feet from the floor;
• lowered head;
• full extension of the arms at the lowest point;
• work in one amplitude;
• choosing too much weight, especially for beginners;
• no warm-up – exercise on “cold” muscles;
• no seat height adjustment.

If during execution or upon completion severe pain or swelling appears in the hands or elbows, this indicates a serious violation of the technique and injury. You need to urgently consult a doctor. But in general, the exercise is characterized by low trauma and high safety. Of course, if you pay attention to technology!

What muscles work

Bending your arms on a Scott bench is anatomically no different from a similar movement with a barbell from a standing position. The same muscle groups are involved in the process of its implementation as in classic biceps curls.

Projectiles and types of grip

The Scott biceps bench is used to perform curls:

• With a straight barbell. Depending on the position of the hands on the bar, all the muscles involved in the exercise are involved in the work with varying degrees of intensity. When placing your palms wide on the bar, the main load is shifted to the inner part of the biceps. The short head of the biceps muscle receives the maximum possible stretch. With a narrow position of the arms, the emphasis of the load moves towards the outer or long bundle of the biceps muscle. It is he who is responsible for the formation of an expressive peak. Performing this version of the exercise is not able to stimulate an increase in arm volume in girls. Due to the hormonal characteristics of the female body, significant hypertrophy of the muscles of the upper body is impossible in women. Neutral or medium placement of the hands on the bar, when performing curls on the Scott bench, evenly engages both heads of the biceps. Despite the wide range of applications, the straight barbell is rarely used when performing this exercise. This is due to the fact that placing the hands on the same line can create discomfort during the downward movement. Rigidly fixed elbows are forced to rotate, moving outward. This may cause pain.

• The EZ bar is a curved bar. The shape resembles the letter W of the English alphabet. Each face of the neck is located at a certain angle to the previous one, but all together they are in a single plane. This design allows you to get rid of the problem of excessive rotation of the elbows when extending the arms on the Scott bench. There are 3 main options for hand placement on the EZ bar. They are similar to the options for placing the hands when performing an exercise with a straight barbell. However, the use of a curved sports apparatus makes it possible to more intensively involve the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles in the work. This happens due to the rotation of the brush. Depending on the width of the grip and the type of bar, this can be a state from partial supination to an intermediate state between supination and pronation of the forearm. As a result, the load can shift from the long head of the biceps to the brachialis muscle.

• Dumbbells are the best option for training biceps on a Scott bench for girls. They allow you to choose a comfortable weight and, without changing the sports equipment, combine options for performing the exercise. At the same time, the load on the joint is reduced, and biceps curls acquire the safest form.

The options for performing exercises on a Scott bench with a straight grip are described above. That is, the hands clasp the barbell from below, and the palms look towards the exerciser. However, biceps curls on a bench can also be performed with a reverse grip. In this case, the brachialis comes into play, and the biceps performs an auxiliary function.

This training feature must be taken into account by girls with thin, disproportionate arms. Developing the shoulder muscle will solve this problem.

Biceps heads

Before we get into the exercise itself, let's first talk a little about the biceps itself.

The next time you strain the can, take a close look at it in the mirror or just look at its structure: this bender looks like one massive monolith.

In a sense, this is true, but despite this, it consists of two “heads”.

There are internal and external heads. If you tense the muscle, you will notice that it is a little longer where it goes to the elbow joint (whether you can see this depends on the percentage of subcutaneous fat, if you can’t see it, just take our word for it). This point is the inner head of the biceps. The rest of the part on the outside of the arm is the outer head.

Why does this matter?

First things first, the fact that the muscle is divided into two heads means that in order to engage them both, you need to do slightly different movements. The type of movements you do will also affect the size of your biceps. The inner head is responsible for peak height, so if you work it, you will increase the height of your biceps. The outer head, on the other hand, is the thicker of the two, so if you work on this area, the arm will become wider.

In this regard, if you want to increase the height of your biceps, work the inner head and brachialis, if you want a thicker biceps, work on the outer head.

Technique for performing exercises for biceps

The technique for performing arm curls on a Larry Scott bench does not depend on the type of weight used. The general recommendations remain the same regardless of whether a girl uses an EZ bar or a straight barbell in her workout.

There are a number of nuances that should be taken into account when performing exercises:

• Initial position. You should position yourself on the machine so that your feet rest firmly on the floor and the barbell is at a comfortable height. This is necessary for comfortable removal of sports equipment from the racks.
• You need to grab the bar with both hands with a straight grip (palms facing up) or a reverse grip. Raise the barbell and place your elbows on the supporting surface. To remove the bar from the racks, it makes sense to have an assistant. It will also be needed to return the bar back.
• In the starting position, the arms are slightly bent at the elbows. Fully extending the upper limbs at the lowest point of the trajectory is a gross technical error. This can cause damage and even serious injury to the elbow joint. The hands must be firmly fixed to the bar. The thumbs connect with the index fingers and form a kind of lock.
• Bending the arms is done while exhaling. This allows you to relieve the cardiovascular system and develop maximum effort.
• At the end point of the trajectory, the forestay should not intersect the plane perpendicular to the floor and passing through the elbows of the girl practicing. Constant tension should be maintained in the biceps and other muscles involved in the exercise. When reaching the top point of the trajectory, it is recommended to additionally strain the biceps muscle isometrically.
• After this, while inhaling slowly, you should return the bar to its original position.

Straight barbell curls with medium grip

When performing an exercise with a straight bar, you should pay close attention to the condition of your elbow joints. The shape of the sports equipment is not capable of ensuring the anatomically correct position of this part of the body. To increase the level of safety, girls should further limit the trajectory of movement and not bring the barbell to the starting position at the lowest point.

Close grip EZ bar curl

The Scott biceps bench is associated specifically with the EZ bar. Performing exercises with this sports equipment is comfortable and relatively safe. The technique for performing the movement is completely identical to that described earlier in the article. It is worth noting that the greatest effect can be achieved by alternating curved rods of various shapes.

Dumbbell Curl

Dumbbell curls are more suitable for girls. These biceps curls can be performed alternately with each arm. When performing this type of exercise, a lighter weight is used.

Movement in the elbow joint is not limited by the shape of the bar, and during the training process, small muscles that are not involved when bending the arms with a barbell are involved in the work.

Recommendations and warnings for girls

The main recommendation is strict adherence to the requirements of the rules of technique for performing the exercise. Do not use too much weight. This will not bring the student closer to her final goal. Also, before starting a workout in the gym, you should spend time warming up.

The Larry Scott bench takes stress off your back and legs, but puts additional risk on your elbows and hands. Therefore, before starting athletic training for biceps, you should perform joint gymnastics.

Particular attention should be paid to the upper body. Warming up speeds up blood circulation throughout the body. This helps to better supply the muscles with nutrients and energy.

Warm-up exercises:

• Side bends . It is necessary to raise one hand up and lower the other along the body. Tilts are made towards the lowered limb. In this case, you should pull the raised arm forward as much as possible, feeling the stretch on the same side. After 3-5 repetitions you should change hands.
• Swing movements in the shoulder joint. It is necessary to perform smooth lifts of the upper limbs alternately. You can add hand rotations to this movement.

• Flexion and rotation at the elbow joint . Additionally, it is necessary to add rotation with the brushes.
• Bend the body forward until your palms touch the floor . The exercise is performed without sudden movements.

Who is Larry Scott

Larry Scott is an American athlete who made a huge contribution to the development of bodybuilding. He began his journey with an interest in gymnastics and was a thin, awkward guy. But then he became interested in more “heavy” sports and already in 1965 he won the Olympia title. Over the course of several years, he managed to “grow” the volume of his biceps to 54 cm without the use of any sports supplements. He developed a special exercise regimen on a machine that was named in his honor - the Larry Scott bench.

Incorporating the Scott Bench into your training program

The Scott bench for biceps can serve as both a main and an additional exercise. It is able to fully satisfy all the girl’s needs regarding training her arm muscles. However, to achieve better athletic results, you should combine this movement with a barbell or dumbbell bench press or triceps extensions.

The Scott Bench Curl is an effective exercise for creating an isolated load on the biceps.

A bench equipped with a soft inclined shelf is widely used in gyms and fitness centers, which means it is easily accessible for use. Its design features provide a safe position for the shoulders and body. This allows the practitioner to concentrate on training the biceps brachii muscle.

Exercises for mass

Now that you know how to train the biceps heads (knowledge that will help you in all your future curling exercises), let's learn how to train for mass.

For starters, it's best to place curl exercises toward the end of your arm day because there are many other movements that better target both the biceps and triceps, as well as the forearms and shoulders.

Such lifting and extension movements should be given attention earlier (and more effort spent on them).

Towards the end of the arm day, it is better to do at least two sets per exercise. You can do three if you want. If you're doing variations on the curl, such as the front curl, you can do three sets, since the inner head of the biceps likely wasn't used as much in all the other exercises.

However, if you're doing a regular curl, two sets of curls is enough to top off your other moves on arm day.

As for the number of repetitions per set, it all depends on your goals.

Do you want to train your arms to increase strength?

If so, do about four reps per set on the bench. However, it needs to be hard for you. If you can squeeze out the fifth rep, the weight is too light. If your maximum is four reps on the first set, increase the weight on the second set.

If your goal is volume, do eight to 12 reps. If you can't do eight with a bent bar, the weight is too heavy; if you can do more than 12, you need to add more weight. The good thing about training your arms is that you can curl them without fear of the bar falling on your chest or your legs giving out and injuring yourself.