Overview: We are demonstrating a portable workout using exercise bands. These are resistance bands that consist of elastic tubing and they are the perfect solution if you are looking to get a great workout at home, in your office or even while traveling. In this workout, we will be focusing on the biceps and we will demonstrate how to perform standing two-handed biceps curls.
Muscles Targeted: The standing curls target the biceps as the primary muscle and also works the forearm as a secondary muscle. The biceps brachii is a two-headed muscle located on the upper arm. When you’re using the elastic exercise bands, you will be able to get a great peak at the top of the movement and place maximum tension on the biceps. 
Exercise Instructions (two arm curls): Hold the elastic exercise band in both hands by the handles and place one foot onto the band, so that you’re basically stepping on it. This will provide the least amount of resistance in the band and allow you to perform the exercise easily. If you need more tension and resistance, place both feet on the band which will make the exercise much more difficult. Take a shoulder width stance, with your knees slightly bent and allow your hands to hang naturally down to your sides. Slowly raise both hands up to the top position, which will be at about shoulder level and make sure to keep your elbows close to your sides and in a fixed position. Pause for a brief moment at the top and then slowly lower your hands down to the starting position.
Exercise Instructions (one arm curls): Stand with your feet just beyond shoulder width apart while standing on the exercise band with both feet. Holding both handles of the exercise band, keep your arms straight at your sides with your thumbs facing out away from your body. Slowly curl one arm upward, trying to touch your hand to your shoulder. While you are performing the movement, turn (i.e., supinate) your palms outward and squeeze your bicep for a one-count at the top of the movement. Slowly lower your hands back to the start position and repeat with your opposite arm.
Things To Avoid: The biggest thing you want to avoid when doing the standing bicep curls is letting your elbows move up and down while doing the exercise. When you move your elbows, you’re basically creating a multi-joint movement out of this exercise, which is incorrect. This is a single-joint movement which means only one joint will be working, which is your elbow joint. If you move your elbows around, this makes your shoulder joint move back and forth also, which then makes it a multi-joint exercise. You want to keep your elbows tucked in close to your sides and focus on keeping them in a fixed position all the way throughout the exercise. This will place maximum tension on the biceps and really force them to work hard when performing this movement.
Reps and Sets: Since the elastic exercise bands provide less resistance than regular weights like barbells or dumbbells, your overall repetition range will be higher at around 15-20 reps per set. Really try to squeeze the biceps at the top of the exercise in order to place peak tension on the muscle. Your overall sets should be in the range of 1-3 depending on your fitness level. Try to combine this exercise with other bicep movements in order to hit the muscle from different angles.
Other Exercises To Use: Along with the standing bicep curls, a few other great exercises you can include in your overall biceps workout routine include the chin ups and the elevated biceps curls. By adding additional exercises into your training routine, you will be able to stimulate the muscle from different angles which will help to make it grow bigger and stronger!
