Fat End Nilsson Curls...Bodyweight Training for Building Bigger Biceps

This is one of THE most effective bicep-building exercises I've ever done. It's a bodyweight movement that focuses most of your bodyweight on the biceps by changing the pivot point of a chin-up movement.

 



 


 

Bodyweight training is some of the most effective muscle-building training you can do...

 

... as long as you can use variations that provide you with enough loading and direct hypertrophy stimulus.

The Nilsson Curl is an exercise I named after myself my years ago (gotta name something after myself with all the crazy stuff I come up with!)...it's essentially a forearm-braced chin-up.

By bracing the forearms against another lower bar when doing chin-ups, you change the biceps from being secondary movers to primary movers.

This puts most of the muscle-building loading on the biceps instead of the lats.

You will need to be strong with chins to do this one...it's not a beginner exercise.

 

 

How to Set Up Fat End Nilsson Curls

 

Normally, I set this exercise up with two bars in the power rack like a ladder and grip onto the middle of the top bar with the bottom bar being the brace.

With this variation, you'll be gripping onto the fat ends of the bar where you normally put the plates.

This puts even more loading on the grip and forearms and (I find, at least) the biceps as well. In addition, the fatter bar end is more gentle on the forearms.

You'll need to put plates on the other ends of the bars to counterbalance your bodyweight. I'm using two 25's on the top bar (I'm about 200 lbs here and that counterbalanced me fine) and one on the bottom bar.

Set the top bar up as high as you can on the racking hooks and the lower bar about 10-12 inches below it on the rails.

Grip the top bar then push your forearms against the bottom bar. The bar end should be just about your elbows.

Don't fully extend your elbows at the bottom...maintain some bend in the elbows at the bottom. You want to do this exercise under full control, especially on the way down, and DO NOT drop into the bottom position.

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Now pull yourself up. Because your forearms are blocked from shifting forward, most of the work is being done by the biceps.

Fat End Nilsson Curls...Bodyweight Training for Building Bigger Biceps Middle

Pull yourself up as high as you can and contract the biceps HARD at the top.

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Lower down under control - the negative is important to maximize growth and strength.

Come down but keep that slight bend in the elbows at the bottom, then go again.

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Fat End Nilsson Curls...Bodyweight Training for Building Bigger Biceps Middle

 

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If you find you're quite strong with this, you can also add extra weight in the form a of a dip belt or a dumbbell between your feet.

Again, be sure to do this one under complete control and really focus the contraction on the biceps.

It will give you a MONSTER pump in your biceps and your forearms.

Want more bodyweight bicep and grip training? Try Band-Barbell Forearm Roller Chin-Ups (if you dare :).

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Want more unique and challenging exercises to work your entire body with simple equipment? All you need is just a barbell, dumbbells and a bench. Check out The Best Home Gym Exercises You've Never Heard Of!

 

 

 

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