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Cuban bench press
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Cuban bench press
I do an incredible amount of bicep curls, but my biceps have stopped growing. What's going on?
Answer: Stop doing curls for 4 weeks. Test yourself like this: Stand in a natural position and look at the position of your hands. They are probably turned out so that your palms are slightly forward and facing your body. This means that your trapezius and rhomboids, the muscles that stabilize your arms when you do curls, are not strong enough to handle the heavy weight needed to grow your biceps.
The exercise below strengthens the support mechanism of the upper spine so you can lift more weight when you return to curls. Perform 10-15 reps every 4 days.
Set an incline bench at a 45-degree angle. Grab a pair of light (5-10 lb) dumbbells with an overhand grip and lie down with your chest pressed into the bench. Let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders.
Raise your upper arms as high as possible perpendicular to the floor, bend your elbows and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Without changing the position of your upper arms, lift your forearms, rotating them upward until they are in line with your body.
Keep your shoulder blades together. Press the dumbbells straight overhead. Reverse the movement and return to the starting position.
