Answer to: What are some underappreciated bicep exercises?
by Brian Dick:
Overhand Bicep Curls (either with straight bar or easy curl bar). What I like about the overhand grip is the amount of engagement that occurs with the brachioradialis muscle group. This muscle group (which runs along the forearm to the outside portion of the elbow (Brachioradialis.)) when built up gives the optical illusion that the bicep is even bigger than it is. So with this lift, not only are you working out the biceps directly, you are also engaging another muscle group that will make the bicep look bigger by comparison.
Another great functional strength movement that engages both the bicep AND the forearms are pull ups. Pull ups are a great upper body workout, and they can be made even more difficult by using various attachments, like: towels, pull up balls, cylinders, rock climbing grips, and gi lapels (from martial art kimonos.) The last suggestion is extremely sport specific, and could be mimicked by simply using a towel as mentioned above. However, for those of you familiar with the grappling arts, this is a great use for an old gi that doesn’t fit anymore.