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Bulletproof Biceps for Strongman & Strength Athletes: Injury Prevention & Arm Training That Actually Matters
- JHEPCxTJH
- Feb 10
- 8 min read
Updated: Sep 10
Bulletproof Biceps for Strongman & Strength Athletes: Injury Prevention & Arm Training That Actually Matters
Why Strongman & Strength Athletes Need to Prioritise Bicep Health - Bulletproof Biceps for Strongman & Strength Athletes.
If you’ve spent any time in strongman or strength sports, you’ve seen it happen - maybe to a training partner, maybe at a comp, or maybe it’s happened to you. A competitor sets up for a big stone load, gets under the tire for a heavy flip, or leans back just a little too much on a mixed-grip deadlift. There’s a sickening pop, followed by a grimace and a hand clutching the arm. Bulletproof Biceps for Strongman & Strength Athletes.
A torn bicep.
It’s one of the most common and career-limiting injuries in strongman and strength sports, but it’s also one of the most avoidable if you train smart. Strongman, in particular, is brutal on the biceps because of the heavy reliance on grip-intensive events - stones, tires, carries, car deadlifts, and odd-object lifts all place the biceps under extreme isometric stress. Yet, the same lifters who go all-in on max-effort yoke walks will scoff at direct arm training as its not 'functional'
Here’s the reality: Strong, well-conditioned biceps don’t just help you lift - they keep you lifting.
This article will cover:
✅ Why biceps injuries happen and how to prevent them
✅ The best direct arm training for strength athletes - not for aesthetics, but for performance and longevity
✅ How to integrate smart, effective arm work into your program without wasting time
Reducing & Preventing Bicep Injuries in Strength Sports
Understanding Why Biceps Get Injured in Strength Sports
Biceps injuries aren’t just freak accidents. They happen due to consistent weaknesses, overuse, and poor training habits. If you don’t address these, you’re increasing your risk every time you step up to a bar, stone, or frame carry.
Here’s where lifters go wrong:
1️⃣ Overloading the tendon in compromised positions - Like using a bent elbow and/or underhand grip on stones, tire flips, or deadlifts.
2️⃣ Neglecting direct biceps and forearm training - Your biceps take an absolute beating isometrically, but most lifters train them concentrically, leading to imbalances.
3️⃣ Getting super strong in lifts that don't support bicep health and defaulting to these positions during bicep compromising events.
4️⃣ Accumulating too much fatigue - Smashing heavy stones, carries, and rows with no dedicated recovery strategy means your tendons never fully recover.
5️⃣ Skipping warm-ups and mobility work - Jumping straight into max-effort work without properly preparing the tendons is asking for a rupture.
Warm-ups need to do more than raise body temperature. They should directly prepare the tissues that will take the most strain. Simple additions go a long way. Banded curls pump blood into the tendon and prime it for isometric loading. Light hammer curls or reverse curls wake up the brachialis and forearms, which offload stress from the biceps. Shoulder external rotation work builds stability across the joint, protecting the upper arm during pressing and awkward picks. Five minutes of targeted activation at the start of a session can be the difference between a tendon that holds and one that goes.
The stronger and more conditioned your tendons, the more force they can withstand under heavy loads. Training the muscle alone isn’t enough - you need to strengthen the entire system.
Injury Prevention Strategies: Building Tendon Resilience & Training Smarter
1. Switch to Overhand Grip in Training Whenever Possible & Don't lift with a bent elbow
One of the biggest culprits behind biceps tears in strongman is excessive use of an underhand grip in training.
Atlas Stones, Tire Flips, & Car Deadlifts: These movements place extreme tension on the distal biceps tendon. Especially when you do them poorly.
In training, emphasise a neutral or overhand grip to reduce risk, only switching to an underhand grip when necessary for competition prep.
2. Strengthen the Supporting Muscles (Don’t Just Curl More!)
If your forearms, brachialis, and grip muscles aren’t up to the task, your biceps will take the hit. Prioritise:
✅ Hammer Curls – Targets the brachialis and reduces strain on the biceps tendon.
✅ Reverse Curls & Zottman Curls – Strengthen the brachioradialis and improve tendon health.
✅ Fat Gripz Work – Increases forearm and isometric biceps endurance.
3. Prioritise Eccentric & Isometric Training for Tendon Health
Most lifters only train concentric strength (lifting the weight), but tendons need eccentric and isometric loading to stay strong.
🔹 Eccentric Curls – Lower the weight slowly (4-5 seconds down).
🔹 Isometric Holds – Hold at mid-range and fully flexed positions for 30-45 seconds.
4. Reduce Direct Biceps Fatigue Leading Into Competition
In the last 3-4 weeks before a competition, reduce direct biceps training to allow tendon recovery.
Increase recovery strategies - deep tissue work, blood flow movement, and proper hydration.
Bicep & Direct Arm Training for Strength Athletes
Why Strength Athletes NEED Direct Arm Training
The old-school mindset that “big arms don’t matter” in strength sports is outdated.
✅ Strong biceps and forearms = Better grip, stone loading, and injury prevention.
✅ Stronger triceps = Stronger pressing power and lockout stability.
✅ Well-trained arms reduce strain on the elbows, shoulders, and wrists.
Yet, direct arm work is still ignored. That needs to change.
Best Biceps & Arm Exercises for Strength Athletes
💪 Biceps & Forearm Strength (Grip & Injury Prevention Focus)
✅ Hammer Curls – 4x10-12
✅ Reverse Curls – 4x12-15
✅ Fat Grip Curls – 3x8-10
✅ Eccentric Barbell Curls – 3x6-8 (4-5 sec negatives)
🔹 Triceps & Pressing Power
✅ Close-Grip Board Presses – 4x6-8
✅ Rolling Dumbbell Extensions – 3x10-12
✅ Band Pushdowns – 100 total reps
🔥 Forearm & Grip Work
✅ Fat Grip Static Holds – 3x30 sec
✅ Towel Pull-Ups – 3x5-10
✅ Wrist Roller & Reverse Curls – 3x12-15
There is also a visual payoff. Direct biceps and triceps training does not only reduce injury risk and build pressing power, it also develops thicker, stronger-looking arms. That size carries over to how you look as an athlete as well as how you perform. Strong arms project capability, and for anyone interested in pushing both strength and physique, this work pays twice. For deeper triceps programming, check out The Entire Tricep Training Treasury
How to Program Arm Work for Strength Athletes
As an example
🗓 Twice Per Week – After Main Workouts (or as an additional session)
A1. Hammer Curls – 4x10-12
A2. Reverse Curls – 4x12-15
B1. Rolling DB Extensions – 4x8-12
B2. Band Pushdowns – 100 total reps
C1. Fat Grip Static Holds – 3x30 sec
C2. Towel Pull-Ups – 3x5-10 reps
Strongman has shifted in recent years. Where stones and tyres used to dominate, modern competitions now lean heavily on sandbags, kegs, and awkward medleys. Each of these challenges the biceps in slightly different ways. Sandbags tend to hammer the brachialis and forearms with prolonged isometric clutching, kegs stress the grip through constant slipping and eccentric control, and medleys stack repeated near-maximal picks with very little rest. These demands make tendon resilience and short-term recovery between events even more important than before. Training for biceps health should account for the full spectrum of objects an athlete is likely to face, not just the stone.
The conversation around grip has also evolved. Many athletes now reduce their risk by using straps in training to spare the tendons, relying on mixed grip only when competition requires it. Others switch to hook grip where they can tolerate it, which keeps both arms in a safer supinated position. A simple but effective change is to rotate grips across training cycles: double overhand and strap work to build pulling volume, then limited comp-style pulls to stay familiar with the demand. This spreads the load across tissues rather than asking the distal tendon of one arm to absorb years of stress.
There has been a growing emphasis on long-duration isometrics to build tendon capacity. Static holds at mid-range with a barbell or loaded carries with sandbags and kegs replicate the exact strain the biceps face in competition. Holding for 20 to 45 seconds under meaningful load teaches tendons to tolerate prolonged isometric tension, which is where most ruptures occur. These should sit alongside eccentric work, not replace it, giving the tendons a broader menu of stressors to adapt to.
We now understand that tendon injuries are less about freak accidents and more about poor workload management. Sudden spikes in loading, new events introduced too aggressively, or weeks of heavy stone practice piled on top of each other are the real culprits. The solution is progressive exposure and monitoring, combined with active recovery for tendon health. Even light eccentric curls or banded blood-flow work can recondition irritated tissue and keep training on track. Knowing the difference between normal muscular soreness and creeping tendon pain is the line between progress and an enforced layoff.
Biceps training also has a clear role in pressing resilience. A strong, conditioned biceps acts as a stabiliser for the shoulder under heavy logs, axles, and dumbbells. Neglecting them not only risks a tear on stones but can also leave the shoulder more vulnerable in overhead events. Arm training is shoulder protection as much as it is injury prevention for the elbow.
In terms of programming, the simplest update is to slot biceps and tendon-focused work into a Conjugate framework. After a max effort lower day, keep the focus on low-volume tendon resilience with controlled eccentrics or static holds. After a dynamic effort upper day, push higher-rep pump work with bands or dumbbells to keep blood flow high. On repetition effort upper days, treat biceps as a main accessory with heavier hammer curls or carries. This rotation respects recovery while still building the qualities that matter.
It is also worth noting that the context of PED use changes the equation. Anabolics can accelerate muscle growth faster than tendons can adapt, widening the gap between strength and connective tissue resilience. Direct tendon work, careful load management, and structured recovery are even more vital for athletes who choose to use. Ignoring this reality is one reason tendon ruptures are still so common at the highest levels.
The Smarter You Train, the Longer You Last
A torn bicep can set an athlete back months, if not years. It’s not just a setback - it’s often a hard reset on training, competition plans, and performance goals. For some, it’s career-ending.
Yet, the vast majority of these injuries are preventable.
The strongest athletes aren’t just those who lift the most - they’re the ones who stay in the game the longest. The key to longevity in strength sports is proactive training, not reactive injury management.
If you neglect your biceps, forearms, and triceps, you’re exposing yourself to avoidable risks. Investing just 15-20 minutes per week in dedicated arm work could mean the difference between competing pain-free for years or sitting on the sidelines nursing a tear.
Even with smart training, tears can still happen. If a biceps does rupture, surgery and rehab timelines vary, but that does not mean training has to stop entirely. Many athletes keep working their lower body, grip, and even the opposite arm throughout the recovery window. Smart programming during this stage maintains conditioning and strength so the eventual return to loading feels less like starting from zero. Protect the tendon, follow medical advice, but keep the rest of the system in shape.
Implement this arm training strategy for 8 weeks - see how it impacts your grip, pressing power, and overall injury resilience.
Assess your current technique - are you setting yourself up for a tear without realising it?
If you need a structured programme designed specifically for strongman and strength athletes, DM me or check TEAMJOSHHEZZA.com for custom programming.
📢 Your performance is only as good as your ability to stay in the game. Train smarter, build stronger, and lift longer.
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