Do incline curls build more bicep muscle than barbell curls?

What we’ve found suggests that the angle of the incline curl changes how the biceps are loaded, potentially placing more emphasis on the long head of the muscle — the part that runs along the outer side of the upper arm. This might explain why some people notice more development in the upper biceps when incline curls are included alongside other exercises like barbell curls, dumbbell curls, or preacher curls. However, we did not find evidence showing that incline curls are better overall for total bicep growth — only that they may target the upper portion more than barbell curls alone.

The evidence we’ve reviewed so far does not tell us whether incline curls are necessary, superior, or more efficient — only that they appear to contribute differently to muscle development in that specific region. We also don’t know if this difference is large enough to matter for most people, or if it’s noticeable only under certain training conditions.

If you’re looking to emphasize the upper part of your biceps, including incline curls alongside other curl variations could be worth trying. But if your goal is general bicep growth, combining different curl types may offer more balanced results than relying on just one.