Does training biceps through a partial range of motion build more muscle than full range of motion?

We analyzed two assertions about biceps training and range of motion, and what we’ve found so far suggests that partial and full range of motion may lead to similar overall muscle growth, but with some differences in where the muscle changes occur. In untrained young women, training the biceps through a fully bent elbow position did not result in more muscle growth at specific points along the upper arm compared to training through a partially bent position [1]. Another finding showed that when people trained with a shorter range — from fully extended to halfway bent — they gained slightly more muscle near the elbow than those who trained from halfway bent to fully bent. However, both groups saw nearly the same amount of muscle growth in the middle of the bicep [2]. These results do not show one method clearly outperforming the other for total muscle size. Instead, they suggest that the location of muscle growth might shift slightly depending on how far the elbow moves during the exercise. We don’t have enough data to say whether this matters for long-term results, strength, or people who are already trained. The evidence we’ve reviewed so far does not support the idea that partial range of motion is better overall — but it also doesn’t rule out that it could be just as effective in some areas. If you’re training your biceps, moving through a full range may still be useful for joint health and balanced development, but if you’re limited by equipment, pain, or time, training through a shorter range doesn’t appear to be a major setback for muscle growth.