‘Can you finish this bicep workout challenge in under five minutes?’ asks bodybuilding influencer, Joe Gaydaycuk, in a recent video. It’s a difficult proposition, but certainly an achievable one if you have both the arm strength and endurance to match.

All you need to try the workout – a descending ladder workout consisting of three different exercises targeting different portions of the bicep – is an empty, 20kg barbell.

‘With the reverse grip curls, you’re going to be focusing on the brachialis,’ Gaydaychuk says. ‘With the drag curls you’re focusing more on the short head of the bicep. And regular curls are going to be focusing more on the long head of the bicep.’

Start by completing 10 reps of all three movements, before then descending down the ladder to nine, then eight, and so on.

‘Try to take as little break as possible,’ he adds. ‘This gave me an absolutely crazy pump, and is a fun bicep challenge.’

A1. Reverse Curl x 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps

A2. Drag Curl x 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps

A3. Barbell Curl x 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps

Reverse Curl

• Stand and grip a barbell at shoulder width with an overhand grip so your palms face the floor.
• Flex the elbows and curl the barbell upwards until the barbell is in line with your shoulders.
• Return to the starting position under control and repeat.

Drag Curl

• Grip a straight barbell just outside shoulder-width with an underhand grip, elbows tucked close to your sides.
• Retract your scapulae and maintain this position throughout the set.
• Curl the bar upwards, keeping it in contact with your torso.
• As the bar rises, drive your elbows back rather than letting them drift forward.
• Continue until the bar reaches the upper chest.
• Squeeze your biceps at the top, then lower under full control.
• Breathe steadily throughout and keep every rep controlled.

Barbell Curl

• Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and let it hang in front of your thighs.
• Brace your core as you curl the bar up to your chest, keeping your upper arms stationary.
• Return under control to the starting position.

If there’s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it’s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in – all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.

Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? CLICK HERE to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men’s Health app.

Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.

During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.

Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…

You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_