It may have been almost a decade since Hugh Jackman played the Wolverine, but the Australian-actor has been training hard for his upcoming debut in Deadpool and the Wolverine, which will be released later this year. For the past year and a half, the 55-year-old has been documenting his workouts via his Instagram with the hashtag #becomingwolverineagain, determined to get back into superhero shape for his next sequel.
As well as a massive chest, the Wolverine has always donned big arms and, in his most recent Instagram post, throwing back to one of his training sessions last year, the actor shared a glimpse of the exercise that helped him build those massive biceps – EZ bicep curl.
We all know curls are one of the most popular exercises when it comes to beefing up our biceps (although if you’re not a fan check out these bicep curl alternatives). However, using an EZ bar, rather than a regular Olympic barbell can provide a far more comfortable grip and reduce the amount of pressure placed on the wrists, forearms, and shoulders.
However, Jackman also performs these curls at a slight angle, as opposed to standing up straight, which also possesses an advantage. "The main benefit of the lean-forward biceps curl is that it gives your biceps a different stimulus," says Sean Murphy Chief Personal Training Officer at Ultimate Performance. "During a classic biceps curl, the hardest part of the move is during the mid-range of the movement, when your forearm is parallel to the floor and your elbow is at a 90-degree angle. But by leaning forward, it changes the point at which your biceps are under maximum tension to the top of the movement."
It's a subtle change in the movement, but Sean says it's an effective way to shock and stimulate the biceps into actually growing. Give them a try on your next pull day.
