Biceps curl: how to do it, muscles worked and variations
Bending your elbow against a load: that is a curl, and it is the most direct way to work the biceps brachii, with the brachialis always alongside. Some grips also reach the brachioradialis.
- Main muscles
- Biceps brachii, Brachioradialis
- Secondary muscles
- Brachialis, Forearm flexors, Forearm extensors
- Equipment
- Barbell, Dumbbell, Selectorized machine, Preacher curl machine, Preacher curl bench
- Variations
- 12
How to do it
- Stand with your arms hanging fully. The first rep starts from a straight elbow, not halfway.
- Keep your elbows by your ribs. They can drift forward a little at the end; if they rise a lot, your shoulder is taking some of the work.
- Curl without moving your trunk and with a straight wrist, until your forearm nears your biceps.
- Lower over two or three seconds until your arm is almost straight. What you see most often is just the top half, with a jerk of the hips to get it moving.
Which muscles it works
The biceps brachii and brachialis bend the elbow in all of them. The biceps also turns your palm upwards, which is why palms-up versions give it more to do. With the palm down the brachioradialis joins in, as on the way down in the Zottman curl. In the Incline dumbbell curl your arm sits behind your body and the biceps works more stretched.
Which variation to choose
To load the most, use the Straight-bar biceps curl or, if your wrists complain, the EZ-bar biceps curl. The Alternating dumbbell biceps curl shows up whichever arm lags. The Machine preacher curl and the Concentration curl pin your arm and take out the swing. The Zottman curl adds forearm work.
All 12 variations
Straight-bar biceps curl
Bilateral elbow flexion with a straight bar.
Form. Keep your elbows close and lift without swinging.
Common mistake. Bringing the elbows forward to finish.
Zottman curl
Curl that goes up with an underhand grip and down with an overhand grip, combining the biceps on the way up with the brachioradialis and forearm on the way down.
Form. Lift the dumbbells with your palms up, rotate your wrists to overhand at the top and lower slowly with your palms down; rotate them back at the bottom before the next rep.
Common mistake. Rotating your wrists mid-range, lowering too fast overhand, moving your elbows, or using a load you can only control underhand.
Concentration curl
Single-arm curl with the arm resting on the thigh.
Form. Keep your arm stable and lift with control.
Common mistake. Turning the torso or lifting the arm off the support.
Dumbbell waiter curl
Curl with a single dumbbell held upright with your palms under the top plate, like a tray, which keeps tension on the biceps through the whole range.
Form. Place your palms under one end of the dumbbell with your elbows tucked, lift by flexing your elbows without tilting the dumbbell and lower with control.
Common mistake. Letting the dumbbell tilt or slip, flaring your elbows, swinging the trunk, or choosing a load you cannot control with your palms.
Machine preacher curl
Guided curl with preacher support.
Form. Adjust the seat and move without lifting your arms off the pad.
Common mistake. Bouncing at full extension or shrugging your shoulders.
EZ-bar biceps curl
Elbow flexion with an EZ bar.
Form. Keep your elbows close to your body.
Common mistake. Pushing the elbows forward at the end to compensate.
EZ-bar preacher curl
Curl with arms resting on a preacher bench.
Form. Rest your armpits on the pad and control the extension without bouncing.
Common mistake. Relaxing at the bottom and loading the elbow.
Incline dumbbell curl
Curl on an incline bench with the shoulder extended.
Form. Let your arms hang back and control the stretch at the bottom.
Common mistake. Swinging the dumbbells or shortening the descent.
Underhand dumbbell biceps curl
Bilateral dumbbell curl with an underhand grip.
Form. Lift without swinging and keep your wrists comfortable.
Common mistake. Rotating the shoulders to help the rep.
Alternating dumbbell biceps curl
Elbow flexion alternating arms.
Form. Lift without swinging the torso and control the descent.
Common mistake. Turning it into a hip-driven swing.
Wide-grip barbell biceps curl
Biceps curl with a straight bar and hands wider than shoulder width, placing the emphasis on the short head of the biceps.
Form. Standing, hold the bar with an underhand grip wider than your shoulders, fix your elbows beside your trunk and raise the bar without swinging; lower slowly until your arms are almost extended.
Common mistake. Going so wide that the wrist or elbow hurts, pushing the elbows forward as you lift, swinging the trunk, or dropping the bar on the way down.
Close-grip barbell biceps curl
Curl with hands closer together than shoulder width, which demands wrist control and prevents trunk swing.
Form. Keep your elbows beside your body, raise the bar without pushing your shoulders forward and lower until your elbows are almost extended.
Common mistake. Bending your wrists, bringing your elbows far forward, or driving with your back.
Frequently asked questions
- Straight bar or EZ bar?
- The straight bar forces your palm fully upwards, which some wrists dislike. The EZ bar is often more comfortable. For the muscle the difference is small.
- How many sets do I need?
- Rows and pull-ups already work the biceps, so a few direct sets are often enough. The guide to sets per muscle gives the context.
Other exercises for the same muscles
