How to do a bicep curl for stronger arms
If you're wondering how to do a bicep curl the right way, let our fitness expert show you how.
Image credit: Shutterstock/Syda Productions
If you're wondering how to do a bicep curl the right way, let our fitness expert show you how.
A bicep curl is a great exercise to keep your arms looking toned, and to improve strength, but how do you do it? You’ll probably recognise the move – it's widely used and a staple of many gym workouts. Although it looks simple, the bicep curl needs to be done correctly to see the full effect.
There are many variations if a regular bicep curl with dumbbells doesn’t work for you – experiment with different grips and equipment, such as barbells, resistance bands and a cable machine.
Exercise: Bicep curl
Equipment needed: Dumbbells
Level: Beginner
Areas worked: Primarily biceps, but also triceps, forearms and grip
How to do a bicep curl:
When it comes to strength training, you should always aim to pick a weight that is challenging, but not impossible. If you’re going to complete 10 repetitions of a bicep curl then the weight should feel hard by the time you’re at your seventh repetition. By number 10, you should need to rest.
At no point should the weight be so heavy that you arch your back, dip your knees, or swing the weights to curl them up.
As always, if you have any pre-existing medical issues or injuries, consult a doctor beforehand.
Bicep curls are generally considered safe for most people, but if you have any sharp pain or discomfort when lifting, stop the exercise and consult your doctor.
Remember, it's OK to feel a little sore the next day – that just means you’ve worked those muscles!
The exact number of repetitions (reps) depends on how heavy the weights are, the style of training, and what your goals are.
If you go to a fast-paced class involving dumbbells or barbells (such as Body Pump), you might lift lighter weights for more reps, while a dedicated strength workout in the gym may use heavier weights for fewer reps.
Assuming you’re doing your own workout in the gym, 3 sets of 8-12 reps at a medium weight works well for beginners, with 60 seconds rest between sets.
If you want to feel the benefits of strength training then you need heavier weights with fewer reps – a 5 x 5 approach works well (5 sets of 5 reps). Rest should be longer, as your muscles will need more time to recover – around two minutes.
There’s no right or wrong answer, as it depends on your ability, goals and preference. Often bicep curls come towards the end of a workout, because you should always work in order of larger muscles down to small. The biceps are small compared to, say, the muscles in your chest or shoulders.
So, if you are short on time, curling both arms together takes up less time than doing them individually. It also means you expend less energy, so it could help if you’re tired.
On the other hand, curling one arm at a time means you can potentially lift a heavier weight as you’re only putting the energy into moving one weight. You can also concentrate on that one arm.
If you have an impingement that means you can’t lift as heavy a weight on one side as the other, my advice would be to go with the lower weight for both arms, regardless of whether you’re lifting together or not. It’s good to strengthen both arms at the same rate, letting the less strong side catch up before you progress to the next weight.
It’s always good to mix bilateral and unilateral (both-sided and one-sided) exercises into your workout. You might not feel it, but your core has to work harder to stabilise you in a single-sided move, so try to mix things up.
Here are some things to watch out for when performing a bicep curl:
The important element of a bicep curl is that the biceps do the work. Using the shoulders or torso to “swing” the weights won’t have the desired effect, which is to get stronger biceps. If you find you need to swing the weights then they’re too heavy: set them down and pick up lighter ones.
Focus on keeping a firm core and standing upright. Keep your shoulders in line with the body – don’t allow them to move forward to start the movement.
A bicep curl isn’t an exercise in speed. We want our muscles to work so they become stronger. Rushing the exercise means your biceps don’t get a chance to fully elongate and contract. It’s this motion that makes them stronger.
Focus on a steady one-two-one-one-two: two seconds to raise the weight, pause one second, and then two seconds to lower the weight. As you advance, you can play around with these tempos to work the biceps further.
During a bicep curl, the elbows need to stay tight to the sides to isolate the biceps (make them do all the work). Only the lower part of your arms should move until the top of the movement (when the weight comes near to your shoulder). At that point, the elbows will naturally move forward slightly, then return to position as you lower the weight.
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: shoulders and ears aren’t friends. When lifting weights, it can be tempting to shrug the shoulders to help lift the weight. But that won’t achieve anything other than creating tension in your neck, and it definitely won’t help build stronger biceps.
Often people aren’t even aware they’re doing this, so it can be useful to look in a mirror as you’re performing the exercise until you’re comfortable with the movement.
If you’re bored of using dumbbells for bicep curls, or they present any issues, why not try one of these variations?
Try this combination of moves:
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