Cable Overhead Curl
Chasing muscle you built on purpose? Cable Overhead Curl uses unbroken cable tension to get there.
How to do Cable Overhead Curl
- Attach a straight bar to a high pulley cable machine.
- Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the bar with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your elbows close to your sides and your upper arms stationary.
- Exhale and curl the bar down towards your forehead, keeping your upper arms stationary.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement, squeezing your biceps.
- Inhale and slowly return the bar to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Overhead Curl Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
5 sets of 2-4 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top.
Hypertrophy
4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Stretch the return phase before adding weight.
Endurance
3-4 sets of 18-25 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Move the pin one plate once the last rep feels easy.
Common Cable Overhead Curl Mistakes
Setting the pulley at the wrong height for the line of pull
Match pulley height so the cable lines up with the working muscle.
Moving through the easy half of the range only
Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.
Cutting range to keep the load climbing
Protect the full range first; the load can wait a session.
Easier and Harder Than Cable Overhead Curl
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Cable Overhead Curl — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Cable Overhead Curl?
Attach a straight bar to a high pulley cable machine. Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the bar with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart. Use a cable machine and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Cable Overhead Curl work?
The Cable Overhead Curl primarily targets the biceps. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with a cable machine.
How many sets and reps of the Cable Overhead Curl should I do?
For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Stretch the return phase before adding weight. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Cable Overhead Curl good for beginners?
Not usually. The Cable Overhead Curl is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier arms progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.
What can I do instead of the Cable Overhead Curl?
Try the Lever Hammer Grip Preacher Curl, Dumbbell Alternate Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster) or the Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster). Each trains the biceps with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
