Cable Seated Curl

Also known as: seated cable curl

Intermediate

Biceps

Cable

Built around unbroken cable tension, Cable Seated Curl works as accessory volume for the arms and builds control through the whole range.

How to do Cable Seated Curl

Sit on a cable machine with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
Grasp the cable attachment with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and your arms fully extended.
Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the cable attachment towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your biceps.
Inhale and slowly lower the cable attachment back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Add to an AI Workout Plan All Arms Exercises Cable Arm Exercises All Cable Exercises

Cable Seated Curl Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Move the pin one plate once the last rep feels easy.

Hypertrophy

4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top.

Endurance

3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Stretch the return phase before adding weight.

Common Cable Seated Curl Mistakes

Letting the stack touch down between reps

Stop just short of the stack so tension never resets.

Letting a nearby joint take over as the set gets hard

Stop the set as soon as the working joint stops leading the movement.

Letting the last set decay into a different exercise

End the set when the pattern changes, not when the reps run out.

Easier and Harder Than Cable Seated Curl

Easier progression

Dumbbell Waiter Biceps Curl

Harder progression

Dumbbell Incline Curl

Swap Cable Seated Curl For

Dumbbell Alternate Hammer Preacher Curl

Weighted Standing Curl

Barbell Alternate Biceps Curl

Cable Seated Curl — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Cable Seated Curl?

Sit on a cable machine with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight. Grasp the cable attachment with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and your arms fully extended. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the cable attachment towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps. 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 Seated Curl work?

The Cable Seated 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 Seated Curl should I do?

For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Cable Seated Curl good for beginners?

It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic arms patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.

What can I do instead of the Cable Seated Curl?

Try the Dumbbell Alternate Hammer Preacher Curl, Weighted Standing Curl or the Barbell Alternate Biceps Curl. Each trains the biceps with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.

Is the Cable Seated Curl the same as the seated cable curl?

Yes. The Cable Seated Curl is also commonly called the seated cable curl. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "seated cable curl" refer to this same movement.