Dumbbell Bicep Curl
Dumbbell Bicep Curl is a safe first rung on the ladder and fits late in an arms workout.
How to do Dumbbell Bicep Curl
- Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand at arm's length. Keep your elbows close to your torso and rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing forward. This will be your starting position.
- Now, keeping the upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
- Then, inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Bicep Curl Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 5-6 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. Add reps on the smaller bell before you size up.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Size up only when both sides finish equally strong.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 15-18 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Start each set with the weaker arm and match it.
Common Dumbbell Bicep Curl Mistakes
Letting the bells drift off the working path
Keep both dumbbells travelling the same line on every rep.
Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains
Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.
Easier and Harder Than Dumbbell Bicep Curl
Swap Dumbbell Bicep Curl For
Dumbbell Bicep Curl — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Dumbbell Bicep Curl?
Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand at arm's length. Keep your elbows close to your torso and rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing forward. This will be your starting position. Now, keeping the upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps. Then, inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Use dumbbells and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Dumbbell Bicep Curl work?
The Dumbbell Bicep Curl primarily targets the biceps. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with dumbbells.
How many sets and reps of the Dumbbell Bicep Curl should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Size up only when both sides finish equally strong. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Dumbbell Bicep Curl good for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Bicep Curl is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Bicep Curl?
Try the Preacher Curl or the Barbell Curl. Each trains the biceps with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
