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Barbell Curl

Barbell Curl trains 2 of the 18 muscle groups Full Coverage tracks: Biceps 90%, Forearms 35%.

Accessory Level: Beginner Barbell Pull Easy on the lower backEasy on the kneesNo load on the spineEasy on the shoulders

Barbell Curl - Start position
Start position
Barbell Curl - Finish position
Finish position

How to do it

  1. Stand holding a barbell with an underhand grip, hands about shoulder-width, arms straight.
  2. Tuck your elbows in at your sides and keep them there.
  3. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders by bending only at the elbow.
  4. Squeeze at the top, then lower slowly all the way to straight arms.
  5. If your elbows travel forward or your back swings, drop the weight - momentum trains nothing.

Muscles it trains

Percent of one session's target for that muscle. Anything at 100% finishes that muscle on its own.

Light Main

How it compares

Compared with the Preacher Curl, it loads Forearms 10 points higher. It needs Barbell where the other uses Barbell + Bench. Compared with the Barbell Row, it loads Mid-back / traps 100 points lower, Rear delts 55 points lower, Biceps 45 points higher.

Other ways to train this

Other exercises for the Biceps

Related guides

Exercise illustrations and data by RepDB (repdb.co), used under licence.

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