20 Best Bicep Curl Exercises to Increase Mass & Definition

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A complete list of bicep curl variations, plus expert-approved tips
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Bicep curls are a great way to tone your arms and add muscle mass, and they’re a must for anyone who wants big guns. But which ones should you add to your workout? We’re here to answer with our step-by-step instructions, the benefits of the variations, and expert tips on form from professional trainers.

Most Effective Bicep Curl Variations

  • Concentration curl: Rest your elbow on your knees to reduce momentum.
  • Hammer curl: Hold dumbbells with palms facing each other instead of an underhand grip.
  • Reverse curl: Use an overhand grip with palms facing you instead of an underhand grip.
  • Incline dumbbell curl: Lean against an incline bench to improve your range of motion.
Section 1 of 6:

Best Bicep Curl Variations

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  1. 1
    Traditional Bicep Curl To do a basic bicep curl , stand with your feet hip-width apart with your knees slightly bent and your back straight. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms by your sides and your palms facing outward (an underhand grip). Bend your elbows and bring the dumbbells up toward your chest. Pause at the top of the move, then slowly lower your arms back down. [1]
    • Do 3 sets of 8–10 reps. Increase the weight or add another set to increase the difficulty.
    • Form tip: Don’t push your upper arms back as you curl the weights upward.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Short head
  2. 2
    Alternating Bicep Curl Use the exact same form as you would for a traditional bicep curl. But instead of curling both arms at the same time, curl one arm, then the other. [2]
    • Do 3 sets of 8–10 reps.
    • Benefit: If you’re a beginner, this can be a good way to slow down and really feel the isolation of that bicep muscle because you’re only working one arm at a time.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Short head
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  3. 3
    Concentration Curl For a concentration curl , start in a seated position with your feet planted firmly on the floor and your knees at a 90° angle. Hold a weight in one hand and brace your elbow on your inner thigh for support. Bend your elbow and curl the weight in toward your shoulder, pressing your arm down into your leg as you lift the weight. Pause at the top of the curl, then lower the weight back down. [3]
    • Do 3–4 sets of 12–20 reps each. If that’s too easy, personal trainer Landis Owens recommends doing up to “20 reps in each set. You might get to the third set before you actually start feeling the activation of the bicep.”
    • Form tip: Perform this move with slow, controlled movements—don’t use momentum to swing the weight. [4]
    • Benefits: Concentration curls are a great way to isolate the bicep—keeping your elbow on your thigh means your bicep has to do all the lifting without momentum or help from other parts of your body.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Short head
  4. 4
    Preacher Curl To do a preacher curl , sit at a preacher bench with your upper arms fully extended but resting on the pad. Hold a weight with your palms facing upward, then slowly curl the weight up to your shoulders. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the move, then slowly lower your arm back until your arm is extended again. [5]
    • Do 4 sets of 8–10 reps each. Increase your set to 10–12 reps if that feels too easy.
    • Form tip: Keep your wrists straight throughout the curl. It may help to use a lighter weight while you get used to the exercise.
    • If you don’t have a preacher bench: Rest your arm against the back rest of an incline bench. [6]
    • Benefits: Because your upper arm is supported, preacher curls allow you to curl slowly, so you can increase the time your bicep spends under tension—making the workout more effective in less time.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Short head
  5. 5
    Spider Curl For spider curls , set an incline bench to 45° and lie down on it face-first. Hold a weight in each hand with your palms facing outward in an underhand grip. Flex your elbows to lift the weights all the way up to your shoulders, then lower them with control. [7]
    • Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps each. But because you won’t have much leverage, it can help to use a lighter weight for spider curls.
    • Benefits: Resting on an incline bench in this way means you won’t be able to use momentum to lift the weights, so it’s very effective at isolating your biceps.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Short head
  6. 6
    Incline Dumbbell Curl Sit on an incline bench that’s set to 45–60°. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward with your arms hanging down toward the floor. Without moving your upper arms, curl the dumbbells up to your shoulders, then slowly lower them back down to the starting position.
    • Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps each.
    • Form tip: Try to avoid moving your elbows during the curl.
    • Benefit: The incline dumbbell curl is one of the most effective ways to target the long head of your bicep. It also improves the range of motion for the exercise because you can move your arms behind you, which can be difficult to do from a standing position.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Long head
  7. 7
    Hammer Curl Start in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a weight in each hand with your palms facing together in a neutral grip. Curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulder, keeping your palms toward each other through the entire curl. Pause at the top of the curl, then lower your arms to the starting point. [8]
    • Do 3 sets of about 12 reps each . Once that feels easy, increase the weight or add another set.
    • Benefits: Hammer curls work the long head of your bicep, plus your brachialis and brachioradialis—so they’re good for your biceps and your forearms. They’re also easier on your wrists than some bicep curls.
    • Form tips: Keep your elbows close to your sides for this curl.
    • Make it harder: For more of a challenge, alternate curling one arm, then the other. Or, increase the amount of time you pause at the top of the curl so your bicep spends more time under tension.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Long head
  8. 8
    High Cable Bicep Curl Hook two attachments to the high pulleys on a cable machine. Stand between the pulleys, holding the attachments in each hand with your arms straight out beside you. Curl your arms in toward your head until they reach about a 45° angle, then slowly straighten your arms again. [9]
    • Do 3 sets of 8–10 reps each.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Long head
  9. 9
    Barbell or EZ-bar Curl These curls work just like a standard bicep curl. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and keep your palms out for an underhand grip. But instead of dumbbells, use a barbell or an EZ bar . [10]
    • Do 3 sets of 6–12 reps. Choose a weight that’s just challenging enough but doesn’t cause you to lose your form.
    • Form tips: Don’t move your upper body or use momentum to swing the barbell. If you’re curling with a barbell, use a wider grip to target the short head of your bicep and a narrower grip to target the long head.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  10. 10
    Cheating Barbell Curl A cheating barbell curl uses the same form as a regular barbell form, but in this variation, you use a heavier weight. Keep your knees slightly bent and push your hips backward as you hold the barbell with an underhand grip. Then, thrust your hips forward to give you a little momentum to bring the barbell up to your chest. Use a controlled motion to lower the barbell back to the starting position. [11]
    • Do 3 sets of 6–12 reps.
    • Form tip: Keep your core tight, elbows close to your sides, and wrists fixed throughout the curl.
    • Benefits: Because you’re using a heavier weight, this curl gives your biceps and forearms a great workout—and it also works out the back and shoulders.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  11. 11
    21s Personal trainer Monica Morris says, “Start in a standing position with the weights down at your side. Bring the weights one-third of the way up to your shoulders 7 times, then bring it two-thirds of the way up to your shoulders for another 7 repetitions. Finally, bring the weight all the way up to your shoulders through the full range of motion for the last 7 repetitions, for a total of 21 reps.”
    • Repeat the 21 repetitions for a total of 3–4 sets.
    • Benefits: Morris says, “21s are a way to manipulate repetition so you’re really burning the bicep at both heads. “
    • 21s are sometimes also called 7-7-7s.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  12. 12
    Kettlebell Curl Hold a kettlebell in one hand with your palm out in an underhand grip. Keep your upper arm pressed tightly to your body and curl the kettlebell up to your shoulder, squeezing at the top of the motion. Lower the kettlebell in a slow, controlled movement back down to the starting position. [12]
    • Do 3 sets of 6–8 reps.
    • Benefits: Kettlebell curls provide more constant tension on your biceps throughout the entire range of motion of the move. [13]
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  13. 13
    Resistance Band Curl Physical trainer Dean Theriot says to properly do resistance band curls, “Hold one end of the band with your feet, then grab the other end with your arms to do the curl. I recommend either single arm curls or turning your arm laterally so your palm comes up to the side of your shoulder.”
    • Do 2–3 sets of 10 reps each.
    • Benefits: Resistance bands provide constant tension throughout the entire curl, giving your bicep a more complete workout. [14]
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  14. 14
    Cable Curl For cable curls , stand with your feet hip-width apart in front of a cable machine, holding a straight bar or rope attached to the lowest pulley. Start with your arms fully extended, then slowly curl the bar in toward your chest. Pause and contract your bicep at the top of the curl, then straighten your arms again. [15]
    • Do 3–4 sets of 10 reps each.
    • Form tip: Bend your knees slightly, and use a weight that you can lift comfortably without jerking on the bar.
    • Benefit: Cable curls are excellent for getting a consistent amount of tension through the whole range of motion. You can also target different parts of the bicep by using different pulley attachments with the cable machine.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  15. 15
    Chin Ups Grab a chin-up bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and your palms facing in toward your body. Lift yourself up until your chin is above the bar, then slowly lower yourself back down.
    • Start by trying to do 5 chin-ups in a row. Increase this as you get stronger.
    • Form tip: Wrap your thumbs around the bar to secure your grip. [16]
    • Benefits: Chin-ups aren’t exactly the same thing as a bicep curl, but they’re a very effective bicep workout and a great way to change things up.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  16. 16
    Reverse Curl To properly do a reverse curl, set up like you would for a traditional bicep curl, with your feet hip-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand. Then, Owens recommends, “Turn your palms down, then as you curl, rotate them up towards your shoulders.”
    • Do 3 sets of 8–10 reps.
    • Benefits: In addition to working your brachialis and brachioradialis, Owens also says that this is one of the best exercises for working the medial head of your triceps.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  17. 17
    Drag Curl Hold a barbell with your palms facing out in an underhand grip and your feet hip-width apart. Curl the barbell up toward your shoulders, pushing your elbows slightly behind you to keep the bar close to your chest, then slowly lower it back to the starting position. [17]
    • Do 3 sets of 8–10 reps. If you have any wrist or forearm pain, try an EZ-bar or dumbbells instead.
    • Form tip: Keep your elbows slightly bent at the bottom of the curl to maintain tension on your biceps.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  18. 18
    Cross-Body Hammer Curl Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing in toward your body. Curl one arm so the dumbbell comes up to the opposite shoulder. Pause at the top of the movement, squeezing your bicep, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to your side. Repeat with the other dumbbell. [18]
    • Do 3 sets of 8–10 reps. Note that one rep consists of both arms.
    • Form tip: Don’t touch the dumbbell to your shoulder or rest it against your side—your biceps should support the whole weight of the dumbbells through the whole move.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  19. 19
    Zottman Curl The first part of a Zottman curl is the same as it is for a traditional bicep curl—hold the weights with your palms facing out, then curl them up to your shoulders. But once you reach the top of the curl, rotate your wrists to an overhand grip, with your palms facing toward you. Lower the weights with this grip, then rotate to an underhand grip before beginning the next rep. [19]
    • Benefits: Zottman curls are especially effective at building bigger forearms, and rotating your grip allows you to effectively work your biceps and forearm muscles in the same curl.
    • Part of the bicep it targets: Both heads
  20. 20
    Run-the-Rack Curls For run-the-rack curls, start by doing 5–8 bicep curls with a weight that you consider light. Rest for about 60 seconds, then repeat with a weight that’s just a little heavier. Keep going, gradually increasing the weight, until you start to feel fatigued and can’t maintain good form. [20]
    • Benefits: This is a great way to end a workout because it really takes your muscles all the way to fatigue. [21]
    • Use regular bicep curls for this, or switch it up with another variation if you want.
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Section 2 of 6:

Effects of Bicep Curl Variations

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  1. Using different types of curls will balance your bicep development. The bicep has two heads—a long head that runs along the outside of your arm and a short head on the inside of your arm. Traditional bicep curls primarily target the short bicep head, but varying the curl can allow you to target both of these heads for more even muscle growth. [22]
    • Working the short head of your bicep will add width, and working the long head of your bicep will add height. [23]
    • Bicep curls also work the brachialis —the muscle that runs under the bicep— and the brachioradialis —your forearm muscles. By mixing up your bicep curls, you’ll be able to target these muscles, as well as the smaller stabilizing muscles in your arm.
    • Adding in bicep curl variations will also help challenge you during a workout, which could help prevent you from plateauing.
Section 3 of 6:

Mistakes to Avoid when Doing Bicep Curls

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  1. 1
    Don’t use momentum to lift the weights. To get the biggest gains from your bicep curls, keep your arms and wrists as steady as possible—don’t swing the weight upward. Instead, lift the weight by squeezing your biceps muscles with a slow, controlled movement all the way up and back down. [24]
    • Keep your elbows close by your sides throughout the move—don’t let them drift forward as you curl the weight upward.
    • Only move your forearms, not your whole arm. [25]
    • Don’t rock your hips back and forth for added momentum (unless you’re doing cheater curls).
  2. 2
    Keep your wrists straight and strong. Don’t bend your wrists while you’re doing bicep curls. Not only will that put you at a greater risk of injury, but it will also give you a less effective bicep workout. [26]
  3. 3
    Use a lighter weight that allows you to maintain form. If you use a weight that’s too heavy, you’ll be tempted to swing the weight upward. You’ll lose some control over your form, which could leave you more vulnerable to injury, and you’ll also decrease the effectiveness of the exercise. [27]
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Section 4 of 6:

How many different types of bicep curls should I do?

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  1. Include at least 2 variations in each workout. If you’re trying to build balanced biceps, it’s a good idea to include variations that work the short head and the long head every time you curl. But 3 variations is even better, so if you have time, add in a curl that works your brachialis and brachioradialis.
Section 5 of 6:

Benefits of Bicep Curls

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  1. 1
    They’re very effective at building bicep mass. Having cut biceps instantly makes you look stronger and more fit. If you want quick progress that you can actually see, bicep curls are a great place to start.
  2. 2
    Bicep curls allow you to correct imbalances in your arms. If you’re using dumbbells to do bicep curls, you can work out your arms separately. So if one arm is noticeably weaker than the other, you can spend more time doing bicep curls on that side to help balance things out.
  3. 3
    You can do them anywhere. You don’t need special equipment for bicep curls, so you can fit them into pretty much any workout. If you’re at the gym, you can use machines to do bicep curl variations, but if you’re working out at home, all you need are dumbbells or a resistance band.
  4. 4
    You’ll build functional strength in your arms. Biceps are more than just a vanity muscle. Having strong biceps makes it easier to do a variety of everyday tasks, like lifting heavy boxes. Bicep curls also help improve pulling and throwing strength. [28]
    • The bicep helps control your elbow flexion, or the ability to bend your elbow, as well as the ability to twist your forearm. [29]
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Section 6 of 6:

FAQs

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  1. 1
    What is the best bicep curl variation? There’s no single best bicep curl variation, but we like alternating bicep curls and resistance band curls if you need to take it slow, and spider curls or concentration curls if you want to take it to the next level.
  2. 2
    How often should I train my biceps? You can always customize your workout plan to what works best for you. But a good general plan is to spend 2 days a week working on your arms, 1 day working on your legs, 1 day on your back and shoulders, and 3 days resting. [30]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.strengthlog.com/different-types-of-dumbbell-curls/
      2. ↑ https://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/arm-workouts/bicep-curl-variations
      3. ↑ https://www.puregym.com/exercises/arms-and-shoulders/bicep-curl/concentration-curls/
      4. ↑ https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/5-types-of-bicep-curl-variations
      5. ↑ https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/5-types-of-bicep-curl-variations
      6. ↑ https://www.strengthlog.com/different-types-of-dumbbell-curls/
      7. ↑ https://www.strengthlog.com/different-types-of-dumbbell-curls/
      8. ↑ https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/5-types-of-bicep-curl-variations
      9. ↑ https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/arm-exercises/7-biceps-curl-variations-grow-your-guns/
      1. ↑ https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/arm-exercises/7-biceps-curl-variations-grow-your-guns/
      2. ↑ https://www.muscleandfitness.com/exercise/workouts/arm-exercises/cheating-barbell-biceps-curl/
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/OfgQrQCLJsk?t=19
      4. ↑ https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/two-kettlebell-exercises-to-crush-your-biceps
      5. ↑ https://www.today.com/health/these-resistance-band-exercises-will-make-your-bicep-curls-more-t237582
      6. ↑ https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/5-types-of-bicep-curl-variations
      7. ↑ https://www.health.com/fitness/chin-up-exercises
      8. ↑ https://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/barbell-drag-curl.html
      9. ↑ https://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/hammer-curl-across-the-body.html
      10. ↑ https://www.strengthlog.com/different-types-of-dumbbell-curls/
      11. ↑ https://www.coachweb.com/fitness/workouts/run-the-rack-for-an-incredible-biceps-pump
      12. ↑ https://www.coachweb.com/fitness/workouts/run-the-rack-for-an-incredible-biceps-pump
      13. ↑ https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/5-types-of-bicep-curl-variations
      14. ↑ https://www.strengthlog.com/different-types-of-dumbbell-curls/
      15. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/multimedia/biceps-curl/vid-20084675
      16. ↑ https://www.today.com/health/how-do-bicep-curl-right-way-t211479
      17. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/multimedia/biceps-curl/vid-20084675
      18. ↑ https://www.today.com/health/how-do-bicep-curl-right-way-t211479
      19. ↑ https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/5-types-of-bicep-curl-variations
      20. ↑ https://www.strengthlog.com/different-types-of-dumbbell-curls/
      21. ↑ https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/command-arms-grow-2-day-workout

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