Exercise · Arms
Dumbbell curl
The dumbbell curl is the classic exercise to train your biceps, with support from your forearms. You can do it in pretty much any gym, standing or seated, with a pair of dumbbells. It’s a simple movement, but it needs control if you want good tension on the muscle and happy joints.
- Biceps
- Forearms
Doable at all 76 gyms GoSet follows
The essentials
- Elbows at your sides.
- Turn your palm up as you curl.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Biceps
- Secondary
- Forearms
How to do it
- Grab a pair of dumbbells with your arms at your sides, palms facing in, feet solid on the floor.
- Keep your elbows at your sides and the upper arm still for the whole movement.
- Start curling the dumbbells up while turning your palm up as you curl, until your forearms are almost vertical.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top for a brief pause without letting your elbows drift forward.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly in about 2 to 3 seconds, under control, until your arms are almost straight without locking your elbows hard.
- Breathe steadily: inhale as you lower, exhale as you curl the weight up.
Common mistakes
Swinging your back or hips
Instead : Pick lighter dumbbells and brace your torso. Think of your upper body as fixed in place so only your forearms move.
Elbows drifting forward
Instead : Keep your elbows close to your ribs and glued there. Standing close to a wall can help stop your arms from drifting forward.
Dropping too fast on the way down
Instead : Count 2 to 3 seconds as you lower the dumbbells. The lowering phase matters a lot if you want your biceps to work hard.
Shrugging your shoulders up
Instead : Keep your shoulders down and relaxed. Think about keeping your shoulders away from your ears the whole time.
Coach tips
- Start with a weight that lets you keep the same speed up and down, without any swinging.
- Keep your wrist neutral, in line with your forearm, so your biceps and forearms do the work instead of just your wrists.
- You can do the exercise standing or seated on a bench if you want more torso stability.
- To progress, go up one small weight increment or add 1–2 reps when your form stays solid.
Variations
- Alternate one arm at a time to focus more on each side.
- Do the movement seated on a bench to reduce body swing.
- Add a 1–2 second pause at the bottom before each rep to avoid bouncing.
Sets and reps
Dumbbell curls are often done for 3–4 sets of 8–15 reps, depending on the weight used and your level. They usually come after your bigger pulling exercises in an upper-body workout.
Equipment
Alternatives for the same muscles
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Common questions
Should I do dumbbell curls standing or seated?
Both work. Standing makes your torso work a bit more to stabilize. Seated on a bench usually reduces swinging and can help if you tend to cheat.
Do I need to fully straighten my arms at the bottom?
Lower until your arms are almost straight, but don’t slam your elbows into a hard lockout. Keep a slight tension in your biceps to protect your joints and stay in control.
I don’t feel my biceps working. Is that normal?
Often that means the weight is too heavy or your elbows move too much. Keep your elbows close to your body, slow down the lowering, turn your palm up as you curl, and pick a weight you can control easily.
My elbow or wrist hurts when I curl, what should I do?
Stop the exercise right away and talk to a health or training professional before continuing, especially if the pain keeps coming back.