Barbell Bicep Curl

The barbell bicep curl is a two-arm isolation exercise that targets the front of your upper arms. It builds strength and muscle in your biceps and the muscles that bend your elbows.

Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart. Hold a barbell with an underhand grip, hands just outside your hips. Let your arms hang straight down so the bar rests near the front of your thighs. Pull your shoulders back, keep your chest up, and tuck your elbows close to your ribs.

Brace your core and curl the bar upward by bending only your elbows. Keep your upper arms still and close to your body. Lift until the bar is near shoulder height and your biceps feel fully squeezed, then lower the bar back down with control. Stop just short of a full lockout if that keeps tension on the muscle, or straighten your arms fully if your elbows feel fine.

Exhale as you curl the bar up, and inhale as you lower it. Keep your ribs down and avoid arching your back. To make it easier, use a lighter bar or an EZ-bar if a straight bar bothers your wrists. To make it harder, slow down the lowering phase or pause for a moment at the top.

Fault: Swinging the bar up by arching your back or thrusting your hips. Fix: Keep your torso upright, your elbows pinned to your sides, and curl only as far as you can control with your arms.

Fault: Letting your elbows drift forward or flare outward. Fix: Imagine your elbows are glued to your ribcage throughout the entire rep.

Fault: Dropping the bar too quickly. Fix: Lower the bar over two to three seconds so your muscles stay under tension on the way down.