How to Do Bicep Curls

Co-authored by Monica Morris and Christopher M. Osborne, PhD

Last Updated: September 28, 2023 Approved

When you think of bicep curls, you might picture some muscle-bound guy at the gym grunting while he jacks up a giant dumbbell. When done properly, however, bicep curls are one of the simplest weightlifting moves to employ, and valuable to anyone seeking to build or maintain arm strength and muscle tone.^{[1]
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Monica Morris
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Expert Interview. 18 November 2019.} The key point is to focus on proper technique, instead of trying to max out on the weights and allowing your form to break down in the process. Make sure to keep your workout balanced by working the back of your arms equally, such as by doing tricep exercises.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Setting Up Your Curls

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1
Start small and work your way up the dumbbell scale as you progress. If you are new to doing curls, or simply looking to maintain existing muscle tone, even 1 to 3 lb (0.45 to 1.36 kg) weights may be sufficient.^{[2]
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Research source} Taking on too much weight causes a breakdown in technique and can easily lead to injuries of the elbow, wrist, or muscle tissue.^{[3]
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Mayo Clinic
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- If you are going to do 2-handed curls with a bar, the same principle holds. Start at a lower weight and work your way up slowly.
- Everyone is different, so start with lighter weights and find the maximum amount that permits you to do your desired number of repetitions (reps) while retaining the proper form.
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Adjust your regime to suit your goal. Generally speaking, if you are seeking to maintain existing muscle tone and arm strength, it is better to do more reps per set with a lower dumbbell weight. If you are looking to build muscle, do fewer reps at a higher weight (but again, don’t sacrifice technique).^{[4]
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- For muscle maintenance, do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps each, for each arm. For strength building, sets of 6 to 8 reps may be preferable.^{[5]
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- Let your body be your guide. If you can’t do the number of reps you seek, reduce the dumbbell weight. If necessary, start with 1 set per arm and build up to 3.
EXPERT TIP

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer

Michele Dolan, a certified personal trainer, suggests: "Start with 1 set and increase to 3-5 sets with heavier weight as the exercise becomes easier."

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3
Isolate your body movement so that only the arm doing the curl is moving. Traditional biceps curls are done while standing, but can also be done easily and properly while seated. Creating a solid base with your body positioning is critical to achieving this goal.^{[6]
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- Stand with your feet at hip width and your knees slightly bent. Keep your back straight and your abdomen pulled in (but not uncomfortably so). Let your arms rest at your sides and look forward—into a mirror, if possible, to monitor your technique.
- Sit with your feet firmly on the ground, your back straight and abdomen in, your arms to the side, and your head looking forward. Make sure the chair or bench will not impede your arm motion (or the dumbbell’s) during the curls.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Executing Your Curls

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Keep it smooth and simple. In spite of the form displayed by the aspiring Mr. Universe you might run into at the gym, a bicep curl shouldn’t be a quick, jerking motion that involves the entire body. It is meant to be a slow, steady, consistent motion that isolates a single muscle group.^{[7]
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- You can do dumbbell curls with both arms at the same time (or alternating arms), but for simplicity’s sake (especially as a beginner), you should probably start with 1 arm at a time. Or, you can do curls with both arms at the same time by using a bar. If so, you will use the same arm motions as described below for a dumbbell.^{[8]
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  Monica Morris
  Certified Personal Trainer
  
  Expert Interview. 18 November 2019.}
- With the dumbbell securely in your hand, palm facing forward and arm loose to your side, exhale and slowly bend your elbow and contract your biceps to draw the weight upward.
- While lifting, try to keep every other part of your body still.
- Keep raising the weight until it is at shoulder height, or even touching your shoulder.
- Pause for a beat without stopping to let the weight rest on your shoulder.
- Inhale and slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Don’t let it just drop back down — control the movement in each direction.
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Don’t cheat yourself. Sacrificing form to lift bigger dumbbells not only risks injury, it also minimizes the benefits of the curls. “Maxing out” on a curl should mean getting the most out of each one, not hurting yourself by flailing around with a giant dumbbell.
- Keep your wrists straight and rigid throughout the entire curl. It is easy to cause injury by using your wrist as a lever or letting it swing loosely. Use wrist wraps if they help.^{[9]
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- Don’t lean forward to start the curl, and/or rock backward during the lift. Your body should not be acting as a pendulum during the curl — this takes the focus away from your biceps, and can cause a loss of balance and possible injury.^{[10]
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  Research source}
- Don’t let the weight rest on your shoulder at the top of the motion. If you need a break during a set, you are using too much weight or doing too many reps.
- Likewise, don’t rest your elbows on your hips or the sides of your abdomen during the motion. You want the full weight of the dumbbells to be isolated on your biceps.
3
Return and repeat. When you finish a curl, make sure you extend your arm fully — leaving your elbow slightly bent is another cheat that will reduce the impact of each curl. Once you’ve returned the dumbbell to the proper starting position, pause just long enough to refocus and exhale as you begin the next lift.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Monica Morris
Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Interview. 18 November 2019.}
- Rest for 30 to 90 seconds between sets, if you are doing more than 1. If you're curling 1 arm at a time, keep alternating arms while allowing 1 to rest between its sets.^{[12]
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  Research source}
- Again, it is better to reduce the weight, or your reps or sets, than to let your form break down.

Part 3

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Doing Variations

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Try incline dumbbell curls. Use the same arm motions as in a standard dumbbell curl but while lying back on a bench set at a 45-degree angle. Keeping your back against the bench will inhibit your ability to gain power or momentum from anything other than your arm.
- As with a normal curl, keep your arm close to your body. Flaring your arm outward while lifting up can strain or damage your shoulder.
2
Keep your palm inward for a hammer curl. Instead of starting with your palm facing forward while holding the dumbbell, have it facing inward (toward your upper leg). As you lift, rotate your lower arm and the weight so that you reach the top of the motion in the same position as with a regular curl. Reverse the process on the downward motion.
- For another variation, start in the standard curl position (palms facing forward), but curl the dumbbell across your chest to the opposite shoulder. Cross it back over while lowering to the starting position.
Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Lean forward so that you can place your upper arm against your same-side inner thigh (thus the dumbbell in your hand is between your ankles. Place your other hand on the same-side knee for stability. Do the curl as normal, keeping your arm pinned against your inner thigh.
Start in the standard position, with your palm facing forward. As you lift, rotate your forearm and the weight so that when it reaches your shoulder, your palm is again facing forward (instead of toward your shoulder). Reverse the motion to the standard starting position. Keep your arm close to your side throughout the process.

Why Won't My Biceps Grow?

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Do bicep curls work?

Monica Morris
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Monica Morris is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of fitness training experience, Monica started her own physical training practice and gained her ACE Certification in 2017. Her workouts emphasize proper warm-ups, cool-downs, and stretching techniques.

Monica Morris

ACE Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

Absolutely! There's a reason they're a popular exercise; bicep curls are easily the most efficient way to build your biceps up. There are plenty of variations from the standard curl as well. You can use a barbell, or change your range of motion over a large number of repetitions to target different parts of the bicep.

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Is it OK to do biceps every day?

Monica Morris
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Monica Morris is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of fitness training experience, Monica started her own physical training practice and gained her ACE Certification in 2017. Her workouts emphasize proper warm-ups, cool-downs, and stretching techniques.

Monica Morris

ACE Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

Don't work your biceps every day. Take at least 1 day off in between lifting sessions to give your muscles time to repair themselves.

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What is the best time to do bicep curls, morning or evening?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

There is no evidence proving that the time of day makes any difference. Therefore, you should do your curls when it works best for you, and after you have finished the bigger, multi-joint moves like pull ups, bench press and rows.

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Tips

Remember to breathe.

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Take time and care in picking up and releasing the dumbbell.

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It may help to sit down, especially if you have any balance issues.

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Warnings

Don't use too heavy of a weight.

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Remember to do the steps slowly.

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Be careful not to drop the weights, especially on your foot!

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Stretch after your workout.

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