Muscles Used • Exercise Type • Form Instruction • Tips and Techniques • Recommended Reps • Common Variations • Substitutions • Equipment Needed
 |  |
| Bottom/Top | Top/Bottom |
Primary Mover(s) | Muscles Used: | Secondary Mover(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Biceps |  | Forearms |
| Other Mover(s) | ||
| Traps, Delts (F) |
See all the exercises at the:
Weight Training Exercises Database
– Alternating Dumbbell Biceps Curls –
Exercise Type:
Compound Exercise, Push Movement
Form Instruction:
Standing, grasp dumbbells with palms facing in, then raise while rotating forearms so that palms are up midway through exercise. Lower while rotating forearms back to starting position. Alternate to opposite arm with each completed repetition.
Tips and Techniques:
The elbow should be kept tucked into tho body and should only travel forward a slight amount in the completion of the exercise. Shoulders back and chest out. Knees slightly bent. Squeeze biceps at the top.
Beware of momentum (swinging). While no upper body movement is virtually impossible, the effort should be made to keep only the forearms moving during the exercise.
There are a number of minor variations to the standard dumbbell biceps curls. The way pictured and described above (sometimes called Twisting or Rotating Alternate Dumbbell Curls) has you rotating the dumbbells on the lifting portion of the exercise – this method works the forearms a bit more.
Keeping the palms out at the bottom of the exercise and throughout will decrease forearm involvement and increase pressure on the biceps. (Keeping the palms in throughout the exercise will shift the exercise’s focus to the forearms – these are Hammer Curls).
Beyond there you can perform the exercise with both arms simultaneously or you can do them alternating arms but simultaneously moving both arms (raising the right arm while lowering the left or vice-versa).
Recommended Reps For Muscle Building:
6-12 the majority of the time, trying higher or lower reps on occasion.
Common Variations:
- Barbell Biceps Curls
- Concentration Dumbbell Curls
- Preacher Curls
- Hammer Curls
- Dumbbell Incline Curls – Done while seated on a incline bench in the same way as normal alternating dumbbell curls.
- Prone Incline Curls – Done with knees on the seat of an incline bench and front of body laying against the back of the bench. hands dropping down, you curl the weight back to the shoulders – can be done with dumbbells or a barbell.
- Reverse Grip Dumbbell Curls – Done in same way with palms down throughout the exercise (primary mover is the forearms).
- Machine-Based Biceps Curls – Cable machines allow you to perform biceps curls.
Substitutions:
Concentration Dumbbell Curls, Preacher Curls and Barbell Biceps Curls all make good substitutes for targeting the biceps.
Bodybuilding Equipment:
Dumbbells and Weights
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