Tips on how to Do the Dumbbell Curl: Type, Advantages, and Variations

The dumbbell curl is the cornerstone of most weightlifters’ biceps coaching.

It’s broadly used as a result of it’s easy, efficient, and adaptable for many anybody’s circumstances, which makes it very best for maximizing your biceps growth.

On this article, you’ll study what a dumbbell curl is, why it’s helpful, which muscle mass it really works, find out how to do a correct dumbbell curl, the most effective dumbbell curl variations, and extra.

What Is the Dumbbell Curl?

The dumbbell curl—additionally known as the “dumbbell biceps curl” or “biceps curl”—is a biceps isolation train that includes lifting a dumbbell out of your waist to your shoulder by bending on the elbow, then straightening your arm.

There are lots of biceps curl variations, however maybe the most typical—and the one we’ll deal with on this article—is the standing alternating dumbbell curl (generally known as the “standing dumbbell supinated curl”). 

Because the identify implies, you carry out this variation whereas standing and prepare every arm individually, alternating between your arms with each rep.

Barbell Curl vs. Dumbbell Curl: Which Is Higher?

The barbell and dumbbell curl are related biceps workout routines. What makes them completely different is that within the dumbbell biceps curl you employ dumbbells, and within the barbell curl you employ a barbell.

This implies the dumbbell curl trains your biceps unilaterally (one arm at a time), whereas the barbell biceps curl trains your biceps bilaterally (each arms concurrently).

It additionally implies that through the barbell curl, your arms are fastened in a supinated (palms up) place throughout each rep, whereas within the dumbbell curl, your wrists can transfer extra freely.

That is important as a result of conserving the wrists supinated can worsen your wrists and elbows. As such, some folks discover the dumbbell curl extra comfy than the barbell curl as a result of they will flip their wrists inward barely to keep away from ache. 

That mentioned, when you can carry out each workout routines with out discomfort, neither is best or worse than the opposite—they prepare the identical muscle mass to an analogous diploma, so you should utilize them interchangeably.

A great way to do that is to incorporate the dumbbell curl in your program for 8-to-10 weeks of coaching, take a deload, then exchange the dumbbell curl with the barbell curl for the next 8-to-10 weeks of coaching.

Then, you possibly can both proceed alternating between the workout routines each few months like this or stick to the one you like.

That is how I personally like to prepare my coaching, and it’s just like the tactic I advocate in my health books for women and men, Bigger Leaner Stronger and Thinner Leaner Stronger. 

(And when you’d like much more particular recommendation about how you must set up your coaching to succeed in your well being and health objectives, take the Legion Strength Training Quiz, and in lower than a minute, you’ll know the right energy coaching program for you. Click here to check it out.)

Dumbbell Curl: Advantages

1. It maximizes biceps progress.

Your biceps are closely concerned in “pulling” workout routines, such because the lat pulldown, row, and pull-up.

Nevertheless, research exhibits that if you wish to maximize biceps growth, doing compound pulling exercises isn’t sufficient—you must do biceps isolation workout routines, too.

There are two causes for this.

First, biceps isolation workout routines just like the dumbbell biceps curl mean you can prepare your biceps in several methods—at completely different angles and thru completely different ranges of motion—which most likely produces extra balanced and full progress than doing simply 2 or 3 pulling workout routines.

And second, biceps isolation workout routines mean you can prepare your biceps when it’s not sensible to take action with a compound train. 

For example, your lats, traps, and rhomboids will most likely be bushed after a number of units of pulling workout routines, however your biceps could also be comparatively contemporary. Coaching them with just a few units of curls ensures they’re adequately stimulated, which is important to maximize progress.

2. It trains your biceps unilaterally.

The alternating dumbbell curl is a unilateral train, which suggests it means that you can prepare one aspect of your physique at a time. 

That is helpful as a result of unilateral workout routines . . .

• Might enable you to raise extra complete weight than you possibly can with some bilateral workout routines, which can help you acquire extra muscle over time
• Show you how to develop a higher mind-muscle connection along with your biceps since you solely have to deal with one aspect of your physique at a time
• Show you how to right muscle imbalances, as a result of either side of your physique are compelled to raise the identical quantity of weight (one aspect can’t “take over” from the opposite)

3. It’s extremely adaptable.

There are a number of dumbbell curl variations that place your arms in various positions relative to your torso.

For instance, the common biceps curl locations your arms by your sides, the dumbbell preacher curl locations your arms in entrance of your torso, and the incline dumbbell biceps curl locations your arms behind your torso.

That is vital as a result of research shows that coaching your biceps along with your arms in several positions is among the finest methods to construct proportional biceps.

Dumbbell Curl: Muscle tissue Labored

The primary muscle labored by the biceps curl is the biceps brachii (usually shortened to the “biceps”), the two-headed muscle positioned on the entrance of the higher arm, between the shoulder and elbow.

To a lesser extent, it additionally trains the brachialis, a small muscle that lies beneath the biceps that considerably provides to the biceps’ measurement and circumference, and several other forearm muscle mass, together with the brachioradialis and pronator teres.

Right here’s how the biceps look in your physique:

Dumbbell Curl: Type

The best technique to study find out how to do a dumbbell curl is to separate the train into three elements: arrange, curl, and descend.

Step 1: Set Up

Maintain a dumbbell in every hand along with your palms going through away from you and your arms hanging at your sides. Rise up straight along with your ft shoulder-width aside.

Step 2: Curl

With out twisting your wrist, curl your proper hand towards your proper shoulder till your forearm is roughly perpendicular to the ground. Permit your elbow to maneuver ahead barely because the dumbbell rises. 

Step 3: Descend

Decrease the dumbbell and return to the beginning place. Don’t let the load fall again to the beginning place or attempt to straighten your arm slowly. The complete “descent” ought to be managed however solely take a couple of second.

As soon as your proper hand is again at your aspect, repeat the sample along with your left hand (to finish one full rep).

Right here’s the way it ought to look once you put all of it collectively:

The Greatest Dumbbell Curl Variations

1. Single-Arm Dumbbell Curl

Research exhibits that the single-arm dumbbell curl (sometimes called the “dumbbell focus curl” or “single dumbbell curl”) is a superb train for coaching your biceps. 

What makes it so efficient is that it locations your elbow in opposition to the within of your thigh or knee, stopping you from utilizing momentum to “cheat” the load up and forcing your biceps to do the lion’s share of the work.

2. Dumbbell Preacher Curl

Within the dumbbell preacher curl, you place your higher arms in opposition to a preacher curl bench. Equally to the single-arm dumbbell curl, this prevents you from utilizing momentum to raise the load. This ensures your biceps do the vast majority of the work, which ought to enable you to acquire extra biceps measurement and energy over time.

3. Incline Dumbbell Biceps Curl

In contrast to many different biceps workout routines, the incline dumbbell biceps curl places fixed stress in your biceps all through all the vary of movement and trains your biceps in a completely stretched place, which is generally better for muscle progress.