Barbell Curl

How to do the barbell curl with proper form to build bigger, stronger biceps

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How to perform

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the bar with an underhand grip, palms facing forward, hands slightly wider than your hips.
2. Let the bar hang at arm’s length in front of your thighs with a soft bend in your knees.
3. Pin your elbows to your sides and exhale as you curl the bar toward your shoulders, squeezing the biceps as you lift.
4. Raise the bar until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar reaches shoulder level.
5. Pause briefly and squeeze hard at the top.
6. Inhale and lower the bar slowly and under control until your arms are fully extended again, then repeat.

Muscles worked

The barbell curl is the classic isolation lift for the biceps, which flex the elbow, with the forearms gripping the bar and assisting throughout the movement.

• Biceps — flex the elbows and do the primary work
• Forearms — grip the bar and assist with elbow flexion

Make it easier

Use a lighter bar, an EZ-bar, or a resistance band. You can also do the exercise seated to remove any hip sway and keep the torso completely still.

Make it harder

Add weight, slow the lowering phase to a three-second count, or pause for two seconds in the stretched position at the bottom. Half-reps done in the bottom third of the movement add extra tension on the long head.

Common mistakes

Mistake: Swinging the bar and leaning back to hoist it up. Fix: stand still, brace your core, and let the biceps move the bar only. Mistake: Letting the elbows drift forward away from your sides. Fix: pin your elbows to your ribs and keep them there for the whole set. Mistake: Dropping the bar down fast and losing control on the negative. Fix: lower slowly, taking about two to three seconds. Mistake: Curling the wrists or bending them back under load. Fix: keep the wrists neutral and in a straight line with the forearms.