Form cues
- Elbows stay by your sides
- Lift with the biceps
- Keep wrists straight
- Control the lowering
Exercise
Barbell Curl
Upper arms, barbell
A standing biceps exercise where you curl a barbell from your thighs to shoulder height with an underhand grip.
Target: biceps. Also works: forearms.
Steps
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and hold the barbell at your thighs with an underhand grip.
- Set your shoulders back, brace your torso, and keep your elbows pinned by your sides.
- Curl the bar upward by bending your elbows until the bar reaches about shoulder height.
- Pause briefly at the top and squeeze your biceps without letting your elbows drift forward.
- Lower the bar slowly back to your thighs until your arms are straight.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the torso to start the bar moving
- Letting the elbows drift forward as the bar rises
- Bending the wrists back instead of keeping them neutral
- Dropping the bar quickly on the way down
Breathing
Exhale as you curl the bar up, and inhale as you lower it back down under control.
In the app, search for Barbell Curl and add it to a workout.