Arms
Barbell curl
The barbell curl lifts a bar from your thighs to your shoulders with palms facing up, training the biceps.
- Primary
- Biceps
- Secondary
- Forearms
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Type
- isolation
Why it earns a spot
It lets you load the biceps heavier than most curls and track clear weight progress over time.
How to do it
- Stand holding the bar with an underhand grip at about shoulder width.
- Pin your elbows to your sides and keep your torso upright.
- Curl the bar up until your forearms are vertical and your biceps are squeezed.
- Pause briefly, then lower over about two to three seconds.
- Finish each rep at full arm extension without leaning back.
Common mistakes
- Swinging your body to get the bar up; lower the weight until you can stay still.
- Letting your elbows drift forward, which hands the work to your shoulders.
- Dropping the bar on the way down and losing the lowering half of the rep.
How to program it
| Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Add reps to 12 on all sets, then jump by the smallest plates you have. An EZ bar eases wrist strain if the straight bar bothers you.
Swaps and alternatives
Fortis · free while in beta
Log every barbell curl set.
Fortis keeps your sets, reps and weights in one place and shows the trend over time, so progress is a number instead of a feeling.
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