How to do it
- Stand tall holding the bar at shoulder width, palms facing forward.
- Pin the elbows at your sides.
- Curl the bar up until the forearms are near vertical.
- Lower slowly to straight arms.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the hips and back to heave the bar.
- Letting the elbows drift forward.
- Dropping the bar on the way down.
Breathing and tempo
Breathe out as you lift and in as you lower. Lift in about 1-2 seconds, pause briefly where the muscle is shortest, and lower in 2-3 seconds.
Make it harder or easier
Harder: More load or a slower lowering.
Easier: An EZ bar, which is kinder to the wrists, or dumbbells.
Sets and reps
Beginners: 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps, stopping 2-3 reps short of failure.
Building muscle: 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps, stopping 0-2 reps short of failure.
Safety
- If the wrists ache, use an EZ bar or dumbbells.
Swaps
Full gym: Incline dumbbell curl, Hammer curl, Preacher curl