Dumbbell Biceps Curl
The classic arm builder. Standing tall with your elbows at your sides, you bend at the elbow to lift the dumbbells toward your shoulders.
Curl the dumbbells up, keeping your elbows at your sides
Loading 3D viewer…
How to do it
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms straight and palms facing forward.
- Brace your core and pin your elbows to your sides.
- Bend your elbows to curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders. Only your forearms should move.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top without letting your elbows drift far forward.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly until your arms are fully straight again.
Common mistakes
- Swinging your torso or using your hips to heave the weight up.
- Letting your elbows travel forward, which turns the lift into a front raise.
- Cutting the range short. Straighten your arms fully at the bottom of each rep.
- Dropping the weight quickly instead of lowering it under control.
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | 2–3 | 10–12 | 60 s |
| Muscle size | 3–4 | 8–15 | 60–90 s |
| Endurance | 2–3 | 15–20 | 30–60 s |
Curls work best with moderate to high reps and strict form: if you have to swing your body or shrug to finish a rep, the weight is too heavy. Take about 2 seconds to lower each rep.
These are starting points for healthy adults. End each set with a little left in the tank, and move up once you reach the top of a range. The research behind them: How Many Sets and Reps? and How Long to Rest Between Sets.
Variations
- Hammer curl: Palms face each other through the whole rep, which works the brachialis and the forearm's brachioradialis more.
- EZ-bar curl: Both hands on an angled bar, for heavier loading with a wrist-friendly grip.
- Incline dumbbell curl: Seated back on an incline bench with your arms hanging behind you, which stretches the biceps more at the bottom.
- Concentration curl: Seated, with your elbow braced against the inside of your thigh so the arm can't swing.
The animation shows general technique, not advice for your body. If you have an injury or are new to lifting, check your form with a qualified coach. See the Disclaimer.
Plan your training
- Progressive Overload: The Science of Getting Stronger →
How muscles adapt, heavy versus light loads, and how fast to add weight.
- Sore Muscles After a Workout: The Science of DOMS →
Why muscles ache a day or two after training, and what actually helps.
- Protein Intake Calculator →
Find how much protein you need a day to recover from training and build muscle.
Related exercises
EZ-Bar Curl
A biceps curl with an angled bar. The EZ bar's bends put your wrists in a more natural, half-turned position than a straight barbell.
View in 3D →Pull-Up
The classic bodyweight back exercise. Hanging from a bar with an overhand grip, you pull your chin up over the bar and lower yourself back down.
View in 3D →One-Arm Dumbbell Row
A single-arm back exercise braced on a bench. With your torso flat, you row a dumbbell from arm's length up beside your waist.
View in 3D →