Barbell curl: muscles worked and how to do it

How to do a barbell curl

1. 1

   Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold the bar with an underhand grip, hands about shoulder-width apart.

2. 2

   Let the bar hang against your thighs with your arms straight and your elbows at your sides.

3. 3

   Curl the bar up toward your shoulders by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms still.

4. 4

   Squeeze your biceps for a moment at the top.

5. 5

   Lower the bar under control until your arms are straight again.

These steps describe common technique. If something hurts, stop and ask a qualified coach or clinician.

Common barbell curl mistakes

• Swinging your body

  Stand tall and keep your hips still. If you have to swing, lower the weight.

• Elbows drifting forward

  Keep them at your sides, so the biceps lift the bar rather than your shoulders.

• Short reps at the bottom

  Straighten your arms fully between reps.

• Dropping the bar

  Take two or three seconds to lower it.

How to track your barbell curl

Log the weight and reps of every set. Over a few weeks, the heaviest weight you lift and your estimated one-rep max show whether you are getting stronger, even when your sets use different rep counts.