Variations — what changes
Palms up (supinated)
Standard barbell or dumbbell curl.
Most biceps.
Hammer (palms facing)
Thumbs up, like holding a hammer.
More brachialis and forearm — builds arm thickness.
Reverse (palms down)
Overhand grip.
Mostly forearms (brachioradialis).
Incline dumbbell
Sit back on an incline bench, arms hanging behind you.
Stretches the long head of the biceps — a hard, effective variation.
Preacher
Upper arm resting on a sloped pad in front of you.
No cheating possible; hardest at the bottom.
Barbell / EZ-bar
Both hands on one bar.
Lets you go heaviest. The EZ-bar's angled grip is easier on the wrists.
Setup
- Stand tall, elbows at your sides, arms straight.
Doing the rep
- Curl up without letting your elbows drift forward.
- Squeeze at the top, lower slowly (2–3 s) all the way down.
Common mistakes
- Swinging your body to heave the weight up.
- Stopping short of a straight arm at the bottom.
Stop if something hurts sharply. When you're learning a lift, start light and film a set from the side to check it.
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