Incline Dumbbell Curl
Biceps, with a deep stretch2 dumbbells and an incline bench
The incline dumbbell curl is a biceps curl done on a reclined bench. Your arms hang behind your torso, which stretches the biceps at the bottom and makes a light pair of dumbbells feel heavy.
How to do the Incline Dumbbell Curl
- Set an adjustable bench to about 60 degrees and sit back with a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging straight down.
- Keep your head, shoulders and back on the pad and your upper arms pointing at the floor.
- Curl both dumbbells up, turning your palms toward your shoulders at the top.
- Lower for two seconds until your arms are fully straight and you feel the stretch in your biceps.
Common mistakes
- Your elbows swing forward as you curl. Keep your upper arms still and pointing down. If they drift, lower the weight.
- You lift your back off the pad. Keep your head and back on the pad so your biceps do the lifting.
- You cut the stretch short at the bottom. Let your arms straighten fully on every rep, then curl.
With a bench or without
With an incline bench: start around 60 degrees. A flatter bench gives a bigger stretch and is harder, so go lower once the first sets feel easy.
Without a bench: do a standing alternating curl with your elbows pinned to your sides and the same two second lowering.
Easier and harder versions
Easier: Use lighter dumbbells or set the bench more upright.
Harder: Set the bench flatter, or pause for one second at the bottom of each rep. Stagger runs 10 reps with a pair of 20 lbs on a 90-second clock.