Exercise Library
Barbell Curl
A fundamental arm exercise performed by curling a barbell from hip level toward the shoulders using an underhand grip. Stand upright with your elbows tucked close to your sides and lift the bar by bending at the elbows while keeping your upper arms still. Lower the weight slowly to maintain tension throughout the movement. This exercise builds overall arm size, strength, and improves biceps peak development.
Primary muscle
Biceps Brachii
Secondary muscles
Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Forearms
Equipment
Barbell
Category
Biceps
How to Do the Barbell Curl
- Hold a barbell with an underhand grip about shoulder width apart, arms hanging straight.
- Stand tall with feet hip width apart, knees slightly soft, and elbows pinned to your sides.
- Exhale and curl the bar up in an arc toward your shoulders, keeping the upper arms motionless.
- Squeeze the biceps hard at the top, with the bar near shoulder height and wrists straight.
- Inhale and lower the bar under control until your arms are fully extended.
- Keep your torso still throughout; only the forearms should move.
- Repeat, resetting your elbow position against your ribs if it drifts.
Common Mistakes
- Swinging the torso: rocking the hips and leaning back to hoist the bar takes the biceps out of the lift; if you must swing, drop the weight.
- Elbows drifting forward: letting the elbows rise turns the curl into a front raise and hands the load to the shoulders.
- Half reps at the bottom: stopping short of full elbow extension avoids the hardest part of the range and limits growth.
- Wrist grip discomfort ignored: a straight bar forces full supination, and if your wrists ache, narrow or widen the grip slightly or switch to an EZ bar rather than pushing through pain.
Track This Exercise in the App
Log your barbell curl sets in 1RM.fit and watch your estimated 1RM update automatically as you get stronger.