Barbell Prone Incline Curl

1. Set an incline bench to a steep angle and lie face down on it, chest against the pad.
2. Let a barbell hang straight down with an underhand (supinated) grip, arms fully extended.
3. Brace your core and keep your chest pressed into the bench.
4. Curl the barbell upward by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms still.
5. Squeeze your biceps hard as the bar approaches shoulder height.
6. Pause briefly at the top of the curl.
7. Lower the barbell slowly back to a full arm extension.
8. Repeat without letting your shoulders round forward off the pad.

Common Mistakes

• Letting the shoulders round forward: Rounding forward off the pad to help lift the bar reduces the strict stretch this exercise is meant to provide. Keep your chest pressed into the bench throughout.
• Swinging the elbows forward: Elbows drifting away from the body shifts tension off the biceps. Keep your upper arms hanging steady and vertical.
• Using too much weight: A barbell too heavy forces you to jerk the weight up instead of curling with control. Choose a load you can lift with a smooth, strict motion.
• Cutting the bottom range short: Stopping before your arms fully extend limits the deep stretch that makes this variation effective. Lower the bar all the way down each rep.