Exercise Library
Cable Curl
A classic cable machine arm isolation exercise where you stand facing the machine and grasp a straight bar or handle with an underhand grip. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides as you curl the handle upward toward your shoulders, focusing on contracting the biceps. Slowly lower the weight back down with control to maintain tension throughout the movement. This variation provides constant resistance and helps build arm strength, muscle definition, and endurance.
Primary muscle
Biceps Brachii
Secondary muscles
Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Forearms
Equipment
Cable
Category
Biceps
How to Do the Cable Curl
- Attach a straight or EZ bar to the low pulley of a cable station and select your weight.
- Grip the bar underhand at shoulder width and step back half a step so the cable is taut with your arms extended.
- Stand tall with feet hip width apart and elbows tucked to your sides.
- Exhale and curl the bar up toward your shoulders, keeping the upper arms vertical.
- Squeeze the biceps at the top while the cable is still pulling against you.
- Inhale and lower the bar under control to full elbow extension without letting the stack touch down.
- Maintain a still torso and repeat for the full set.
Common Mistakes
- Standing too close to the pulley: slack in the cable at the bottom kills the constant tension advantage; step back until resistance starts from the first centimetre.
- Leaning back as you curl: tilting the torso turns the cable curl into a row and hides the true load on the biceps.
- Letting the stack rest between reps: touching the weights down releases all tension mid set; stop the descent just above the stack.
- Curling with the wrists: flicking the bar up with wrist flexion strains the forearms; keep the wrists straight and move only at the elbow.
Track This Exercise in the App
Log your cable curl sets in 1RM.fit and watch your estimated 1RM update automatically as you get stronger.