Dumbbell Seated Curl

1. Sit on a bench holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging straight down at your sides.
2. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your back upright against the bench.
3. Brace your core and pin your upper arms against your torso.
4. Curl the dumbbells upward by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms still.
5. Squeeze your biceps hard as the dumbbells approach shoulder height.
6. Pause briefly at the top of the curl.
7. Lower the dumbbells slowly back to the starting position, allowing a full stretch.
8. Repeat for the desired number of reps without swinging the weights.

Common Mistakes

• Swinging the torso to lift the weight: Rocking your body to help curl the dumbbells shifts work off the biceps and onto momentum. Keep your back against the bench and your torso still.
• Letting the elbows drift forward: Elbows moving away from your torso reduces biceps isolation. Keep your upper arms pinned to your sides throughout the curl.
• Cutting the bottom range short: Stopping before your arms fully extend limits the stretch and total muscle work. Lower the dumbbells all the way down each rep.
• Using momentum on heavier sets: Jerking the weight up with a quick heave instead of a controlled curl reduces the tension your biceps actually handle. Choose a weight you can lift with strict form.