How to Do the Best Curl

Curls of all varieties -- including biceps curls, hammer curls and reverse curls -- work your biceps and brachioradialis. Done correctly, these exercises build pulling strength in your arms. However, lifting with poor form quickly negates, or at least reduces, those benefits. Once you become conscious of maintaining proper form throughout the curl movement, you'll notice greater gains in both strength and endurance.

Things You'll Need

  • Upright weight bench
  • Mirror
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Instructions

    • 1

      Sit in an upright weight bench and pay close attention to your lower back -- there should be just a slight gap between it and the bench. If you feel your lower back arching away from the bench as you lift, you're powering the lift by swinging your shoulders instead of using your arms. Squeeze your abs to stabilize your body, slow your lift, or switch to a lighter weight to solve the problem.

    • 2

      Move the bench, if possible, so you're sitting sideways to a mirror. Note your elbow position as you lift. If you're trying to strictly isolate the biceps your elbows should stay motionless throughout the lift -- as if pinned to your sides. If you're not concerned about strict isolation, your elbows can swing forward -- but they shouldn't clear the plane of your body. If they do, you're using your shoulders more than your biceps to power the motion. Slow down and, if necessary, switch to a lighter weight to get your movement back under control.

    • 3

      Stand facing sideways to a mirror, or sit on a flat bench if no upright weight bench is available. All the same problem signs and fixes apply; you'll just have to note the problem, and apply the fix, without the tactile feedback provided by the back of an upright bench. Pay close attention in the mirror to help you spot signs of poor form like excessive upper-back sway or too much forward motion of the elbows; it can be challenging to notice them by feel, especially if you're already fatigued.

    • 4

      Gauge your tempo. Some specialized techniques may require you to lift faster or slower -- but for general strength training, the American Council on Exercise recommends counting to two as you lift the weight, then counting to three or four as you lower it.