WhatWorksWhat.
Biceps

Dumbbell Curl

Tension shifts from outer bicep at the bottom to a peak squeeze on the inner bicep at the top.

Complexity · Lowhypertrophybeginner+Dumbbells
Check Your Form
  • Biceps
  • Biceps - Inner biceps
  • Biceps - Outer biceps
  • Forearms
  • Outer biceps
  • Inner biceps
  • Underneath biceps
  • Forearm peak

PrimarySecondary

What it hits

Parts of the target muscle.

  • Outer biceps

    Hit

    Long head - recruited more with elbows behind the body.

  • Inner biceps

    Hit

    Short head - recruited more with elbows in front of the body.

  • Underneath biceps

    Not hit

    Brachialis - pushes the bicep up. Loves neutral grip.

  • Forearm peak

    Not hit

    Brachioradialis - recruited with pronated or hammer grip.

The movement

Get it right, not roughly right.

Optimal form

9:54· Jeff Nippard

How To Build Huge Biceps: Optimal Training Explained

Dumbbell Curl start position with arms extended, elbows pinned, and dumbbells held at the sides.
Start
Dumbbell Curl finish position with dumbbells near shoulder height, elbows close to the ribs, and torso upright.
Finish

One dumbbell each hand, supinated grip. Curl one or both, twisting the wrist outward as you pass mid-rep so palms face the ceiling at the top.

Common mistakes

  • Not finishing the supination - you leave the short head undertrained.
  • Letting the elbow drift back behind the body on the way down.

Where you should feel it

Tension shifts from outer bicep at the bottom to a peak squeeze on the inner bicep at the top.

Injury risk · 1/10

SafetySlow eccentrics keep the elbow tendon calm - don't drop the weight at the bottom.

Progression

Step back, or step up.

Same movement family, different rung. Harder versions sit above, easier versions below — tap a rung to land there.

  1. Progress toIncline dumbbell curlAdds a deep long-head stretch most lifters skip.
  2. Progress toBarbell curlHeavier two-arm load with both heads taught the same path.
  3. You're hereDumbbell Curl
  4. Step back toConcentration curlSeated, single-arm - body english is impossible.

Variations

Same movement, moved emphasis.

Ranked by how directly each variation still trains biceps. 80%+ means the target barely changes. Below 60%, the emphasis has meaningfully shifted — useful for variety, but less precise for the specific part. The label calls it at a glance.

  • Zottman curl

    Curl supinated, lower pronated.

    80% on target

    On target

    Adds heavy forearm/eccentric work.

  • Hammer curl

    Neutral grip (palms facing each other) the whole rep.

    70% on target

    Slight shift

    Brachialis + brachioradialis - bicep peak under the surface.

  • Cross-body hammer

    Curl across your body toward the opposite shoulder.

    60% on target

    Slight shift

    Heavy brachialis bias.

Compare with another exercise

Cool-down

Worked it. Walk it back down.

A couple of minutes here pays back in soreness avoided tomorrow. Browse the full library.

  • Wrist Flexor Stretch

    Arm extended in front, palm up. Use the other hand to pull the fingers down and back toward the body. Elbow stays locked. 30s per side.

    ForearmsBiceps

  • Wrist Extensor Stretch

    Arm extended, palm DOWN. Pull the back of the hand down and toward the body. 30s per side. Cheap fix for cranky elbows after pulling days.

    Forearms

  • Biceps Doorway Stretch

    Stand in a doorway. Place a palm flat on the door frame at shoulder height, fingers up, thumb pointing away. Rotate the chest away from the wall to feel a stretch down the front of the upper arm. 30s per side.

    BicepsChestFront delts

Evidence