Barbell Bicep Curls - What you need to know!

This is an old school exercise, yet extremely effective to take your arm development to the next level. Try and incorporate this exercise into your next bicep workout.

What Is a Barbell Curl?

A barbell curl is a variation of the bicep curl that uses a weighted barbell. Perform barbell curls by grabbing a barbell with a shoulder-width supinated grip (palms facing towards your body). Hinge your elbows, and lift the barbell toward your chest.

3 Benefits of Doing Barbell Curls:

Consider a few of the benefits to regularly performing barbell curls.

1. Barbell curls increase your upper-body strength. The barbell curl targets your biceps brachii muscle as well as the brachialis, a muscle responsible for elbow flexion. With regular practice, barbell curls can help you build bigger biceps. Barbell curls generally allow you to lift heavier weight than dumbbell curls.

2. Barbell curls improve your grip strength. By activating the brachioradialis muscle in your forearm, barbell curls can enhance your grip strength and improve your performance during other upper body exercises like deadlifts, bench presses, and pull-ups.

3. Barbell curls are a versatile bicep exercise: You can adjust the weight plates attached to the barbell to accommodate your fitness level. Remember to start with lighter weights at first until you’re comfortable with heavy weights.

How to Perform Barbell Curls:

For the barbell curl, begin by using a weight that you can control for 2–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions. Choose a weight that allows you to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.

Begin by grabbing a barbell with an underhand grip, and stand with your feet hip-width apart with a slight bend in your knees. Your hands should be slightly wider than your hips. Your posture should be tall with your shoulders over your hips. Maintain a neutral head and neck position. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin. Your weight should be evenly distributed along your feet. Grip the floor with your feet to create a stable foot position. Your arms should be long with a slight bend in your elbows. Pretension your shoulders and hips while engaging your core. All repetitions should begin from this position.

While keeping your upper arms still, squeeze your biceps and begin to bend your elbows.

Bend your elbows until your lower arms contact your upper arms. The barbell should finish close to your shoulders without contacting your shoulders.

Squeeze your biceps and pause for a second at the top of the movement.

Slowly straighten your elbows to return to the starting position.

Come to a complete stop at the bottom before beginning another repetition.

Barbell Curl Variations

Once you’ve practiced the traditional barbell curl with a straight bar, consider trying one of this variation:

1. EZ Bar Curl: This variation uses an EZ bar with an angled bar rather than a straight barbell. Although they activate your forearms less, EZ bar curls are typically easier on your wrists during lifting exercises. The image below shows the EZ Bar and how to correctly hold it.

How to Work out Safely and Avoid Injury

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.