Incline Dumbbell Curls

Muscle Targeted: Biceps

Starting position:

Set the bench inclination to 45 degrees and select the appropriate dumbbell weight matching your type of training. Sit back on the incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand and lean against the backrest. Hold each of the dumbbells at arm’s length, palms facing each other (inwards).

Exercise:

Curl the weights forward by flexing your elbows (concentric bicep contraction) towards the shoulders and rotate the wrists so that your palms are facing the shoulders in the upper position. Go back to the starting position in the same way. Breathe out as you go up and breathe in as you go down.

Note:

Select the appropriate weight matching your condition, type of training and your fitness level. Start with lighter weight to master the technique well. Focus on abdominal breathing. Try to lock your elbows in one position. Avoid fast and uncontrolled motion as you are coming back to the starting position as a result of relaxation of the muscle contraction.

Recommendation:

Choose the number of repetitions to match your training type. Watch yourself in the mirror to eliminate using your trapezius muscles. Avoid excessive elbow motion. Repeat the exercise with a frequency matching your breathing cycle and make sure to maintain correct technique.

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Incline dumbell curls are a variation of dumbbell curls. What’s the incline position good for? First, you are sitting and thus your ability to cheat is greatly limited. Second, the biceps and brachialis muscles are stretched.

Some (especially the proponents of X-rep training) believe that stretch position triggers increased anabolism (this is very questionable and based on a clinical study involving birds but why not try it).

Dumbbell biceps curl is a basic biceps exercise and it offers several advantages over barbell biceps curls:

  1. Less isolation (or more correctly less limited movement). Additional muscles are involved by balancing the arm.
  2. Equal weight on both arms. This is especially important for the beginners who tend to have their dominant arm better developed.
  3. Less stress on the wrists. While holding the barbell (and to some extent also EZ-bar) forces the hand into unnatural position that can lead to wrist injury. In biceps curl you start the motion from a position where the palms are facing each other.
  4. Additional movement – rotating the forearm from the position where the palms are facing each other to the position where palms are facing upwards. This is the second most important function of the biceps muscle (after elbow flexing).
  5. Better brachioradialis development. In the first phase of the movement, the brachioradialis muscle is directly involved.