Bicep Curls | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Biceps
Secondary muscles: Forearms
Equipment: Dumbbells
Exercise for the opposite muscles: Dumbbell triceps extension

Bicep Curls Instructions

1. Stand straight with a dumbbell in each hand, your feet shoulder-width apart, and hands by your sides.
2. Squeeze the biceps and lift the dumbbells. Keep the elbows close to your body and the upper arms stationary, only the forearms should move.
3. Once the dumbbells are at shoulder level, slowly lower the arms to the starting position.
4. Repeat.

Proper Form And Breathing Pattern

While doing bicep curls keep your knees and elbow joints loose, engage your core muscles and keep your palms facing front. Breathe out as you lift the dumbbells and maintain your back straight, your shoulders back and your head up.

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Exercise Benefits

Adding bicep curls to your workout routine helps to sculpt your upper body, shapes and tones the shoulders and the biceps, and also improves arm strength.

Bicep Curls Demonstration

Sets And Reps

Do 3 sets of 10 to 16 repetitions of regular full extension bicep curls, alternating curls or even half curls. For a cardio boost and a full body workout pair the biceps curl move with lunges, split squats or bodyweight squats.

Calories Burned

To calculate the number of calories burned doing bicep curls, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

Related Upper Body Exercises

Try these other upper body exercises to tone, tighten and sculpt your triceps, biceps, chest, upper back and shoulders:
Dumbbell lateral raise
Dumbbell triceps extension
Dumbbell triceps kickback
Knee push up

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