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Barbell Standing Wide-Grip Curl
A barbell curl taken well outside shoulder width to bias the short head of the biceps through a slightly externally rotated arm position.
ArmsBarbellElbow flexion
GoLightWeight mediabarbell-standing-wide-grip-curl
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Biceps brachii
Secondary
BrachialisBrachioradialisForearm flexors
Equipment
Barbell
Pattern
Elbow flexion
Setup
- 01Take an underhand grip several inches wider than shoulder width per side.
- 02Stand tall with feet hip width apart and knees soft.
- 03Let the bar rest on the thighs with arms fully extended.
- 04Pin the elbows to the sides before starting.
Execution
- 01Curl the bar up in a smooth arc toward the upper chest.
- 02Squeeze the biceps at the top without letting the elbows rise.
- 03Lower under control to a full stretch at the bottom.
- 04Keep the wide hand spacing consistent for every rep.
Checkpoints
- -Elbows stay at the sides, not flared behind the torso.
- -Shoulders stay down and back, not shrugged.
- -The bar travels in an arc, not straight up the body.
- -Full extension at the bottom of each rep.
Common mistakes
- -Leaning back to finish heavy reps.
- -Gripping so wide that the wrists and elbows ache.
- -Bouncing out of the bottom position.
- -Letting the bar drift away from the body.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, slightly lighter than your standard curl.
- -Rotate with close and standard grips across a block to cover both biceps heads.
- -Stop the set when the torso starts swinging; strictness is the point.
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