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Cable Close Grip Curl
A biceps curl on a low cable with hands close together, keeping constant tension on the biceps and biasing the long head with the narrow grip.
ArmsCableElbow flexion
GoLightWeight mediacable-close-grip-curl
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Biceps brachii
Secondary
BrachialisBrachioradialisForearm flexors
Equipment
Cable
Pattern
Elbow flexion
Setup
- 01Attach a straight or EZ bar to the low pulley.
- 02Grip the bar underhand with hands about 6 to 8 inches apart.
- 03Stand a small step back from the stack with a soft knee bend.
- 04Pin the elbows to your sides and let the arms hang fully extended.
Execution
- 01Curl the bar toward the upper chest by bending only at the elbows.
- 02Squeeze the biceps hard at the top without letting the elbows drift forward.
- 03Lower under control until the arms are fully straight.
- 04Keep tension on the cable at the bottom rather than resting.
Checkpoints
- -Elbows stay pinned to the ribs through the whole rep.
- -Wrists stay neutral, not bent back under the load.
- -Torso stays upright with no backward lean.
- -The cable stays taut at full extension.
Common mistakes
- -Swinging the hips to start the rep.
- -Letting the elbows travel forward and turning it into a front raise.
- -Cutting the range short at the bottom.
- -Standing so close to the stack that tension disappears at the bottom.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps as a primary biceps movement.
- -The constant cable tension makes slow 3 second eccentrics very effective here.
- -Pair with a triceps pushdown as an antagonist superset to save time.
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