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Dumbbell High Curl
A curl performed with the upper arms held out at shoulder height, curling the dumbbells toward the head to load the biceps in a fully shortened position.
ArmsDumbbellElbow flexion
GoLightWeight mediadumbbell-high-curl
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Biceps brachii
Secondary
Anterior deltoidsBrachialisForearm flexors
Equipment
Dumbbell
Pattern
Elbow flexion
Setup
- 01Stand tall with a light dumbbell in each hand.
- 02Raise both upper arms out to the sides to shoulder height, elbows extended and palms up.
- 03Brace the trunk and keep the shoulders down away from the ears.
- 04Hold the upper arms parallel to the floor as the fixed position.
Execution
- 01Curl the dumbbells in toward the head while the upper arms stay at shoulder height.
- 02Squeeze the biceps hard as the hands approach the ears.
- 03Extend the elbows back out under control to the start.
- 04Keep the upper arms level for every rep.
Checkpoints
- -Upper arms stay parallel to the floor and do not drop between reps.
- -The curl travels toward the head, not down toward the chest.
- -Shoulders stay depressed despite the raised-arm position.
- -The peak squeeze is deliberate on every rep.
Common mistakes
- -Letting the elbows sag as the set fatigues.
- -Using heavy dumbbells that turn it into a shoulder struggle.
- -Rushing reps and skipping the peak contraction.
- -Shrugging the traps to hold the arms up.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps with light dumbbells.
- -Program as a peak-contraction finisher after heavier curls.
- -The shoulder isometric usually limits set length; stop when the elbows drop.
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