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Dumbbell Lying Supine Biceps Curl
A biceps curl performed lying face-up on a bench with the arms hanging, loading the biceps in a deep shoulder-extended stretch that standing curls cannot reach.
ArmsDumbbellElbow flexion
GoLightWeight mediadumbbell-lying-supine-biceps-curl
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Biceps brachii
Secondary
BrachialisBrachioradialisForearm flexors
Equipment
Dumbbell
Pattern
Elbow flexion
Setup
- 01Lie face-up on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- 02Let the arms hang straight down and slightly behind the torso line with palms up.
- 03Plant the feet and keep the head and upper back on the bench.
- 04Pull the shoulder blades down so the shoulders do not roll forward.
Execution
- 01Curl both dumbbells by bending the elbows while the upper arms stay hanging.
- 02Keep the palms supinated as the weights travel toward the shoulders.
- 03Squeeze the biceps at the top without lifting the elbows forward.
- 04Lower slowly all the way back to a full hanging stretch.
Checkpoints
- -Upper arms stay pointed at the floor throughout the rep.
- -Full elbow extension is reached at the bottom of every rep.
- -Shoulders stay pinned to the bench, not shrugging toward the ears.
- -The lowering phase takes at least as long as the lift.
Common mistakes
- -Swinging the elbows forward to shorten the range.
- -Cutting the bottom stretch to avoid the hardest position.
- -Arching the lower back off the bench to heave the weights.
- -Loading so heavy that the stretch position cannot be controlled.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps with lighter dumbbells than a standing curl.
- -Emphasize a 2 to 3 second lowering phase to exploit the stretched position.
- -Place it early in an arm session while control in the stretch is fresh.
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