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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

  1. 01Lie face-up on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. 02Let the arms hang straight down and slightly behind the torso line with palms up.
  3. 03Plant the feet and keep the head and upper back on the bench.
  4. 04Pull the shoulder blades down so the shoulders do not roll forward.

Execution

  1. 01Curl both dumbbells by bending the elbows while the upper arms stay hanging.
  2. 02Keep the palms supinated as the weights travel toward the shoulders.
  3. 03Squeeze the biceps at the top without lifting the elbows forward.
  4. 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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