How to do the barbell curl
The curl you can load heaviest, and the simplest way to add size and strength to your biceps. Here's how to keep it strict and how much weight to use.
The Helthy team · Updated · 6 min read
- Works
- Biceps
- Also works
- Forearms
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Level
- Beginner
The barbell curl is the classic biceps exercise for a good reason: both arms work together on one bar, so you can use more weight than with any dumbbell curl and add it in small, steady steps. If you want bigger arms and you only have time for one curl, this is a strong pick. The only real trick is keeping your body out of it. Most bad barbell curls are a hip thrust with a bar attached.
How to do a barbell curl
- Grip the bar with your palms facing up, about shoulder width apart. Your hands should sit just outside your thighs. Wrap your thumbs around the bar.
- Stand tall with the bar resting against your thighs. Feet about hip width apart, knees soft, arms straight. Pull your shoulders back slightly so they don't round forward.
- Tighten your abs and glutes. You're setting your torso so it can't swing. It should feel the same as standing still while someone tries to push you backward.
- Curl the bar up in a smooth arc, keeping your elbows at your sides. Only your forearms move. Your upper arms stay close to vertical and your wrists stay straight, in line with your forearms.
- Stop when the bar reaches your upper chest and squeeze. Your forearms will be close to vertical. Stop just before your elbows would have to drift forward to lift the bar any higher.
- Lower the bar over two or three seconds. Keep going until your arms are completely straight and the bar is back against your thighs. That's one rep.
You should feel your biceps working through the whole range, with the hardest part around the middle of the curl when your forearms are parallel to the floor. Some forearm work is normal; pain in the wrists or the inside of the elbow isn't, and the fix is usually an EZ bar (see below).
Cues that help mid-set
"Elbows glued to your ribs." Imagine a coin tucked between each elbow and your side that you mustn't drop. It stops your elbows from swinging forward and your shoulders from joining in.
"Curl the bar around, not up." Think of the bar moving in a rainbow-shaped arc away from your body and back in. If it travels in a straight line up your torso, your elbows have probably moved.
"Stand like a statue." Nothing below your elbows should move. If you see your hips pushing forward in the mirror, the weight's too heavy.
"Wrists straight, like you're about to punch." Letting the wrists bend back takes load off your biceps; curling them in turns it into a forearm exercise.
Common mistakes
Swinging your body to get the bar moving. Your hips drive forward and your upper body leans back at the start of each rep, and the bar flies up on momentum. It lets you use more weight while doing less with your biceps. Take 10 to 20% off the bar and start each rep with your arms straight and your body still. A small lean on the last hard rep of a set isn't the end of the world; doing it from rep one is.
Moving your elbows forward. Near the top of each rep, the elbows drift forward and up so your front delts help lift the bar. The biceps get a rest at the top, which is the opposite of what you want. Keep your elbows by your sides and stop the rep when your forearms are near vertical.
Not lowering all the way down. Stopping with your elbows still bent and starting the next rep from halfway down skips the stretched part of the curl, where the biceps work hardest. Straighten your arms fully at the bottom of every rep.
Dropping the bar on the way down. The lowering half builds muscle too, so letting gravity take it wastes half the set. Take two to three seconds to lower.
Using a grip that hurts your wrists. A straight bar forces your forearms to turn fully palms-up, and some people's wrists and elbows complain. If yours do, switch to an EZ bar. It's a better default for a lot of lifters, and there's nothing lost by using it.
Sets, reps and how much weight to use
Curls respond well to moderate reps. For most people, 3 or 4 sets of 8 to 12 works well, stopping each set with 1 or 2 reps left in the tank. Rest 60 to 90 seconds. Put curls toward the end of a session, after your pressing and pulling, since rows and pulldowns tire your biceps too. That also means you need fewer direct sets than you might think: 6 to 10 hard sets of biceps work a week is plenty for most people, on top of your back training.
A standard Olympic barbell weighs 45 lb (20 kg), which is too heavy for many beginners to curl strictly. Start with a lighter fixed barbell or an EZ bar (often 15 to 30 lb, or 7 to 14 kg) if your gym has them. One light warm-up set of 10 to 12 reps at about half your working weight is enough before your working sets.
Progress by adding reps first. Once you can get 12 reps on every set, add 5 lb (2.5 kg) and work back up from 8. There's more on this in our progressive overload guide.
Here's roughly what people use for their normal working sets:
| Bodyweight | beginner | intermediate | advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 lb (59 kg) | 20 lb (9 kg) | 40 lb (18 kg) | 60 lb (27 kg) |
| 160 lb (73 kg) | 25 lb (11 kg) | 50 lb (23 kg) | 70 lb (32 kg) |
| 190 lb (86 kg) | 30 lb (14 kg) | 55 lb (25 kg) | 85 lb (39 kg) |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 35 lb (16 kg) | 65 lb (29 kg) | 100 lb (45 kg) |
| 250 lb (113 kg) | 40 lb (18 kg) | 75 lb (34 kg) | 115 lb (52 kg) |
Don't chase the advanced numbers. They assume strict reps, and most people using those weights are swinging them. Grip width also matters less than people argue about; you'll hear that a narrow grip builds one head of the biceps and a wide grip the other, but the differences are small and the evidence is thin. Pick the width that feels best on your elbows.
Variations and alternatives
- EZ-bar curl: the angled grips put your wrists in a more natural position. It's easier on the wrists and elbows, and it's a fine replacement for the straight bar.
- Dumbbell curl: each arm works on its own, so a weaker side can't hide. Good as a second curl or when the barbell is taken.
- Hammer curl: palms facing each other. Works the brachialis and the forearms more, and it's often the most comfortable option for sore elbows.
- Cable curl: the cable keeps your biceps loaded at the bottom and top of the curl, where a free weight gets easier. Use a straight bar or EZ-bar attachment on a low pulley.
- Preacher curl: your upper arms rest on an angled pad, so swinging is impossible. It works the biceps hardest in the stretched position, so go lighter than you would standing.
Barbell curl questions
Straight bar or EZ bar?
If a straight bar feels fine on your wrists and elbows, use it. If it doesn't, use the EZ bar. Both work the biceps well, and the small difference in how much they work isn't worth joint pain.
Why do my forearms or wrists hurt when I curl?
Usually a straight bar is forcing your wrists into a position they don't like, or your wrists are bending back under the weight. Try an EZ bar, keep your wrists straight and drop the weight. If the inside of your elbow still hurts after a couple of weeks of lighter work, get it checked by a physical therapist.
Is it bad to cheat on curls?
Cheating from the first rep is a waste; you're training your hips more than your arms. A little momentum on the last one or two reps of a hard set, to finish reps you couldn't do strictly, is a legitimate technique, but only once you can do the strict version well.
How often should I train biceps?
Two or three sessions a week works well for most people. Your biceps also get worked on back days, so if you're doing plenty of rows and pulldowns, two sessions of direct curls is usually enough.