Dumbbell Curl

Curls work — when the biceps do the curling. Most gym curls are lower-back-and-shoulder swings with a dumbbell along for the ride.

Tips

• Stand tall, elbows pinned to your sides — they're a hinge, not a swing.
• Curl up while rotating your pinky toward the ceiling (supination) — the biceps' second job, and where the squeeze comes from.
• Squeeze hard at the top for a beat, then lower for a slow 2–3 count all the way to straight arms.
• Alternate arms or do both together — just keep the torso dead still either way.
• Perfect rep range: 8–15. If you can't control the negative, the weight is too heavy.

Common Mistakes

• Swinging the torso — a little hip pop turns every rep into a cheat rep. Brace your abs; if you need momentum, drop weight.
• Elbows drifting forward — turns the top half into a front raise and hands the tension to the shoulders.
• Half-repping the bottom — never straightening the arms keeps the easy tension and skips the hardest, most productive range.
• Grip-crushing the handle — strangling the dumbbell shifts focus to the forearms. Firm, not frantic.