Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Incline Dumbbell Curl
The incline dumbbell curl trains your biceps while you sit against an angled bench, with your arms hanging slightly behind your torso.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Set the bench backrest to 45–60 degrees above horizontal.
- Sit with a dumbbell in each hand, feet flat on the floor.
- Rest your back against the pad.
- Let your arms hang toward the floor with your palms facing forward.
- Curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders by bending your elbows.
- Lower the dumbbells back to the hanging position.
Form cues
- Keep your wrists straight.
- Let your shoulders stay relaxed.
- Exhale as you curl.
Common mistakes
- Elbows drifting forwardKeep your upper arms pointing toward the floor rather than bringing your elbows toward your chest.
- Bouncing out of the bottomLower with control so you can reverse direction without swinging the weights.
Safety
The arm-behind-torso position can strain the front of your shoulder or irritate the biceps tendon if you use excessive weight or force the bottom stretch.
- Check that the bench adjustment is locked before sitting down.
- Start lighter than you would for a standing dumbbell curl.
- Stop the descent before shoulder discomfort or forced elbow straightening.
If you have shoulder or biceps tendon pain, choose a standing curl with your arms beside your torso or ask a physiotherapist for guidance.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Adjustable Bench
- Dumbbell
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 8–12 reps
- Rest
- 1 min
Choose a weight that leaves about two controlled reps in reserve.