Whether your goal is to get a more defined peak contraction or arms that fill out your sleeves, incline curls deserve a spot in your training regimen. Incline curls are a classic biceps exercise that works the long head of the biceps brachii muscle.
But why? Experts say they’re one of the best exercises for the biceps, as they provide a unique stimulus by placing the shoulder in a stretched position. By targeting the long head and using a unique angle not found in other curls, they spur new muscle growth. The stretched position also boosts shoulder mobility and biceps tendon strength over time.
Let’s explore the proper setup, lifting tempo, common mistakes, and more, so you can master this classic move. With science-backed advice for progression, form tweaks, and targeted techniques, you’ll be armed with the knowledge to grow.
How to Do an Inclined Dumbbell Curl
Working out with dumbbells is a fantastic way to build strength. Let’s try an inclined dumbbell curl to target your biceps.
First, grab a pair of dumbbells that provide a moderate challenge for you. Sit back on an incline bench angled about 45 degrees. Get comfortable and keep your head, shoulders, and tailbone resting on the bench throughout the exercise.
Hold the weights straight down at your sides, then rotate so your palms face up as you start curling. Without moving your upper arms, breathe in as you slowly bend your elbows and curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders. Focus on squeezing your biceps at the top. Then breathe out as you steadily lower the weights back down until your arms are straight again.
The key is keeping your upper arms stable and stationary. By doing that, you isolate and work the biceps through their full range of motion. Try it next arm day!
Be sure to maintain proper form without swinging or rocking when you lift the weights. Keeping your elbows pinned and upper arms immobile while you curl just the forearms targets the biceps for maximum toning and definition. Do 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps, taking breaks as needed. Squeezing those biceps hard at the top of each curl gives an extra muscle-building burn!
Why Should You Include Inclined Dumbbell Curls in Your Strength-Training Routine
The incline dumbbell curl is a biceps exercise that offers unique benefits. The biceps have two heads – the long head and the short head. The long head crosses over the shoulder joint. When you do the incline curl, you put a nice stretch on the long head and target that part of the muscle more directly.
By performing curls at an incline angle rather than standing straight up, you hit your biceps from a different angle. It puts a nice stretch on the long head of your biceps which crosses over your shoulder joint. This emphasizes and targets that part of the muscle more than the short head. The incline position allows you to lower the dumbbells a bit farther, increasing the range of motion compared to a standing curl. This extended stretch leads to more muscle breakdown and growth.
You Work the Biceps from Different Angles
The stretched position also does good things for shoulder mobility and strengthening the tendons around your biceps. Therefore, it attacks biceps hypertrophy from multiple angles – the muscle belly itself and the connections at your shoulder. It’s just a fresh stimulus you can’t quite replicate with standard curls. Varying your angles and positions like this is one of the best ways to spark new growth rather than repeating the exact same movements month after month.
Give the incline curl a shot if you haven’t already!
Avoid These Mistakes When Doing Incline Dumbbell Biceps Curls
To get the most out of incline curls, ensure you’re not making these common mistakes:
Using Momentum
Avoid swinging the weights up by leaning back and rocking to get momentum. Keep the movement strict and controlled. Go lighter if needed so you can keep perfect form. Strict, controlled reps with good form are much better for gaining strength and muscle than swinging weights around.
Overarching the Back
Don’t overarch your back to lift the weights. Keep the spine neutral in a natural arch. Overarching places extra stress on the lower back. Going lighter with proper form reduces injury risk and allows you to progress over time. The goal is to do controlled, quality reps without putting your lower back in a vulnerable position by overarching.
Not Using Full Range of Motion
Make sure to lower the dumbbells nearly all the way until your arms are almost straight to get a full range of motion. It’s tempting to do partial reps by not lowering the weights all the way down, but that can limit your results. Getting a full stretch at the bottom of the movement is key for maximal muscle growth and strength gains.
Lifting Elbows Forward
Keep your elbows tucked in close to your sides to better target the muscles you want to work – your triceps and shoulders. Flaring out the elbows puts more stress on the shoulders, which can lead to injury. So, focus on keeping those elbows pinned back and down as you lift. It may feel less powerful initially, but you’ll reap bigger rewards down the road by protecting the health of your shoulder joints.
Using Weights That Are Too Heavy
Pick a weight you can lift while maintaining good form for 10-12 reps. It’s tempting to grab the heaviest dumbbells in sight, but going too heavy with sloppy form is ineffective and dangerous. Lifting with improper form increases your risk of injury and limits the actual muscle stimulation you need to grow stronger.
Instead, choose a more conservative weight that allows you to focus on quality reps – controlling the movement through the full range of motion for 10-12 reps. While it may feel easier at first, sticking in this rep range while keeping your form strict is key for optimal muscle fatigue and progressive overload over time.
Not Engaging the Biceps
Focus on using your biceps muscles to lift the weight rather than momentum. Squeeze your biceps hard and pause at the top to fully engage them. Feel them working to curl the weight up. Then pause at the top contraction for a moment to fully engage the biceps before lowering back down. Dropping to a lower weight is fine if it means you can lift with proper form in a smooth, controlled motion without momentum.
By really focusing on muscle contraction rather than momentum, you’ll stimulate more biceps growth over time. Strict, concentrated curls may seem harder at first. But sticking to quality reps will help reveal those biceps in the long run much better than cheating your way up.
Following proper incline curl form and avoiding these common mistakes will lead to better results while also decreasing injury risk. Master the basics before attempting to go heavier.
Build More Strength with Incline Curls
Incline curls build bigger, stronger biceps by emphasizing the long head and using a unique shoulder position not found in other curls. This stretched position enhances peak contraction, spurs new muscle growth, and boosts shoulder health over time.
While straight bar curls and concentration curls certainly have their place, incline curls bring something extra to the table. They introduce a fresh mechanical tension that sparks new gains once standard curls start to plateau. Consider them the secret weapon in your pursuit of astonishing arms.
So next time you hit your arms, make room for this unsung hero. Challenge yourself with progressive overload as you would any other lift. And be sure to pin those elbows, squeeze those biceps, and use full range of motion on every rep! Do this, and you’ll be well on your way to the sweeping, sculpted guns of your dreams.
The incline curl stands ready to push your biceps to the next level. All that’s left to do now is put in the work!
References:
- Accentuating Muscular Development Through Active…: Strength & Conditioning Journal. LWW. Published 2024. Accessed January 7, 2024. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2002&issue=08000&article=00006&type=Citation
- Plotkin D, Coleman M, Van Every D, Maldonado J, Oberlin D, Israetel M, Feather J, Alto A, Vigotsky AD, Schoenfeld BJ. Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations. PeerJ. 2022 Sep 30;10:e14142. doi: 10.7717/peerj.14142. PMID: 36199287; PMCID: PMC9528903.
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