Exercise guide

How to do incline dumbbell curl

Biceps — long head

Incline dumbbell curl starting position — correct set-up before the first rep
Start
Incline dumbbell curl finished position — the end of one repetition
End of rep

Step by step

  1. Set a bench to 45–60° and sit back with your arms hanging straight down behind your torso.
  2. Let the dumbbells hang with palms facing forward — you should feel the stretch immediately.
  3. Curl up without letting the elbows drift forward.
  4. Lower for 2 seconds back to the full hanging stretch.

The cue that matters

CueThe behind-the-body arm position is what loads the long head. Keep the elbows back there.
AvoidLetting the shoulders roll forward, which cancels the very stretch the position exists to create.

Where this sits in the split

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