Biceps and Forearm Exercises 33 Moves With How-To Steps

A curl against a band held under your feet. Works the biceps with tension that grows as your hands come up.

How to do it

1. Stand on the middle of a band with your feet about hip width apart and hold an end in each hand, palms forward.
2. Keep your elbows at your sides and your upper arms still.
3. Curl your hands up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly, fighting the band on the way down.

Keep in mind

• Elbows stay pinned at your sides. If they drift forward, the shoulders are helping.
• Wider feet mean more tension.

Watch a demo on YouTube

Curling a barbell from your thighs to your shoulders. The basic biceps builder.

How to do it

1. Stand tall holding a barbell against your thighs with your palms facing forward, hands about shoulder width apart.
2. Keep your elbows at your sides and your upper arms still.
3. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• No swinging. If your torso rocks to get the bar up, it is too heavy.
• Full range every rep, straight arms at the bottom.

A one-arm cable curl facing away from the machine, with the arm starting behind your body. Loads the biceps in a stretched position.

How to do it

1. Set the pulley low, hold the handle, and face away from the machine.
2. Step forward until the cable pulls your straight arm slightly behind your body, and stand in a split stance.
3. Curl the handle up toward your shoulder, keeping your upper arm in place behind you.
4. Lower slowly until your arm is straight and stretched. Finish the set, then switch arms.

Keep in mind

• Keep your elbow behind your body the whole rep. That stretch is the point.
• Do not let your shoulder roll forward to help.

Watch a demo on YouTube

Curling a dumbbell in each hand from your sides to your shoulders. The basic dumbbell biceps exercise.

How to do it

1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing forward.
2. Keep your elbows at your sides and your upper arms still.
3. Curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• Elbows stay pinned. Swinging them forward is the shoulders taking over.
• Log the weight of one dumbbell. SetLift counts both.

A curl on a low cable with a straight bar or EZ bar. Works the biceps with tension that never lets up.

How to do it

1. Set the pulley low, attach a bar, and stand facing the machine holding it with your palms up.
2. Step back until the weight is off the stack, with your elbows at your sides.
3. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders, keeping your upper arms still.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• Elbows stay at your sides.
• Stand tall. Leaning back to finish the curl is momentum.

A curl on an EZ bar with your hands on the inner grips. Works the biceps with a little more of the outer head.

How to do it

1. Stand tall holding an EZ bar on the inner angled grips with your palms up.
2. Keep your elbows at your sides and your upper arms still.
3. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• No swinging.
• Full range every rep.

A one-arm curl sitting down with your elbow braced against the inside of your thigh. Isolates the biceps completely.

How to do it

1. Sit on a bench with your feet wide, holding a dumbbell in one hand with your elbow against the inside of that thigh.
2. Let your arm hang straight with your palm facing away from your leg.
3. Curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder, keeping your elbow against your thigh.
4. Lower slowly until your arm is straight. Finish the set, then switch arms.

Keep in mind

• The elbow does not move off the thigh. That is what makes it strict.
• Log reps for one side. SetLift counts the other side for you.

A hammer curl that brings each dumbbell across your body toward the opposite shoulder. Works the biceps and the muscle underneath them.

How to do it

1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body.
2. Curl one dumbbell up and across your body toward the opposite shoulder.
3. Lower slowly, then curl the other side.
4. Keep alternating for the set, counting each curl as one rep.

Keep in mind

• Keep the palm facing in the whole way. No turning.
• Keep your elbow close to your body as the dumbbell crosses.

A curl with a kettlebell in each hand, the bells hanging below your fists. Works the biceps with a grip challenge added.

How to do it

1. Stand tall with a kettlebell in each hand at your sides, palms facing forward.
2. Keep your elbows at your sides and your upper arms still.
3. Curl both bells up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• Keep your wrists straight. The bell wants to bend them back.
• Log the weight of one bell. SetLift counts both.

A barbell curl where the bar drags up your torso with the elbows travelling back. Takes the front shoulder out of the curl.

How to do it

1. Stand tall holding a barbell against your thighs with your palms facing forward.
2. Curl the bar straight up your body, pushing your elbows back behind you as it rises.
3. Stop when the bar reaches your lower chest, elbows well behind your torso.
4. Lower slowly along the same path.

Keep in mind

• The bar never leaves your body. If it swings out in front, the elbows have come forward.
• Lighter than a normal curl. The range is shorter and stricter.

A curl with your upper arms resting on the preacher pad and a dumbbell in each hand. Isolates the biceps with no swinging possible.

How to do it

1. Set the pad so your armpits sit at its top edge, and rest your upper arms on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms up.
2. Start with your arms nearly straight.
3. Curl the dumbbells up until your forearms are just short of vertical.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are nearly straight again.

Keep in mind

• Stop just short of straight at the bottom. Locking out on a preacher bench strains the elbows.
• Log the weight of one dumbbell. SetLift counts both.

A curl with dumbbells and your palms facing down. Works the forearms and the muscle beneath the biceps.

How to do it

1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing behind you.
2. Keep your elbows at your sides and your upper arms still.
3. Curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders, keeping your palms down.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• Go lighter than a normal curl. This grip is much weaker.
• Keep your wrists straight rather than curling them up at the top.

A curl on an EZ bar, whose angled grips are kinder to the wrists than a straight bar. Works the biceps.

How to do it

1. Stand tall holding an EZ bar on the outer angled grips with your palms up.
2. Keep your elbows at your sides and your upper arms still.
3. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• No swinging. If your torso rocks, the bar is too heavy.
• Full range every rep.

A dumbbell curl with your palms facing each other, like holding a hammer. Works the biceps and the muscles beside and under them.

How to do it

1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body.
2. Keep your elbows at your sides and your upper arms still.
3. Curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders without turning your palms.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• Palms face in the whole way. Turning them makes it a normal curl.
• Log the weight of one dumbbell. SetLift counts both.

A curl lying back on an incline bench with your arms hanging behind you. Loads the biceps in their most stretched position.

How to do it

1. Set a bench to about 45 to 60 degrees and lie back with a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging straight down and slightly behind you.
2. Keep your upper arms hanging still and your shoulders back.
3. Curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight and stretched.

Keep in mind

• Keep your upper arms pointing at the floor. Letting them swing forward removes the stretch.
• Go lighter than a standing curl.

A hammer curl lying back on an incline bench with your arms hanging behind you. Works the biceps and the muscle under them from a stretched position.

How to do it

1. Set a bench to about 45 to 60 degrees and lie back with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other, arms hanging straight down.
2. Keep your upper arms still and your shoulders back.
3. Curl both dumbbells up without turning your palms.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight and stretched.

Keep in mind

• Upper arms stay pointing at the floor.
• Palms face each other the whole way.

A curl on the preacher curl machine, with the backs of your upper arms on the angled pad. Works the biceps strictly.

How to do it

1. Set the seat so your armpits sit at the top edge of the pad, and rest your upper arms on it holding the handles.
2. Start with your arms nearly straight.
3. Curl the handles up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are nearly straight again.

Keep in mind

• Upper arms stay glued to the pad.
• Do not lock out hard at the bottom.

A curl on a plate-loaded machine with your upper arms raised on a pad in front of you. Works the biceps from a raised-arm position.

How to do it

1. Set the seat so your upper arms rest comfortably on the pad with your armpits at its edge.
2. Grip the handles with your arms nearly straight.
3. Curl the handles up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are nearly straight again.

Keep in mind

• Keep your upper arms on the pad and your shoulders down.
• Load both sides evenly.

Watch a demo on YouTube

A barbell or EZ-bar curl with the backs of your upper arms resting on the preacher bench pad. The strictest curl there is.

How to do it

1. Set the pad so your armpits sit at its top edge, and rest the backs of your upper arms on it holding the bar.
2. Start with your arms nearly straight.
3. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are nearly straight again.

Keep in mind

• Stop just short of straight at the bottom. Locking out on the pad is hard on the elbow.
• Keep your upper arms glued to the pad.

A hammer curl with your upper arms on the preacher pad. Works the biceps and the muscle under them with no swinging possible.

How to do it

1. Set the pad so your armpits sit at its top edge, and rest your upper arms on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
2. Start with your arms nearly straight.
3. Curl the dumbbells up without turning your palms.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are nearly straight again.

Keep in mind

• Palms face each other the whole way.
• Stop just short of straight at the bottom.

A barbell curl with your palms facing down. Works the forearms and the muscle beneath the biceps.

How to do it

1. Stand tall holding a barbell against your thighs with your palms facing down, hands about shoulder width apart.
2. Keep your elbows at your sides and your upper arms still.
3. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders, keeping your palms down.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• Much lighter than a normal curl.
• Keep your wrists straight.

A hammer curl on a low cable with a rope attachment. Works the biceps and the muscle under them with constant tension.

How to do it

1. Set the pulley low, attach a rope, and hold an end in each hand with your palms facing each other.
2. Step back until the weight is off the stack, elbows at your sides.
3. Curl the rope up toward your shoulders without turning your palms.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• Elbows stay at your sides.
• Keep your palms facing each other the whole way.

A preacher curl with one dumbbell at a time, the upper arm resting on the pad. Isolates one biceps and shows up a weaker side.

How to do it

1. Set the pad so your armpit sits at its top edge, and rest one upper arm on it holding a dumbbell, palm up.
2. Hold the pad with your free hand for balance.
3. Curl the dumbbell up until your forearm is just short of vertical.
4. Lower slowly until your arm is nearly straight. Finish the set, then switch arms.

Keep in mind

• Keep your shoulder down. Shrugging it up takes the work off the biceps.
• Log reps for one side. SetLift counts the other side for you.

A hammer curl done one arm at a time, palm facing in. Works the biceps and the forearm, and lets each arm get its own set.

How to do it

1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in one hand at your side, palm facing your leg.
2. Keep your elbow at your ribs and curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder.
3. Squeeze at the top, then lower slowly until your arm is straight.
4. Finish the set, then switch arms.

Keep in mind

• Let the weaker arm set the weight and reps for both.
• The palm stays facing in the whole way. Turning it up makes it a regular curl.

A one-arm curl with a kettlebell. Works the biceps with a grip challenge, one side at a time.

How to do it

1. Stand tall with a kettlebell in one hand at your side, palm facing forward.
2. Keep your elbow at your side and your upper arm still.
3. Curl the bell up toward your shoulder.
4. Lower slowly until your arm is straight. Finish the set, then switch arms.

Keep in mind

• Keep your wrist straight so the bell does not bend it back.
• Log reps for one side. SetLift counts the other side for you.

A curl lying face down on an incline bench with your arms hanging straight down. Works the biceps hardest at the top of the rep.

How to do it

1. Set a bench to about 45 degrees and lie face down on it with a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging straight down.
2. Keep your upper arms pointing at the floor.
3. Curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• Upper arms stay vertical. Swinging them back makes it easier.
• Squeeze hard at the top. That is where this one works.

A curl on suspension straps, leaning back and curling your hands to your forehead. A bodyweight biceps exercise.

How to do it

1. Face the anchor holding a handle in each hand and lean back with your arms straight and your palms up.
2. Keep your body in one straight line from head to heels and your elbows high.
3. Curl your hands toward your forehead, keeping your upper arms still.
4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Keep in mind

• Keep your elbows up at shoulder height. Letting them drop turns it into a row.
• Walk your feet forward to make it harder.

A curl that goes up with palms facing up and comes down with palms facing down. Works the biceps on the way up and the forearms on the way down.

How to do it

1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing forward.
2. Curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders.
3. At the top, turn your wrists so your palms face down.
4. Lower slowly with your palms down, then turn them back up at the bottom.

Keep in mind

• Lower slowly. The palms-down half is the point.
• Go lighter than a normal curl. The forearms decide the weight.

Curling a cable handle with only your wrists, forearms resting on your thighs. Works the forearm flexors.

How to do it

1. Set the pulley low and sit on a bench facing it with your forearms resting on your thighs, palms up, hands past your knees.
2. Let the handle roll your wrists down as far as they go.
3. Curl your wrists up as high as they go, keeping your forearms still.
4. Lower slowly.

Keep in mind

• Only the wrists move. If your forearms lift off your thighs, the weight is too heavy.
• Let the handle roll to your fingertips at the bottom for extra range.

Raising the backs of your hands with dumbbells, forearms resting on your thighs. Works the top of the forearms.

How to do it

1. Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, forearms resting on your thighs and palms facing down, hands past your knees.
2. Let your wrists bend down as far as they go.
3. Raise the backs of your hands as high as they go, keeping your forearms still.
4. Lower slowly.

Keep in mind

• Go light. This side of the forearm is weak and easy to strain.
• Only the wrists move.

Curling dumbbells with only your wrists, forearms resting on your thighs. Works the forearm flexors and grip.

How to do it

1. Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, forearms resting on your thighs and palms up, hands past your knees.
2. Let your wrists bend down as far as they go.
3. Curl your wrists up as high as they go, keeping your forearms still.
4. Lower slowly.

Keep in mind

• Only the wrists move. Forearms stay glued to your thighs.
• Let the dumbbells roll toward your fingertips at the bottom for a fuller range.

Curling an EZ bar with only your wrists, forearms resting on your thighs or a bench. Works the forearm flexors.

How to do it

1. Sit on a bench holding an EZ bar with your palms up, forearms resting on your thighs and hands past your knees.
2. Let your wrists bend down as far as they go.
3. Curl the bar up as high as your wrists allow, keeping your forearms still.
4. Lower slowly.

Keep in mind

• Only the wrists move.
• Higher reps with a lighter bar work better here than heavy sets.

Also works shoulders.

Rolling a weight up and down on a rope wound around a handle, using only your wrists. A grip and forearm burner.

How to do it

1. Hold the roller in front of you with both hands, arms straight or resting on a rack, with the weight hanging on the rope.
2. Wind the rope up by turning the handle with alternating wrist movements until the weight reaches the top.
3. Unwind it slowly under control all the way back down.
4. Count one rep as one full trip up and down.

Keep in mind

• Control the way down. Letting it spin free is where the exercise is lost.
• Resting your forearms on a rack takes the shoulders out of it and lets you go longer.