EZ-Bar Curl Guide

1. Stand up straight while holding an EZ curl bar at the wide outer handle. The palms of your hands should be
2. facing forward and slightly tilted inward due to the shape of the bar. Keep your elbows close to your torso.
3. This will be your starting position.
4. Now, while keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights forward while contracting the
5. biceps. Focus on only moving your forearms.
6. Continue to raise the weight until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the
7. top contracted position for a moment and squeeze the biceps.
8. Then inhale and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
9. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Incline Hammer Curls Guide

1. Seat yourself on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. You should pressed firmly against he back with your feet together. Allow the dumbbells to hang straight down at your side, holding them with a neutral grip. This will be your starting position.
2. Initiate the movement by flexing at the elbow, attempting to keep the upper arm stationary.
3. Continue to the top of the movement and pause, then slowly return to the start position.

Wide-Grip Standing Barbell Curl Guide

1. Stand up with your torso upright while holding a barbell at the wide outer handle. The palm of your hands should be facing forward. The elbows should be close to the torso. This will be your starting position.
2. While holding the upper arms stationary, curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Tip: Only the forearms should move.
3. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second and squeeze the biceps hard.
4. Slowly begin to bring the bar back to starting position as your breathe in.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations:

• You can also perform this movement using an E-Z bar or E-Z attachment hooked to a low pulley. This variation seems to really provide a good contraction at the top of the movement.
• You may also use the closer grip for variety purposes.

Zottman Curl Guide

1. Stand up with your torso upright and a dumbbell in each hand being held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the torso.
2. Make sure the palms of the hands are facing each other. This will be your starting position.
3. While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the weights while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Your wrist should rotate so that you have a supinated (palms up) grip. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps.
5. Now during the contracted position, rotate your wrist until you now have a pronated (palms facing down) grip with the thumb at a higher position than the pinky.
6. Slowly begin to bring the dumbbells back down using the pronated grip.
7. As the dumbbells close your thighs, start rotating the wrist so that you go back to a neutral (palms facing your body) grip.
8. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Overhead Cable Curl Guide

1. To begin, set a weight that is comfortable on each side of the pulley machine. Note: Make sure that the amount of weight selected is the same on each side.
2. Now adjust the height of the pulleys on each side and make sure that they are positioned at a height higher than that of your shoulders.
3. Stand in the middle of both sides and use an underhand grip (palms facing towards the ceiling) to grab each handle. Your arms should be fully extended and parallel to the floor with your feet positioned shoulder width apart from each other. Your body should be evenly aligned the handles. This is the starting position.
4. While exhaling, slowly squeeze the biceps on each side until your forearms and biceps touch.
5. While inhaling, move your forearms back to the starting position. Note: Your entire body is stationary during this exercise except for the forearms.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions prescribed in your program.

Variations:

This exercise can also be performed using one handle at a time.

Hammer Curls Guide

1. Stand up with your torso upright and a dumbbell on each hand being held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the torso.
2. The palms of the hands should be facing your torso. This will be your starting position.
3. Now, while holding your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the weight forward while contracting the biceps. Continue to raise the weight until the biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a brief moment as you squeeze the biceps. Tip: Focus on keeping the elbow stationary and only moving your forearm.
4. After the brief pause, inhale and slowly begin the lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitio

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Variations:

There are many possible variations for this movement. For instance, you can perform the exercise sitting down on a bench with or without back support and you can also perform it by alternating arms; first lift the right arm for one repetition, then the left, then the right, etc.

Concentration Curls Guide

1. Sit down on a flat bench with one dumbbell in front of you between your legs. Your legs should be spread with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
2. Use your right arm to pick the dumbbell up. Place the back of your right upper arm on the top of your inner right thigh. Rotate the palm of your hand until it is facing forward away from your thigh. Tip: Your arm should be extended and the dumbbell should be above the floor. This will be your starting position.
3. While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Tip: At the top of the movement make sure that the little finger of your arm is higher than your thumb. This guarantees a good contraction. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps.
4. Slowly begin to bring the dumbbells back to starting position as your breathe in. Caution: Avoid swinging motions at any time.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Then repeat the movement with the left arm.

Variations:

This exercise can be performed standing with the torso bent forward and the arm in front of you. In this case, no leg support is used for the back of your arm so you will need to make extra effort to ensure no movement of the upper arm. This is a more challenging version of the exercise and is not recommended for people with lower back issues.

Reverse Barbell Preacher Curls Guide

1. Grab an EZ-bar using a shoulder width and palms down (pronated) grip.
2. Now place the upper part of both arms on top of the preacher bench and have your arms extended. This will be your starting position.
3. As you exhale, use the biceps to curl the weight up until your biceps are fully contracted and the barbell is at shoulder height. Squeeze the biceps hard for a second at the contracted position.
4. As you breathe in, slowly lower the barbell until your upper arms are extended and the biceps is fully stretched.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations:

• This exercise can be performed using an e-z bar, cables or dumbbells.

Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Curl Over Incline Bench Guide

1. Stand on the back side of an incline bench as if you were going to be a spotter for someone. Have a dumbbell in one hand and rest it across the incline bench with a supinated (palms up) grip.
2. Position your non lifting hand at the corner or side of the incline bench. The chest should be pressed against the top part of the incline and your feet should be pressed against the floor at a wide stance. This is the starting position.
3. While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the dumbbell upward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second.
4. Slowly begin to bring the dumbbells back to starting position as your breathe in.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
6. Switch arms while performing this exercise.

Variations:

You can perform this exercise also with a low pulley.

Lying Cable Curl Guide

1. Grab a straight bar or E-Z bar attachment that is attached to the low pulley with both hands, using an underhand (palms facing up) shoulder-width grip.
2. Lie flat on your back on top of an exercise mat in front of the weight stack with your feet flat against the frame of the pulley machine and your legs straight.
3. With your arms extended and your elbows close to your body slightly bend your arms. This will be your starting position.
4. While keeping your upper arms stationary and the elbows close to your body, curl the bar up slowly toward your chest as you breathe out and you squeeze the biceps.
5. After a second squeeze at the top of the movement, slowly return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations:

You can also perform this exercise with exercise bands.

Lying Close-Grip Bar Curl On High Pulley Guide

1. Place a flat bench in front of a high pulley or lat pulldown machine.
2. Hold the straight bar attachment using an underhand grip (palms up) that is about shoulder width.
3. Lie on your back with your head over the end of the bench.
4. Now extend your arms straight above your shoulders. Your torso and your arms should make a 90-degree angle and the elbows should be in. This will be your starting position.
5. As you breathe out, curl the bar down in a semicircular motion until it touches your chin. Squeeze the biceps for a second at the top contracted position. Tip: As you execute this motion only the forearms should move. At no time should the upper arms be moving at all. They are to remain perpendicular throughout the movement.
6. Return to starting position slowly.
7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations:

You can also curl down to above your head, rather than to your chin or use an E-Z Bar Attachment instead of a straight one.

Machine Bicep Curl Guide

1. Adjust the seat to the appropriate height and make your weight selection. Place your upper arms against the pads and grasp the handles. This will be your starting position.
2. Perform the movement by flexing the elbow, pulling your lower arm towards your upper arm.
3. Pause at the top of the movement, and then slowly return the weight to the starting position.
4. Avoid returning the weight all the way to the stops until the set is complete to keep tension on the muscles being worked.