Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Barbell Curl: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The barbell curl bends the elbows to lift a bar with an underhand grip, training the biceps and the brachialis. It allows heavier loading than most curl variations.

Primary muscles
Biceps
Secondary muscles
Forearms
Equipment
Barbell
Level · type
Beginner · Compound

Written by the FitStack training team. Last reviewed .

Demonstration of the barbell curl
Front view: muscles worked by the barbell curl. Primary: biceps. Secondary: forearms.
Back view: muscles worked by the barbell curl. Primary: biceps. Secondary: forearms.
Primary Secondary

How to do the barbell curl

  1. Step 1: Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing forward.
  2. Step 2: Keep your elbows close to your torso and exhale as you curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  3. Step 3: Continue to raise the bar until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level.
  4. Step 4: Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
  5. Step 5: Inhale as you slowly begin to lower the bar back to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Form cues

  • Stand tall holding the bar at shoulder width, palms forward, elbows at your sides.
  • Curl the bar up without letting your elbows travel forward much.
  • Squeeze at the top, then lower over two to three seconds to straight arms.

Common barbell curl mistakes

  • Swinging the bar with the hips and back.

    Fix: Lighten the load and stand with your back against a wall if needed.

  • Stopping short of full extension.

    Fix: Straighten your arms at the bottom of every rep.

Sets, reps and programming

Do 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps once or twice a week. An EZ bar is kinder on the wrists if a straight bar bothers you.

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the barbell curl by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Variations and progressions

Barbell Curl alternatives

More exercises that train the biceps as their main target:

Barbell Curl FAQs

Barbell or dumbbell curls for bigger biceps?

Both build the biceps. The barbell lets you lift more; dumbbells let you supinate the wrist and work each arm on its own. Rotating between them is a sensible approach.

More biceps exercises

See the best bicep exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset; cues, mistakes, programming and FAQs are written by FitStack.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.