Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Cable Overhead Curl on Exercise Ball: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The cable overhead curl on exercise ball is a biceps-focused exercise that also engages the forearms and shoulders. Sitting on an exercise ball adds a balance component, requiring core stability and coordination.

Primary muscles
Biceps
Secondary muscles
Forearms , Shoulders
Equipment
Cable
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the cable overhead curl on exercise ball
Front view: muscles worked by the cable overhead curl on exercise ball. Primary: biceps. Secondary: forearms and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the cable overhead curl on exercise ball. Primary: biceps. Secondary: forearms and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the cable overhead curl on exercise ball

  1. Step 1: Sit on an exercise ball and hold the cable handle with an underhand grip.
  2. Step 2: Extend your arms fully overhead, keeping your elbows close to your ears.
  3. Step 3: Slowly curl the cable down towards your forehead, keeping your upper arms stationary.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the cable overhead curl on exercise ball 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.

Cable Overhead Curl on Exercise Ball alternatives

More exercises that train the biceps as their main target:

More biceps exercises

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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.

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.