Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Dumbbell Lying Supination on Floor: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell lying supination on floor is an isolation exercise targeting the forearms, with secondary engagement of the biceps and shoulders. It involves lying on your back and performing a supination curl motion with dumbbells.

Primary muscles
Forearms
Secondary muscles
Shoulders , Biceps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the dumbbell lying supination on floor
Front view: muscles worked by the dumbbell lying supination on floor. Primary: forearms. Secondary: shoulders and biceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the dumbbell lying supination on floor. Primary: forearms. Secondary: shoulders and biceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the dumbbell lying supination on floor

  1. Step 1: Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs extended and your arms by your sides, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Step 2: Rotate your palms to face up, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
  3. Step 3: Slowly curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders, squeezing your forearms.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down 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 dumbbell lying supination on floor 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.

Dumbbell Lying Supination on Floor alternatives

More exercises that train the forearms as their main target:

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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.