How to do Seated Dumbbell Bicep Curls

The seated dumbbell curl is a biceps curl done sitting on a bench or chair. With your back supported, it’s hard to swing the weights, so your biceps do the lifting.

1. Sit on a bench or sturdy chair and ensure that your back is in contact with the back of the bench/chair

2. Take a firm grip of the dumbbells and allow them to rest, with extended arms, down by your sides

3. When ready, exhale and bring the dumbbells upwards in a curling motion by contracting your biceps. Be sure to rotate at the wrist so that your palms face upwards as soon as they pass your leg line, keeping your elbows in a fixed position at your sides

4. When the dumbbells reach the top position, which should be close to your front shoulders, lightly flex your biceps before lowering them back to the starting position in a controlled manner

Benefits

It isolates your biceps, the muscle on the front of your upper arm that bends your elbow and turns your palm up. Your forearms work too, holding the dumbbells.

Because you can’t lean back or use your legs, every rep is strict. That’s useful for building your arms, and for learning what a clean curl feels like.

Form tips

• Sit tall with your back against the bench and your feet flat on the floor.
• Keep your elbows still at your sides. If they drift forward, your shoulders are taking over.
• Turn your palms up as the dumbbells pass your thighs, and squeeze at the top.
• Take about two seconds to lower each rep.

Variations

• Curl one arm at a time to focus on each side.
• Turn your palms to face each other for dumbbell hammer curls, which bring in your forearms more.
• For an even stricter curl, try concentration curls.