Standing Barbell Curl

Starting position

1. Stand tall, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent.
2. Hold the bar with an underhand grip at shoulder width, arms straight, bar at your thighs.
3. Pin your elbows to your sides, shoulders down and back.

Execution

1. Exhale and bend your elbows, curling the bar up to your upper chest. Your elbows stay in place.
2. Squeeze your biceps at the top and hold for a second.
3. Inhale and slowly lower the bar until your arms are almost straight — take 2–3 seconds on the way down.

Common mistakes

• Swinging your torso — your back throws the bar up, the biceps do less and the lower back gets loaded.
• Elbows drifting forward at the top — the front delts take over.
• Dropping the bar quickly — you lose half the benefit of the exercise.
• Not straightening your arms at the bottom — a shorter range of motion.

Beginner tips

• Stand with your back against a wall — it stops you from swinging.
• If your wrists hurt, use an EZ bar (the curved one) for a more natural hand position.
• The biceps are a small muscle: add 1–2.5 kg at a time, not 5 kg.

Alternatives

• Seated Dumbbell Curl — you can rotate the wrist and work each arm separately
• Standing Cable Biceps Curl — constant tension through the whole range
• Pull-Ups — the biceps work together with the back