This is the staple exercise for building the biceps muscles. It is the most basic and popular biceps exercise, and it is great for developing mass and strength in the biceps.
Standing Barbell Curl Technique & Execution
Standing upright, grasp the barbell with an underhand grip about shoulder width apart
Avoid swaying your body, curl the barbell up
Lower back down to starting position
Generally, you should avoid using your the rest of your body to help with this exercise, but sometimes, a very small amount of body movement is acceptable, especially during the last few reps of a set
You can also perform standing barbell curls with your back braced against a wall to prevent you from rocking your body. Another variation of the standing barbell curl can be done using the arm blaster that gives a similar type of strict movement as preacher curls. Also see E-Z bar curls.
Standing EZ Bar Curls
As an alternative to performing barbell curls, you can use a E-Z bar instead of a barbell.
E-Z Bar Curl Technique & Execution
Grab hold of a E-Z curl bar with an underhand grip with the weight extended in front of your at arm's length
Curl the weight up in a wide arc
Keep your elbows steady by your sides throughout the movement
Then lower the weight back down to starting position
Reverse Grip Barbell Curl
This exercise is performed same as the standing barbell curl. But as the name suggests, the main difference is using a reverse overhand grip holding the barbell. This exercise also places some stress on the forearms.
Reverse Barbell Curl Technique & Execution
Standing upright, grasp a barbell with an overhand grip, and hold it in front of you at arm's length
Keep your elbows steady at your sides, curl the weight up to about your chin level
Then lower the weight back down to starting position
You can also perform preacher bench curls using a reverse grip as shown here.
