Liftworthy
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Liftworthy

Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

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General training information, not medical advice. If something hurts, stop and see a professional.
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Explore/Biceps

Barbell Curl

BarbellIsolationEasy to learn
Front
Back
Primary Secondary

Works

Biceps

Also forearms

You need

Barbell

How to do itPictures · 3 steps
1Start
2Top
Main musclesAlso working
  1. 1Elbows pinned at your sides
  2. 2Curl without swinging your torso
  3. 3Lower all the way down

Most common mistake

Hip-thrusting the bar up.

Watch a demo

Good for

  • Top 10 for biceps
  • Keeps the work on the target muscle
  • Easy to keep adding weight

Compare with

vs Dumbbell Curlvs Preacher Curlvs Rope Hammer Curl
A
For biceps
#8 of 19
See the full list →
Research
76
Scored by hand
Results
Soon
From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 76
Target tensionExcellent
Loaded stretchFair
ProgressionExcellent
Low costStrong

The classic heavy curl and easy to load, but the biceps are barely stretched at the bottom.

Research behind these criteria

  • Target tension: Zabaleta-Korta et al., 2021 · Kinoshita et al., 2023
  • Loaded stretch: Maeo et al., 2021 · Maeo et al., 2023 · Pedrosa et al., 2022 · Kassiano et al., 2023
  • Progression: Plotkin et al., 2022 · Pelland et al., 2026
  • Low cost: Schoenfeld et al., 2021 · Refalo et al., 2023
How scores work

Machine taken? Swap to

  • SBayesian Cable CurlCable
  • SMachine Preacher CurlMachine
  • SIncline Dumbbell CurlDumbbell
  • AEZ-Bar CurlBarbell

Takes

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280