Intermediate

Incline Cable Curl

Reclining on an incline bench draws the shoulder into extension, which pre-stretches the long head of the biceps before every rep. The cable then keeps tension constant from the deep stretch to the peak, hitting a position free weights struggle to load. This is a top-tier long-head builder for lifters chasing a taller biceps peak.

Equipment
Bench, Cables
Body part
Biceps
Type
Strength
Browse by muscle
Biceps Brachii Long Head
Browse by movement
Elbow Flexion
Muscles worked
Target
Biceps Brachii Long Head
Secondary
Biceps Brachii Short Head, Brachioradialis

How to do it

  1. 1

    Set an incline bench a step in front of a low pulley and attach a single handle or short bar.

  2. 2

    Sit back against the bench so your torso reclines and your arm hangs down and slightly behind you.

  3. 3

    Take the handle with a supinated grip and let the cable pull your arm into a stretch.

  4. 4

    Keeping the upper arm still, curl the handle up toward your shoulder.

  5. 5

    Squeeze the biceps hard at the top without letting the elbow drift forward.

  6. 6

    Lower slowly back into the stretched position under full cable tension.

  7. 7

    Keep your back on the pad throughout and repeat.

Tips

  • Let the arm hang behind your body at the bottom to maximize the long-head stretch.
  • Do not swing the shoulder forward to start the curl; keep the elbow pinned back.
  • Control the eccentric slowly, since the stretched position is where growth is driven.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • Parking the bench right next to the pulley, so the cable pulls almost straight down instead of back and down. Set the bench a stride away so the line of pull holds your arm behind you at the bottom.
  • Reclining the bench barely past upright, which lets the arm hang straight down. Without the shoulder in extension there is no long-head stretch and this becomes a seated cable curl with extra setup.
  • Dropping into the bottom fast so the stack yanks the elbow open at the deepest point. Ride the last few inches down slowly and begin the next rep from a stretch you control.
  • Choosing the plate from what you curl standing. Starting each rep pre-stretched makes the same load feel far heavier, and the first rep is the one that tells you.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the incline cable curl should I do?
Two or three sets of 10 to 12 per arm, placed after your heavier curling rather than before it. Because the load is already high in the stretched position, pick a plate that lets you pause for a beat at the bottom without the shoulder rolling forward. Progress by adding a rep per set before you move the pin, and expect that pin to sit near the top of the stack. Once a week on each arm is enough alongside your other biceps work.
What can I do instead of the incline cable curl without a cable machine?
The incline dumbbell curl puts the arm in the same hanging position. You keep the stretched arm position, but the load fades at the very bottom, where the forearm hangs straight down, and again near the top. With a band, anchor it low behind the bench and curl from the same reclined position; band tension rises as you curl, so the bottom feels lighter than a cable, but the stretch is still there. On a flat bench, the lying dumbbell curl gets you close from a different angle.
What is the incline cable curl for?
It is a hypertrophy movement for the long head of the biceps, the outer part of the muscle that gives the arm its peak. Loading a muscle in a lengthened position is a strong growth stimulus, and a cable is the only tool that keeps tension on it down there. It is a poor choice as a strength lift, since the loads stay small and the position is unforgiving. Leave it out if the front of your shoulder pinches when the arm hangs behind you, and use a standing cable curl instead.

Related exercises

Other movements among FitRay's 2,000+ exercises that load the same target muscle — same equipment and level first.

All Biceps exercises