Intermediate

Lying Dumbbell Curl

Lying supine on a flat bench lets the dumbbells hang below and slightly behind you, putting the shoulder in extension so the biceps long head is loaded at a long, stretched length. Training a muscle in that lengthened position is a strong hypertrophy stimulus for the outer biceps and elbow flexors. Expect a demanding stretch, so start light and control the descent.

Equipment
Bench, Dumbbell
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

    Lie face-up on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand and feet planted.

  2. 2

    Let your arms hang straight down toward the floor, palms facing forward.

  3. 3

    Allow the dumbbells to settle slightly behind the line of your torso to load the stretch.

  4. 4

    Curl the weights up by flexing the elbows, keeping your upper arms roughly vertical.

  5. 5

    Squeeze at the top, then lower slowly back into the deep stretch.

  6. 6

    Keep your shoulders down on the bench throughout.

Tips

  • Go light at first; the stretched start is much harder than a standing curl.
  • Do not let your elbows flare wide; keep them tracking down beside you.
  • Control the lowering phase to safely own the stretched position.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • Using a low bench, so the plates touch the floor before the arms are straight and the stretch you came for is the part you never reach. Raise the bench or use smaller-diameter dumbbells.
  • Treating the top of the rep as the goal. With the arms vertical there is almost no load up there, so spend the time at the bottom instead of chasing a squeeze that is not happening.
  • Reading a sharp pull at the front of the shoulder as a good stretch. A stretch belongs in the muscle belly; if it bites at the joint, shorten the range or move to an incline bench.
  • Sitting up at the end of the set with the dumbbells still hanging behind you, which loads the shoulder in its weakest position. Bring them onto your chest first, then get up.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the lying dumbbell curl should I do?
Two or three sets of 8 to 10 with a light pair. Half of your standing curl is a sensible first guess and most people still find it hard, because the stretched start is where the muscle is weakest. The first rep tells you whether the load is right. Build to 10 reps on every set before moving up, and run it once a week; this position leaves you sore for longer than a standing curl does.
Can I do the lying dumbbell curl on the floor instead of a bench?
Not really. On the floor there is nowhere for the arms to hang, and the hang is the entire exercise. Use any raised surface where your arms clear the edge: a flat bench, a sturdy coffee table, or the edge of a bed that does not sag. Setting an adjustable bench to 45 degrees gives you the incline dumbbell curl, a gentler version of the same idea, and that is the sensible fallback.
What is the lying dumbbell curl good for?
It loads the long head of the biceps at its longest, with the shoulder behind the body and no way to cheat, which makes it a focused hypertrophy movement for the outer arm. Put it after your main curl. It is a poor choice for heavy work, since the bottom is the weakest point in the range and piling load there gets risky quickly. If you have had shoulder trouble, or the front of the shoulder is what you feel rather than the biceps, use an incline curl and keep the arms nearer your sides.

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