Lying Supine Dumbbell Curl
Trains the Biceps.
- Equipment
- Dumbbells and either a flat bench or an adjustable bench
- Mechanic
- Isolation
- Force
- Pull
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
- Lie on your back on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging down either side.
- Let the arms hang straight toward the floor, palms facing forward.
- Keep the upper arms still, hanging vertically beside the bench.
- Curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders by bending the elbows only.
- Stop when the forearms are roughly vertical.
- Lower under control until the arms hang straight again.
Common mistakes
- Setting the bench too low. The arms need room to hang straight; if the dumbbells touch the floor at the bottom, the part of the range where the biceps is longest is cut off.
- Letting the upper arms swing forward. Lying down leaves the shoulder free to move and using it is the only cheat available, which is why the position is worth using.
- Expecting your standing curl weight. The arms hang behind the line of the body, which stretches the biceps at the shoulder and makes the bottom much harder.
- Rolling the shoulders forward off the bench to help. The shoulder blades stay on the bench; rolling is the back doing the work.