Dumbbell Cheat Curl

Body region

• Arms

Muscles

Main

• Biceps
• Brachialis

Helps

• Deltoid
• Erector Spinae
• Brachioradialis

Holds

• Rectus Abdominis
• Flexor Carpi Radialis

Equipment

• Dumbbells

Technique

1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding two dumbbells with palms turned forward.
2. Use a small push from the hips and knees to help the dumbbells past the hardest point of the curl.
3. Finish the curl at shoulder height with the elbows close to your sides.
4. Lower the dumbbells slowly over two to three seconds without any body movement.

Cues

• Save it for the last reps of a set or a load slightly above your strict curl, not for everyday reps.
• The slow lowering is the point of the exercise.
• Keep the back neutral; the push comes from the hips and knees, not from bending the spine.

Common mistakes

• Swinging so hard that the arms do almost nothing.
• Rounding or arching the lower back to throw the weight.
• Letting the weights drop quickly on the way down.

Alternatives

• Dumbbell Curl
• Barbell Curl
• Hammer Curl