Then, perform the drag curls in the same way, but with the weights at either side of your torso.Īlternatively, you can just perform regular hammer curls. You hold a dumbbell in either hand, with your palms facing each other. Hammer-grip drag curls are another possible variation, and can only be done with dumbbells. Dumbbell drag curls are an option, but they are slightly more difficult to perform as you will need to focus on moving the weights at the same pace and keeping your arms in the same position during the range of motion.

There are plenty of curl variations to choose from. Related Post: Barbell Curl vs Dumbbell Curl – Which One is Better For You? Drag Curl Variations Your upper body, apart from your arms and shoulders, should remain still, with your spine neutral.

Your arms should be doing the work in this lift, so avoid using the momentum of your body to move the bar.

Don’t bring your elbows forward when dragging the bar up – they should move up and backward.

You may find that you can’t lift as heavy with drag curls compared to normal barbell curls or dumbbell curls, for example.

Focusing on perfect form – or as close to that as you can get – is more important than the amount of weight you’re lifting.

The exercise motion should be fluid and controlled – don’t jerk the weight up.

Related Post: 15 EZ Curl Bar Exercises You Have To Try Mistakes to Avoid You can always move on to a heavier weight once you’re more comfortable with the exercise and have built up some more strength.

Start out using lighter weights if you’re not used to training your biceps.

When assuming the starting position, have your hands roughly in line with your shoulders.

A barbell is the best option for drag curls, though you can also use a curl bar.

Keep the bar close to the front of your body throughout the entire movement, and ensure it remains in the same plane of motion.

Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement, then lower the bar back down to the starting position.

Bend and lift your elbows up and pull your shoulders back slightly.

Perform a dragging motion to lift the bar up to your chest.

Shoulder pain and joint pain can be fairly common when performing sets of biceps curls because your deltoids are working to keep things stable.Ī post shared by Meg | Health & Wealth Bend at the knees and take hold of the barbell with an underhand (supinated) grip, then stand up and hold the barbell by your hips with your arms straight. The barbell drag curl also holds another advantage over the standard bicep curl in that it doesn’t activate your front deltoids as much, thus reducing the risk of injury. For those reasons, it’s difficult to understand why this isn’t one of the more popular exercises among those looking to build and tone their arms. What also makes this an effective bicep exercise is that it’s simple to learn and doesn’t require much equipment just a barbell and some weight plates. Your biceps are fully contracted and engaged at the top of the movement, with little assistance from other muscles, which can help you make major gains in this area.

Like a standard curl, drag curls provide an excellent bicep workout. If you’re unfamiliar with the exercise, we’re going to look at the benefits of drag curls, how to perform them correctly and what adjustments you can make to them. In fact, there’s one variation that few people are aware of, which provides an intense biceps exercise – the barbell drag curl. That’s not to say you should just stick with the regular curl, though. It is the most widely-used biceps exercise and the basic standing curl is regarded as the daddy of all curl alternatives. Building bigger biceps usually means opting for a particular exercise in the gym the bicep curl.

Drag curls biceps