BICEP BUILDER & SHOULDER SAVER!
Incline Dumbbell Curls: How to Do Them Right (and Save Your Shoulders)
If you want to push your arm training past the basics, the incline dumbbell curl is a game-changer. This underrated move puts your biceps in a stretched position you don’t get from standard curls—recruiting more muscle fibers and delivering a stronger squeeze at the top of each rep. Do it wrong, though, and your shoulders will pay the price.
How to Do It
Set Up Your Bench – Adjust an incline bench to about a 60° angle. Sit with your shoulders and arms hanging straight down, perpendicular to the floor, holding dumbbells with palms facing forward.
Get Tight – Keep your shoulder blades squeezed together and your head up (don’t rest it against the bench). This creates space for your shoulders to move safely.
Curl With Control – Keeping elbows behind your torso, curl the weights up slowly. Pause at the top and squeeze your biceps hard. Lower the weights under control, resisting gravity the whole way.
Avoid Elbow Drift – Don’t let your elbows creep forward until the very end of the set when fatigue sets in. The longer you keep them back, the better your biceps activation.
Key Form Tips
Bench Angle Matters – Too steep (or too flat) can stress your shoulders. Stick to about 60° for the right stretch without overloading the joint.
Head Position – Keeping your head up may feel better for your spine and helps maintain strong posture.
Controlled Tempo – No need to explode through the movement; slow, deliberate reps deliver better muscle engagement.
Programming
Use incline curls as a finisher, not the main event. After your big arm lifts, perform 3 sets of 10–12 reps to squeeze every last drop of energy from your biceps.
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