Balance · Beginner

Standing Biceps Cable Curl

This exercise uses a cable machine to work your biceps — the muscles on the front of your upper arms that you use every time you lift a bag, open a door, or pull yourself up from a chair. Unlike dumbbells, the cable keeps steady tension on the muscle through the entire movement, which makes it especially effective for building strength. It's done standing, so your legs and core get a little balance work at the same time.

1. 01

   Stand facing the cable machine with your feet about shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees — not locked out.

2. 02

   Grip the bar with both palms facing up, hands about shoulder-width apart.

3. 03

   Pin your elbows to the sides of your body and keep them there for the entire set — they are your anchor point.

4. 04

   Breathe out as you curl the bar upward toward your shoulders, moving only your forearms.

5. 05

   Pause for a full second at the top and squeeze the front of your upper arms before lowering.

6. 06

   Lower the bar slowly — take about two counts going down — and let your arms straighten fully before the next rep.

7. 07

   Keep your chest up and your shoulders back; if your shoulders are rounding forward, the weight is too heavy.

• ×

  Swinging the torso back to lift the weight — if your back is arching or your hips are rocking, you're using momentum instead of your biceps. Drop the weight until you can curl without moving your trunk.

• ×

  Letting the elbows drift forward as the bar rises — this shifts the work away from the biceps. Check that your elbows stay glued to your sides throughout.

• ×

  Rushing the lowering phase — if the bar is dropping fast on its own, you're losing half the benefit. Control the descent the whole way down.

• ×

  Gripping the bar too tight and tensing the forearms and shoulders — your hands just need to hold on, not crush. Relax your shoulders away from your ears.