Leaning back to finish reps
Reduce the weight and keep the torso still so the biceps do the work.
Isolation · Cable
Cable Curl
A biceps curl done with a bar or handle attached to a low cable pulley. The cable keeps tension on the biceps through the whole range, including the bottom where dumbbells go slack. Useful for lifters of all levels as a main or finishing curl.
- Primary
- Biceps
- Starting rep range
- 10–15 reps
- Target effort
- 1 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 2.5 kg / one stack step
Muscles worked
The biceps flex the elbow and turn the palm up, so a supinated grip on a straight or EZ attachment trains them directly. The brachialis and forearm flexors assist but are not the focus.
How to set up
- Attach a straight bar, EZ bar, or rope to a low pulley.
- Grab the attachment with an underhand, shoulder-width grip.
- Stand a step back from the stack so the cable pulls slightly forward at the bottom.
- Brace, stand tall, and keep your elbows at your sides.
How to do each rep
- Curl the handle toward your shoulders without moving your upper arms.
- Squeeze the biceps at the top for a moment.
- Lower slowly until the elbows are fully straight and you feel the stretch.
- Keep constant tension; do not let the weight stack rest between reps.
Common cable curl mistakes
Elbows flaring and rising
Keep the elbows tucked at your sides; if they come forward, the load is too heavy.
Stopping short of extension
Let the arms straighten fully at the bottom to train the stretched position.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the cable curl at 10–15 reps with about 1 reps in reserve. As an isolation exercise it fits well after your main compound lifts.
Add reps within your target range before moving the pin down a plate. If stack jumps are too big, add a small add-on weight or slow the lowering phase instead.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Cable Curl alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Programs that use it
Questions
Are cable curls better than dumbbell curls?
Cables keep tension at the bottom of the curl, while dumbbells are easier to load and progress unilaterally. Both build the biceps well; many people use cables as a second curl variation.
Which attachment is best for cable curls?
A straight bar gives the most supination and biceps emphasis, an EZ bar is easier on the wrists, and a rope shifts work toward the brachialis. Pick the one that feels best on your joints.