How to do it
- Set a bench to about 60 degrees and sit back with the arms hanging straight down behind your torso.
- Curl the dumbbells up without letting the upper arms move forward.
- Lower slowly back into the deep stretch.
Cues that matter
- That behind-the-body arm position is exactly what stretches the long head.
- Keep your head and shoulders on the bench.
Common mistakes
- Letting the elbows swing forward to make the bottom easier.
- Loading it like a standing curl — this variation runs lighter.
Muscles worked
Primary
- Biceps
- Long head
Also works
- Forearms
Sets and reps
What to do with it depends on what you are training for. These are the ranges MuscleMap uses when it puts Incline Dumbbell Curl in a session, with 75 seconds between sets.
- Strength
- 6–8 reps
- Build muscle
- 10–15 reps
- Endurance
- 15–25 reps
Same muscle, different kit
Movements that train the same part of the biceps with different equipment — for a day the dumbbell is taken, or a gym that does not have one.