Basic Curl Exercise for Your Biceps

Series Summary

With the steady trend of obesity in the general public and the recently massive increase in child and adolescent obesity, it is even more important to learn a variety of easy, and affordable methods of exercising. Bodyweight exercises differ from free-weight lifting in that they utilize body weight and sometimes very little equipment such as dumbbells that may be performed at home, work, or most anywhere you may be – which may just suit the present obesity problem perfectly.

In this free bodyweight exercise video series James Fitzgerald, personal trainer, demonstrates a variety of dumbbell exercises such as the basic bicep curl, hammer curl, supine curls, and the one-armed French triceps curl. You'll also learn how to tricep dip exercises using a physioball, front and lateral shoulder raises, and rear deltoid lift exercises.

Video Transcript

"Okay, I am going to show you how to execute a basic bicep curl by using dumb bells. What you want to do is have a seat right on the edge of your bench. Grab a weight that is comfortable. Keep your elbows in line and pinned to your rib cage and what you want to do is again, with your shoulders back, back straight, head in line with your spine. Just curl that weight right up with a nice squeeze here at the top. Come on back down nice and slow. Don't lock out at the bottom. You want to keep a slight bend in your elbows, keep the pressure on your biceps and come on up and down. Again, the reason you want to keep your shoulders straight is to stabilize your muscles for your biceps are in your shoulders. Keep you shoulders straight. Keep your shoulders tight. Keep your back straight. Just curl that at a nice up and down movement. Again, one variation of this exercise which you can make it more challenging is hop up on a stability ball and what I am going to do is grab a stability ball here. Just have a seat right on the ball. Again, feet and knees together. This will force you to stabilize your core to maintain your balance. Again, elbows pinned into your rib cage. And again, basic up and down. Back straight and neck neutral with your spine. Shoulders stabilized. That is the basic bicep curl."