Why it's on the list: Is this really any different than a barbell curl? That's up to you. Sure, you can do the moves in basically the same way in the same workout, but we don't recommend it. The real value of dumbbell curls is that they can be done a number of ways: standing or seated, with both arms or alternating, rotating your wrists into Zottman curls to work on your fearsome forearms, or twisting that pinky up to focus purely on the bis. In short, you have options.
Dumbbell Curl Variations for Biceps Growth:
- Standing dumbbell curl (bilateral, alternating)
- Seated dumbbell curl (bilateral, alternating)
- Zottman curl
In your workout: If you're doing these after barbell or cable curls, emphasize the difference by performing Zottmans, or take bilateral seated curls to fatigue and then extend the set by switching to unilateral curls.
If you feel your reps getting sloppy, really hammer the negatives. It's been shown that the eccentric-focused reps can produce higher levels of force than the concentric, even when you're fatigued.
