Cable bicep curls: Your secret weapon for sculpting bigger arms

Bulging biceps are a sign of strength, power, and dedication. The cable bicep curl is one of the elite bicep-focused exercises worth including in your upper-body muscle-building program. The cable bicep curl keeps constant tension on your biceps, so it’s one of the most effective bicep curl variations. Mastering your grip and your technique is the best way to maximize your bicep-building potential. Let’s look at the cable biceps curl, the benefits, common mistakes to avoid, and more.

What is the cable bicep curl?

The cable bicep curl is a variation of the bicep curl, where you use a cable machine and curl the handles toward your upper torso. It’s an isolation exercise that requires the use of a cable machine. The goal is to lift the load by bending your elbows to curl the weight up near your shoulders.

What muscles are worked during the cable bicep curl?

As the name suggests, the cable bicep curl primarily targets your biceps brachii — the two-headed muscle on the front of your upper arm. The two heads become one muscle near your elbow. 

You’ll also engage your:

• Brachialis under the biceps muscle and your brachioradialis muscle
• Forearms
• Shoulder deltoids
• Core muscles to stabilize your upper body

What are the benefits of the cable bicep curl?

Performing the cable bicep curl provides many benefits, such as:

• Supporting extended time under muscle tension compared to dumbbells
• Isolating your biceps more effectively
• Using the small weight increments on the cable machine to add weight more frequently and advancing your progress
• Working your forearms to lower your risk of muscular imbalances
• Growing your bicep muscles and building your upper body strength
• Getting stronger biceps means you’ll also enhance your lifting power for resistance training
• Ability to use your biceps every day for functional tasks, from picking up grocery bags and laundry baskets to carrying a child or pet
• Carving more muscular arms

Research by ACE reveals that the cable curl is one of the best exercises you can perform to activate your biceps muscles, coming a close second to the concentration curl. 

How to do the cable bicep curl

You’ll need a cable machine for this move. 

Here’s how to perform the cable bicep curl:

1. Place the straight bar attachment on the lowest rung and hold the bar with your palms facing up.
2. Straighten your arms and step back from the pulley. Stand with a slight bend in your knees and make sure your feet are about shoulder-width apart. 
3. Grip the bar down next to your thighs in the starting position.
4. Engage your core, squeeze your biceps, and start to curl the bar up to your shoulders while bending your elbows.
5. Pause at the top for a moment.
6. Slowly release the bar back down to the starting position.
7. Repeat until you complete the set.

Common mistakes to avoid

Watch out for these common mistakes when completing the cable biceps curl:

• Flaring your elbows out to the sides, which shifts the emphasis away from your biceps and more on to other muscles
• Using momentum to curl the weights up
• Not completing the full range of motion
• Incorrect grip and hand position
• Leaning back
• Using a weight that’s too heavy and compromises your form
• Curling the weights too fast

Tips for proper form

Follow these top tips to improve your form and safely perform the cable bicep curl:

• Always warm up and stretch before performing weight training and strengthening exercises. Take your joints through the complete range of motion.
• Keep your elbows tucked in throughout the movement.
• Straighten your back and avoid leaning backward.
• Keep your head steady while looking forward.
• A narrower grip prompts the full muscle activation of your biceps compared to a wider grip.
• Choose a weight where performing your last rep is challenging, but you can still maintain proper form.
• Allow 48 hours between strenuous workouts to give your muscles sufficient time to recover. This also helps you avoid overtraining. 

You should avoid bicep cable burls if you’ve injured your wrist or elbow. If you’re unsure if you should perform the cable bicep curl, it’s best to consult your doctor, healthcare provider, or physical therapist.

Variations and alternatives

Consider switching things up with these cable bicep curl variations:

• Make the move easier by decreasing the weight or sitting on a bench or box for stability.
• Increase the challenge by working one arm at a time with a different handle attachment.
• Try different handle attachments to hone your grip strength.
• Perform high cable bicep curls.
• Do hammer curls.
• Perform Zottman curls.
• Try dumbbell bicep curls.
• Perform resistance band bicep curls.
• Try dumbbell concentration curls.

FAQs

Will cable curls build bigger biceps?

Cable curls can help you build bigger biceps if you maintain proper form and stay consistent. The cable machine provides constant tension on your biceps and a smooth path of motion.

Is a cable bicep curl better than a dumbbell bicep curl?

The cable bicep curl can isolate your bicep more effectively due to the extended time under tension. That being said, many people can lift heavier weights with the dumbbell curl, so at some point, there could be a place for both of these moves in your workout schedule.

Which head does the cable bicep curl target?

The cable curl targets both heads of your biceps, but some variations, such as close-grip cable curls, might emphasize the long head a little more. No matter the variation you choose, your biceps will get a good workout.

The bottom line

You can include the cable bicep curl in your upper body training days to make those biceps swell. Start with three sets of 10 to 12 reps and adjust accordingly as you advance. Complete cable curls at least twice a week to see noticeable results over a few months. Using progressive overload, where you gradually increase the weight over time, maximizes your results.