How to Perform Resisted Curls: Forms, Advantages, and Alternatives

this drag curl It is an “old school” bodybuilding exercise known for its ability to create “peaks” in the biceps.

While it may not be as popular as regular barbell curls and dumbbell curls, it’s an excellent exercise for gaining upper arm size and strength.

In this article you will learn what towed curls Yes, how to do it right drag curl formBenefits of Exercise, Which Muscles to Work, Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, The Best barbell drag curl Alternatives and variations and more.

What is a drag curl?

The drag curl is a variation of standard bicep curl Emphasize the long head of the biceps.

this long head of biceps It is part of the biceps muscle on the outer side of the upper arm, and appears in a “peak” shape when bent.

drag curl form: How to do drag curls correctly

master drag curl formdividing the exercise into three parts: setting, dragging, and descending.

1. Settings

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell shoulder-width apart with your palms facing away from you. Let your arms hang vertically so the barbell rests on your thighs.

2. Drag

Bend your elbows and bring them back, dragging the bar up and toward your body. Continue moving your elbows back until the bar reaches or just below nipple height.

3. fall

Reverse movement and return to starting position.

When you put it all together, it should look like this:

this Benefits of drag curls

Maximum development of biceps

Research Indicates binding compounds Pulling exercises Targeted involvement of biceps biceps exercises Like resistance curls to maximize biceps growth.

Doing this allows you to train your biceps from different angles and in different ways range of motionwhich produce More balanced and complete growth than simple use compound exercises.

it is also make sure You train your “bis” enough volume (Group) stimulates growth without other muscles becoming limiting factors.

Biceps Peak Focus

Long head of bicepscross” shoulder joint, so it is the most extendable and can produce Power is greatest when your arms are behind your body.

Therefore, exercises that place the arms behind the body, such as resistance biceps curls, tend to be the best exercises for developing the long head of the biceps, the part of the biceps that contributes most to peak biceps.

shoulder stability

Biceps, especially the long head, drama A Stabilizing the head humerus (inside of upper arm bone) glenoid (a shallow socket in the shoulder blade that holds the humerus in place).

Therefore, strengthening your biceps may help stabilize your shoulders and keep them healthy.

Drag Curls: Build Muscles

The main muscles exercised by resistance curls are Biceps, or “biceps.”It also exercises your brachialis muscles and forearm On a smaller scale.

Mainly like this muscle group Achieve the look by dragging curls around your body:

Sets and reps of drag curls

because you use a barbell (or this is a bar) for the resistance bicep curl, which is inherently more stable and balanced than most other bicep isolation exercises, thus allowing you to lift heavier weight.

For men who want to build muscle and strength, 3 sets of 4 to 6 or 6 to 8 reps works well, while 3 sets of 6 to 8 or 8 to 10 reps is better for women.

Who should do resistance curls?

Resistance curls are an excellent exercise for anyone looking to maximize biceps size and strength.It’s great for those with limited equipment (if you’ve trained at homefor example), because it allows you to train your arms in novel ways without the need for any specialized equipment.

Common Drag Curl Mistakes

using too much weight

Trying to lift too much weight in a curl can cause your form to collapse, making the exercise less effective and increasing your risk of injury.

You can avoid this by choosing a weight that allows you to complete each rep with correct form, and focusing on performing “clean” reps rather than how much weight to lift.

Let the weight return to the starting position

Research Express control eccentric part Any biceps curl (the “lowering” phase) is a highly effective way to promote muscle growth. As a general rule, you should spend the same amount of time lowering the weight to the starting position – about one to two seconds per time is a good goal.

Harness the power

Relying on power to “lift” weights reduces the amount of work your biceps have to do, thereby reducing the amount of muscle you gain. To prevent yourself from using momentum in the curl, keep your torso, hips, and knees still during each repetition.

Let your elbows move forward

Allowing the elbows to move forward turns the exercise into a traditional curl. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it takes away from the emphasis on the long head of the biceps and defeats the main benefit of the resistance curl.

The Best Barbell Curl Alternatives and Variations

1. Dumbbell Curls

The main benefit of dumbbell curls is that they train each side of your body independently, which can help you find and fix muscle imbalance.

2. Tension curl

Cable curls maintain more constant tension in the biceps than barbell curls, which may aid muscle growth. That said, some people find the cable variation difficult to perform because the cable pulls you backwards, which can make balancing difficult.

3. Smith machine drag curl

Smith machine drag curls are almost identical to barbell drag curls; the only difference is that you use a Smith machine instead of a barbell. Smith machine drag curls are a perfectly viable alternative to drag curls.However, keep in mind that it will force you to train in a slightly unnatural way Scope of activitiessome people don’t like it.

4. Bayesian Cable Curling

Bayesian Cable Curl Mimicry drag curl form However, you are allowed to use a cable instead of a barbell. The benefit of the Bayesian Curl is that it trains your biceps into a stretched position and maintains constant tension in the biceps during each repetition, both of which are beneficial for growth.

5. Incline dumbbell curl

this Incline dumbbell curl It trains your biceps when they’re behind your torso, which emphasizes the long head, similar to drag curls.Incline curls create strong biceps Tension throughout the entire range of motion, which is important for developing balanced size and strength.

Drag Curl Tips

1. Repeat 1 to 3 times at the end of each set to avoid muscle failure.

As I explain in my fitness book man and femaleto maximize your results, you must limit most sets to one or two reps fail.

Ask yourself at the end of each set of resistance bicep curls, “How many more reps can I do with good form if I have to?” If the answer is more than two, increase the weight or reps so that your next One group is more challenging.

2. Once you reach the top of your rep range for a set, increase the weight.

If your workout calls for 6 to 8 repetitions of barbell curls and you complete 8 in one set, add 10 pounds to the next set.

If you complete 3 or fewer reps with the new weight, reduce the weight by 5 pounds to ensure you stay within the 6 to 8 rep range.

follow this pattern Try adding more reps or weight to every exercise in every movement.

3. Contract your biceps There are strict requirements for every representative.

Research shows that using “Insider clues“(Mental mantras that draw your attention to what your body is doing) may promote biceps growth.

For example, in a study In a study conducted by Lehman College scientists, participants’ biceps activation increased when researchers reminded them to “squeeze the muscles” while performing biceps curls.

What’s more, in an 8-week study, participants who used this cue grew their biceps twice as fast as those who used cues such as “gain weight.”

Drag Curl FAQ

FAQ #1: What does the drag curl do?

Drag curls can strengthen your biceps. also, Perform drag curls Holding the bar close to the body emphasizes the long head of the biceps, which is the part of the biceps that contributes most to peak biceps.

FAQ #2: Are tension curls good for long heads?

Yes, drag curls are good for the long head of the biceps because they put your upper arms behind your body, which helps emphasize the long head instead of the short head.

FAQ #3: What does the drag curl do?

Drag curls mainly exercise the biceps. While they train both the long and short heads of the biceps, they’re particularly good at targeting the long head, helping to enhance the overall size and height of the biceps.