Exercise:

Barbell Curl

Target Muscle:

Biceps

Barbell

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and grip the bar with your palms facing up, also spaced about shoulder width. Extend your arms giving your biceps a full stretch.

Curl the weight up towards your body, pause briefly at the top, and then return the weight back to the starting position.

- Do not allow your elbows to excessively drift forward as you curl the weight up as this directs the tension off of the biceps and onto the front delts.

- Do not curl the weight so high up that the tension leaves the biceps. Simply curl the weight to the point where you feel a full contraction in your biceps and then stop there and let the weight back down.

- Keep your elbows pinned at your sides throughout the entire movement and do not allow them to flare outward.

- Keep your wrists aligned in a neutral or slightly extended position. If you flex your wrists during the curling movement it directs more stress onto the forearms.

- In order to get a full stretch in the biceps and utilize the largest range of motion possible, flex your triceps at the bottom of each rep.

- A small amount of natural body sway is fine as you curl the weight, but your back should still be kept relatively straight throughout the exercise to prevent lower back stress.