Lying Cable Biceps Curl

StrengthPull

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Body Part: Biceps

Description

Lie face up on a flat bench with your feet firmly on the floor, positioned in line with a low cable pulley behind your head. Hold the cable attachment with an underhand grip and start with your arms extended toward the pulley. Keeping your upper arms still and elbows close to your body, curl the handle toward your shoulders by contracting your biceps. Pause briefly at the top, then slowly extend your elbows to return to the starting position. Avoid lifting your shoulders, arching your back, or using momentum.

How to Perform

Set a cable pulley to the lowest position and attach a straight bar or EZ-curl bar.
Place a flat bench in line with the cable stack, with the head end closest to the low pulley.
Lie on your back on the bench with your head nearest the cable, plant your feet firmly on the floor, and reach overhead to grip the bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip.
Begin with your arms extended toward the pulley, keeping a slight bend in the elbows and maintaining tension on the cable.
Keep your upper arms as still as possible and curl the bar by bending your elbows, bringing it toward your forehead or just above the top of your head.
Squeeze your biceps briefly at the top without allowing your elbows to flare excessively or your shoulders to lift off the bench.
Slowly extend your elbows to return the bar toward the starting position, controlling the resistance and keeping tension in your biceps.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, keeping your wrists neutral and avoiding momentum throughout the movement.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Set the bench so the cable provides tension from the bottom position and remains aligned with your forearms throughout the curl.
Lie flat with your head, upper back, and hips supported on the bench, keeping your feet firmly planted on the floor for stability.
Grip the cable attachment with an underhand grip and begin with your elbows extended but not locked, maintaining tension on the cable.
Keep your upper arms as still as possible and curl by bending only at the elbows rather than pulling with the shoulders.
Squeeze your biceps at the top of the repetition without allowing your elbows to flare excessively or your wrists to bend back.
Lower the handle slowly and under control until your elbows are nearly straight, avoiding a sudden drop or loss of cable tension.
Use a load that allows a full range of motion without arching your back, lifting your shoulders, or swinging the arms.
Keep your wrists neutral and choose an attachment that feels comfortable for your elbows, such as a straight bar, EZ-bar, or individual handles.

Common Mistakes

Allowing the elbows to drift backward or forward instead of keeping them fixed relative to the torso
Lifting the shoulders off the bench or shrugging to help pull the cable
Using momentum by jerking the handles at the start of the curl
Letting the wrists bend back or curl forward instead of keeping them neutral
Failing to fully extend the elbows under control at the bottom
Stopping the curl short and not bringing the hands toward the shoulders through a comfortable full range
Letting the upper arms flare outward rather than keeping them stable and aligned
Arching the lower back or losing full contact with the bench to create leverage
Using excessive load that turns the movement into a partial-range, body-assisted curl
Dropping the weight too quickly and losing tension during the lowering phase
Relaxing at the bottom so the cable goes slack instead of maintaining controlled tension
Rotating the forearms excessively or changing grip position during the curl