How to do the Arm Curl
Sit with your chest against the pad and the backs of your upper arms flat on the support, so your shoulders stay down and still. Grip the handles, then curl them up by bending only at the elbows, squeezing your biceps hard at the top of the movement. Pause briefly there, then lower under control until your arms are almost straight — stop just short of locking out. Aim for a slow tempo — about one second up, two seconds down.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using momentum. Swinging or leaning back shifts the work off the biceps. Keep your torso still and let only the elbows move.
- Cutting the range short. Lower until your elbows are almost straight on every rep — the stretch matters as much as the squeeze.
- Letting the elbows drift. Keep your upper arms pinned to the pad so the biceps, not the shoulders, do the work.
Tips and who it’s for
The fixed path makes this machine ideal for beginners learning to feel the biceps working, and a clean isolation finisher for advanced lifters after heavy barbell or dumbbell curls. Because your forearms assist the lift, a lighter weight with a strong squeeze at the top beats heaving a heavy stack.
