The Complete Guide to Cable Curls, Plus Variations and Mistakes to Avoid

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Add cable curls to your arm workout to build bicep strength

Co-authored by Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: December 14, 2024 Fact Checked

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How to Do Cable Curls

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Common Mistakes

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Variations

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FAQs

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Video

Whether you’re looking to improve your lift strength or get bigger arms, cable curls are a great addition to any arm workout. And because they help work your arms through a full range of motion, they can be a great way to target the biceps in a way that’s hard to do with other exercises. We’re here with all the tips you need to nail this strength-building exercise, including how to get the perfect form, common mistakes to avoid, and how to change things up.

Quick Guide to Cable Curls

Set a cable machine to the lowest height.
Stand a few feet away from the machine.
Grab the bar with an underhand grip with your arms shoulder-width apart.
Curl the bar up to your shoulders.
Lower the bar slowly until your arms are straight again.

Section 1 of 4:

How to Do Cable Curls

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1
Set up a cable machine at the lowest height. Lower the attachment as much as possible and attach a straight bar or EZ-bar to the handle. Then, choose your weight—it should be something you’re comfortable lifting for 6–12 reps.
- If you’re new to lifting, start with lighter weights—around 20 lb (9.1 kg)—until you get used to the exercises. From there, as you feel comfortable, gradually increase by about 5 lb (2.3 kg) at a time up to 40 lb (18 kg).^{[1]
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- EZ-bars may make it easier to get a comfortable grip on the bar, but straight bars work great for this exercise too.
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Stand about 3 ft (0.91 m) in front of the cable machine. Get into a comfortable stance, with your feet spaced a little closer than shoulder-width apart.^{[2]
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Research source} Be sure to plant your feet firmly on the floor to keep yourself stable through the lift.
- It may help to lean back slightly—if you lean too far to the front, the weight may pull you forward as you lift.^{[3]
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- Keep your knees slightly bent—this will make it harder to use your leg muscles to assist you with the lift.^{[4]
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Grab the bar with both hands using an underhand grip. Turn your hands so your palms are facing upward with your thumbs out to the sides, then pick up the bar so your hands are about shoulder-width apart.^{[5]
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Research source} Make sure you can comfortably hold the bar with your arms extended, but there’s still some tension on the cable.^{[6]
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- If there’s too much tension in the cable with your arms extended, step closer to the machine. If there’s not enough tension in the cable, step farther away.
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Curl the weight all the way up toward your shoulders. Use your biceps to pull the weight upward as far as you can. Keep your core and back strong and steady through the move—your only movement should be in your arms from the elbows down.^{[7]
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- Keep your elbows close to your sides throughout the entire lift. Don’t let them move forward.^{[8]
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- Hold your wrists so they’re straight—if you let them bend backwards, you could strain them.
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Lower the cable slowly all the way down. To get the full benefit of the cable curl, you need to use your full range of motion. Be sure to lower the weight until your arms are fully extended again, using the same smooth, controlled motion you used to raise the cable.^{[9]
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- The cable helps provide tension at the bottom of the curl, which you don’t get in a traditional biceps curl.
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Repeat for 3–5 sets of 6–12 reps each. Complete your first set of 6–12 cable curls, depending on what you’re comfortable with. Then, put down the weight and rest for about 30 seconds. Grab the cable again and repeat until you’ve done 3–5 sets in total.^{[10]
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Section 2 of 4:

Avoiding Common Cable Curl Mistakes

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1
Keep your torso straight during the curl. As you’re curling, keep your back and torso strong—don’t twist to one side or the other. Twisting to the side can put additional strain on your back, increasing your risk of injury.
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Use a weight you’re comfortable lifting. One of the biggest mistakes lifters make with cable curls is using a weight that’s too heavy. But that will make the move difficult, and your movements may be awkward instead of smooth and fluid. Using too heavy of a weight can also make you more likely to get injured.^{[11]
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Don’t move your shoulders or elbows forward during the lift. In a cable curl, your elbows should stay tucked close to your sides as you curl the weight all the way up and back down. If you move forward from your shoulders or elbows, you’ll be working different muscles, so you won’t get as effective of a workout for your biceps.^{[12]
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Focus on the bottom of the curl more than the top. Cable curls are especially effective because they add tension to the bottom of a bicep curl. However, there may not be as much tension at the top of the lift. While you can stop and pause at the top of a cable curl the way you would in a traditional biceps curl, it may be more effective if you focus more on your form as you lower the cable.^{[13]
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Use your full range of motion for the curl. When you’re lowering the cable, be sure to extend your arms until they’re completely straight. If you stop before your arms are fully extended, you won’t get the full benefit of the tension at the bottom of the curl.^{[14]
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- Don’t lock your elbows at the bottom of the curl—it’s not effective at strengthening your biceps and it can increase your risk of injury.

Section 3 of 4:

Variations

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Hammer cable curl: Set up the cable machine without a bar. Grab the cable so your thumb is under the ball at the end of the cable, with your palm facing inward in a neutral position. Curl the cable upward and bring it slightly in toward the center of your chest without moving your elbow.^{[15]
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- When to do this: For variety—the change in grip will work your bicep muscle in a slightly different way than a standard cable curl.
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Single arm cable curl: Hold the cable in one hand instead of both. Perform a full set of reps with that arm, then switch to the other arm for the next set.^{[16]
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- When to do this: When you want to isolate your biceps one at a time, or if you have a cable machine with a little less tension.
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Reverse cable curl: Use the same form as a regular cable curl, but stand facing away from the cable machine. It may help to lean slightly forward so you’re putting as much tension as possible on your bicep muscle from the start of the curl—it’s okay if your arm is angled behind you slightly.^{[17]
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- When to do this: When you want to push your bicep strength. The reverse cable curl is especially good for working your biceps at the bottom of the move, when the muscle is lengthened the most—an area that can be hard to work with other lifts.^{[18]
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Kneeling cable curls: After you grip the cable, squat down into a crouched position. Brace your elbows on your knees and curl the weight up toward your shoulders.^{[19]
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- When to do this: To add variety—kneeling will shorten your biceps and bring the tension in front of you, so you can work the muscle in a different way.^{[20]
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Cable wrist curl: Sit on a weight bench in front of a cable bench and grip the bar with a shoulder-width grip. Brace your forearms on your thighs, then flex your wrists up and down in a smooth, controlled motion.^{[21]
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- When to do this: When you want to work on strengthening your wrists
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Resistance band biceps curl: Place a resistance band under one or both feet and hold the handles of the band in each hand so your palms are facing upward. Curl your arms upward towards your shoulders, then lower them again slowly.^{[22]
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- When to do this: When you don’t have access to a cable machine.

Section 4 of 4:

FAQs

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Do cable curls really work? Yes, cable curls are an effective way to work out your biceps muscles. They’re best used in combination with moves like regular biceps curls or spider curls, as these work the biceps in slightly different ways.^{[23]
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- One study found that cable curls are about as effective as chin-ups at working the biceps.^{[24]
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What muscles do cable curls work? Cable curls primarily work your biceps brachii. They may also help strengthen your brachioradialis and brachialis, which help control your elbow movement.^{[25]
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No, it’s best to combine both of these exercises in your arm workout. Regular biceps curls may be more effective at working your biceps muscle at the top of the curl, while cable curls are more effective at the bottom of the curl.^{[26]
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