incline dumbbell curl

The Incline Dumbbell Curl is a unique curl variation that offers an extended range of motion when compared to other dumbbell curls. That is why this is an effective choice for bicep development. This variation utilises the incline bench position, which allows your arms to move further behind your body compared to other curl exercises. As a result, it effectively stretches and contracts the bicep muscle even further, resulting in a more extended and enhanced muscle growth.

Here we will delve into the muscles worked, how to perform the Incline Dumbbell Curl, benefits, common mistakes to avoid, reps and sets, how to progress this exercise, how and where to fit it into your workout plan and finally other exercises targeting the same muscle groups.

Muscles Worked When Performing the Incline Dumbbell Curl

The Incline Dumbbell Curl primarily targets the biceps, with a specific emphasis on both the long and short heads of this muscle group. The incline bench's angle promotes a greater stretch of the biceps before contracting them during the curl, resulting in a whole new approach to bicep development.

You can use the muscle highlighted image at the top of this page for a visual guide of the muscles worked.

How to Perform the Incline Dumbbell Curl

Follow these steps to perform the Incline Dumbbell Curl with proper form:

1. Equipment: Begin by selecting your desired dumbbells for the exercise. Then adjust a bench into an incline position, at an angle of approximately 30-45 degrees.

2. Sit Back: Sit on the bench with your back firmly against the backrest. This position ensures stability and support during the exercise.

3. Start Position: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms fully extended and your palms facing forward.

4. Curl: Slowly curl one dumbbell in toward your shoulder, focusing on squeezing the bicep muscle at the top of the movement.

5. Back to Start: Lower the dumbbell back down until your arm is fully extended.

6. Remember: Throughout the exercise, keep your elbows close to your body and focus on moving the weight exclusively through the hinge of your elbow.

7. Go for reps.

Become an exclusive member and get complete workout plans with video demonstrations of all exercises, plus dedicated online support to help you reach your goals faster. Tell me more >>>

Benefits of the Incline Dumbbell Curl

The Incline Dumbbell Curl offers some unique advantages:

Complete Bicep Development: The exercise's unique angle and range of motion will effectively stretch and contract the biceps, promoting significant growth in the entire length of the muscle.

Isolation: The incline bench provides back support, so that you can focus entirely on the exercise, ensuring the biceps are the primary muscles engaged.

Variety: The Incline Dumbbell Curl adds diversity to your bicep workouts, helping to break plateaus and stimulate muscle growth.

Incline Dumbbell Curl: Common Mistakes to Avoid

To optimise the effectiveness of the Incline Dumbbell Curl and minimise the risk of injury, be mindful of these common mistakes:

Form: Execute each repetition with the correct form to avoid recruiting unintended muscle groups. Focusing on technique throughout the exercise is crucial. Sloppy sets can result in repetitive strain or acute injury.

Mind-Muscle Connection: The Incline Dumbbell Curl is an isolation exercise, and its intention is to work the biceps through a single joint movement (the elbow). Make sure you remain focused on that throughout the exercise.

Avoid Momentum: Refrain from swinging the weight through your shoulder or elbow and don’t use your body for momentum, as this can compromise the effectiveness of the exercise and/or result in injury.

Reps and Sets

The number of reps and sets for the Incline Dumbbell Curl depends on where you are currently.

Beginners: Start with simply mastering the move. Keep in mind that if you’re just starting out, 3 reps is a valid set.

To determine how many reps/sets of Incline Dumbbell Curls you should start with, you first need to figure out how many reps you can comfortably perform. Then add 2, and perform that number of reps for 3 sets.

For example; let’s say you can perform 4 reps comfortably. Add 2 to make 6 reps. Perform those 6 reps 3 times over, allowing yourself sufficient rest inbetween.

Experienced lifters: You know your body and its abilities better than anyone, use your own judgment.

We recommend that you avoid performing more than 12 reps per set. If you’re comfortably performing 12 reps for up to 6 sets, it’s time to make the exercise more challenging.

How to Make the Incline Dumbbell Curl More Challenging

As is the case with most exercises, you can make this exercise more challenging by increasing the weight you are working with. Alternatively, to make the Incline Dumbbell Curl more challenging, you can slow the exercise down to increase your time under tension.

How to Incorporate the Incline Dumbbell Curl into Your Workouts

You can combine the Incline Dumbbell Curl into any of your upper body or chest & biceps workouts. Or as we call it "Boobs & Biceps". For extra bicep building, pair it with other bicep and tricep exercises. Consider complementary exercises such as Hammer Curls, Tricep Dips, Cable Curls, and Barbell Curls to ensure consistent progression.

Because this is a dumbbell exercise you should perform it in the middle of your workout, after the bigger barbell lifts and before any cable/machine exercises. If you want to learn more about exercise order, check out this article.

Exercises that Work Similar Muscles to the Incline Dumbbell Curl

There are a wide range of curl exercises and all of those will work the same muscle group with its own unique twist. You may also want to pair this exercise with an Incline Dumbbell Press, which focuses more on the upper pectorals, but also recruits the biceps in a different way, yet still utilising the wider range of motion supported by the incline bench position.

Alternatively you can check out our entire exercise database here.

Get Complete Workouts

Our exercise database is here to teach you the fundamentals of some key exercises in weightlifting. It is by no means an exhaustive list of exercises and each category is certainly not a workout plan in itself. In order to turn these exercises into a workout plan, you need to know how to combine the right exercises to achieve the best possible results.

Knowing how to put together an efficient and effective workout plan is the cornerstone of achieving your fitness goals. It's the difference between merely working out and truly transforming your body.

That’s why Lipstick Lifters' Members Zone exists. Our goal is to teach you how to build your own workout plans so that you can be gym independent. All of this is possible with our Members Zone portal.

Members Zone annual subscribers have a unique advantage. They don’t need to puzzle over piecing together a workout plan, because we've done the hard work for them. Inside our Members Zone Portal, you'll find full workout plans tailored for women, complete with video demonstrations of each exercise.

Why Choose Members Zone

Members Zone is your one stop shop for weightlifting workout plans, delivered conveniently through our mobile friendly web app.

Here's what you're about to unlock...

Variety: Over 130 individual workout plans to suit a wide range of goals, available for your grab and go convenience.

Targeted muscle building: All plans come with a muscle highlighted image so you know exactly which muscles you’re building. - Simply choose the plan that suits your needs.

Video demonstrations: Form matters, that’s why each exercise in our portal is accompanied by a video demonstration of 3-5 full clean reps. You can watch this through as many times as you need to master the move.

Get started and progress: Plans offer beginner & advanced execution options so you can start with the basics and progress using the same plan.

Learn on the go: Our mobile friendly web portal means you can access plans, and video demonstrations of each exercise, to help you master the correct form, right from the gym floor.

Puts you in control: Our goal is to teach you gym independence, that's why the bulk of our portal is broken down into warm ups, workouts, and finisher plans.

Mix and match these to build a complete workout that fits your own personal preferences and goals.

Pre-built plans: These pre-built plans were put together by our team to demonstrate how the portal works. They are made up of warm ups, workouts, and finishers directly from the portal. Use them to get results, but also notice how the plan comes together. So that next time you can build your own plan from the wide range of options in the main portal!

Workout packs: Do you just want something that tells you exactly what to do and when to do it? These workout packs are ready to go when you are.

Evergreen: For the most part in weightlifting the exercises are the same, it is the execution of the exercises that turns amateurs into pros.

That means that all of our workout plans, featuring 200 different exercises, can be revamped, no end, simply by switching up the exercises and changing the rep/set execution.

All you need to do is get started, everything else comes with experience.

Dedicated online support: We want you to succeed in the world of weightlifting on your own merit. Without the need for an expensive trainer or coach, because few people these days can afford this luxury.

Lipstick Lifters Members Zone is your DIY solution and we are here to support you, for as long as you need, as part of your annual subscription.

Sample our plans for free: Sign up to access a selection of free workout plans to get you started.

Your journey to strength and confidence begins here.

Get in touch: If you have any questions or need guidance, our team at Members@lipsticklifters.com is here to guide you. So don’t hesitate to get in touch.