Cable curl
A biceps curl with constant tension from top to bottom.
What it is
A biceps curl performed against a low cable. Unlike a dumbbell, the cable maintains resistance through the whole range — including the top, where a free weight goes slack — which makes it a useful complement to free-weight curls.
Muscles worked
Primary: Biceps. Secondary: Brachialis, Forearms.
How to perform it
- Attach a straight or EZ handle to a low cable and stand a step back so there is tension at the start.
- Hold the handle with an underhand grip, elbows at your sides and shoulders back.
- Curl the handle up, keeping the upper arms still and the elbows pinned in place.
- Lower under control to full extension without letting the stack touch down.
Common form faults
- Elbows drifting forward as you curl. Keep the upper arms vertical and still; if they swing forward, the front delt is taking the load.
- Standing too close, so tension disappears at the bottom. Step back until the cable is under tension with your arms straight.
- Leaning back to move heavier weight. Brace the core and keep the torso upright; reduce the weight if you cannot.
Programming
A biceps accessory in moderate to higher reps, often placed at the end of a session. The constant tension makes it a good candidate for taking close to failure.
Plan your training
Variations & substitutions
Frequently asked questions
- Cable or dumbbell curls?
- Cables keep tension at the top where dumbbells lose it; dumbbells allow a more natural path and easier loading. Using both across a programme covers the curve better than either alone.
- Does curling behind my body change anything?
- Yes — curling with the cable behind you puts the biceps' long head under greater stretch, since it crosses the shoulder. It is a genuinely different stimulus and worth rotating in.
Written and reviewed by Mathew Beale, MSc Biotechnology, University of Reading.
Last reviewed: