Hey guys, Sean Nalewanyj here, BodyTransformationTruth.com, and in today’s video I’m going to be talking
a bit about supinating dumbbell curls and going over why you should be doing them, how
to execute them with proper form, as well as one additional tip that you can use when
doing them in order to squeeze out as much bicep growth as possible.
So obviously in order to build your biceps with maximum effectiveness, you need to understand
what exactly it is that the biceps do and how to target those specific functions in
the gym.
Now the basic function that pretty much everyone already knows about is elbow flexion.
So in other words, just basic “curling” exercise, moving your forearm towards your
upper arm.
And you can target that function using any basic curling variation, whether it’s a
barbell curl, a cable curl, a dumbbell curl or a machine curl, and also keep in mind that
any time you perform any basic compound exercise for your lats (so things like chin ups, pulldowns
and rows), you’ll also be using a certain degree of elbow flexion there as well.
However, what you should also understand is that there’s also a second function that
the biceps perform as well, and that is forearm supination, which basically just means twisting
your forearm until your palm is facing upward.
And so for that reason, in order to get a complete bicep workout that maximizes muscle
growth, you need to be including a curling exercise in your program that also incorporates
forearm supination into the movement, and this is especially important when you consider
the fact that, something whicn most people don't know, which is that during pure elbow
flexion exercises where your palms are facing up the entire time, the brachialis (which
is another upper arm muscle that sits underneath your biceps) is just as, if not more active
than the biceps are.
So the best bicep exercise for this purpose is going to be the supinating dumbbell bicep
curl, and I’m just going to cover the basic form for the beginners out there first and
then give you a few additional tips that you can employ to get the very most out of the
exercise.
So all you’re really going to do here is just hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides
using a neutral grip with your palms facing inward towards your body.
Then, curl the weight up while twisting your forearm at the same time, so that at the top
of the movement your palms are facing the ceiling.
And from there just lower the weight following the same path, and twist your forearm downward
so that your hands are in a neutral position again at the bottom.
Supinating dumbbell curls can be done either seated or standing, and you can perform them
by curling both dumbbells at the same time, or using an alternating fashion.
I personally perform them using the standing variation and in an alternating fashion, but
you can feel free to experiment and use whichever variation you prefer.
Now, although these do seem very simple on the surface just like most bicep exercises
do, there are still a few important things for you to keep in mind if you really want
to get the very most out of the exercise and also minimize injury risk as well.
So let’s over it.
Tip #1 is to keep your elbows and your shoulders stationary and don’t allow them to drift
forward as you curl the weight up.
Some minor movement is completely normal and is to be expected, but letting your shoulders
drift too far forward takes the tension off of your biceps and shifts it onto your front
delts instead.
Tip #2 is don’t allow your elbows to flare out to the sides.
Now this usually happens when you try to heave up an amount of weight that is just too heavy
for you, and all that does is move the stress onto your shoulders and your elbows.
So, instead keep your elbows pinned at your sides at all times.
Tip #3.
In order to fully lengthen your biceps and get the largest range of motion possible,
you actually want to flex your triceps at the bottom of each rep.
Doing this also reduces momentum by bringing your biceps to a dead stop before curling
the weight back up again.
Tip #4 is to keep your wrists aligned in a neutral or slightly extended position.
When you flex your wrist as you perform your curls, you shift more of the load onto your
wrists and your forearms and you also increase your chances for injury as well.
Tip #5 is to keep your back relatively straight and minimize the use of momentum.
A bit of natural sway in your body is totally fine, but grabbing a pair of way-too-heavy
dumbbells and then just aggressively swinging them up while leaning your torso way back
is really doing nothing more than increasing your chances for lower back injury.
And tip #6 which is the one that most people aren’t aware of is, instead of gripping
the dumbbell right in the middle of the handle, “choke up” a bit and grip it at the top
of the handle instead.
Having the dumbbell off-center like this will force your biceps to work even harder through
that supinating function for some additional stimulation and growth.
So, make sure to include the supinating dumbbell curl as part of your overall bicep routine,
employ the form tips that I’ve outlined here, and you’ll be just another step closer
to maximizing your bicep gains and building those muscular upper arms that you’re after.
So thanks for watching this video lesson, I hope you found the information useful here
today.
If you want to learn a ton of other science-based, no B.S training tips just like this one to
optimize your muscle building and your fat burning results along with concrete step by
step training, nutrition and supplement plans that you can follow, make sure to head over
to BodyTransformationTruth.com and grab my complete “Body Transformation Blueprint”
System by clicking the icon at the top of the video or using the link in the description
box below.
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And make sure to check out my official website over at SeanNal.com for all of my latest articles,
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Talk to you again soon.