Biceps Curls
The two-dumbbell biceps curl — both arms rising together — is the bread-and-butter arm builder for home and gym alike. Curling both sides at once doubles the core's stabilising job and teaches symmetrical effort from your very first session. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 × 4–6 | 2 min |
| Muscle | 3–4 × 9–12 | 60–90 s |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 18–27 | 45–60 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
One of the first dumbbell exercises anyone should learn — perfect for day one.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Stand tall, dumbbells at your sides, palms facing forward before the first rep.
- Curl both weights together in the same arc at the same speed.
- Keep both elbows fixed at your ribs — nothing above the elbow should move.
- Squeeze at the top with your little fingers turned slightly higher.
- Lower both bells on a 3-second count to fully straight arms.
Breathing: Exhale on the way up, inhale on the slow way down.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
Common questions
How many biceps curls should a beginner do?
Two to three sets of 9–12 controlled reps, two or three times a week, is plenty to start — that is enough stimulus to grow while you learn strict form. The mistake is not doing too few curls; it is doing many sloppy ones. Add a rep or a small weight jump most weeks and the arms will follow.
Why are my biceps not growing from curls?
Usually one of three gaps: the weight has not gone up in months, the reps are swung rather than curled, or total weekly volume is too low because arms only get trained as an afterthought. Fix progression first — log your weights, add reps then load — and give arms at least one focused slot per week.
Should I curl with palms up the whole time?
For this classic version, yes — start palms-forward and stay supinated, which keeps the biceps under maximum tension. The rotating version (starting neutral, turning up as you lift) and the hammer curl are separate variations with their own pages. Learn the strict supinated curl first; it is the reference point everything else deviates from.
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