Ask any bodybuilder what they want from their bodybuilding program and you’re bound to get one common answer – big, muscular biceps. It’s not known why and when this obsession with the upper arms began. Possibly it’s because huge biceps give an impression of strength or that bulging biceps are appreciated almost instantly by onlookers. Whatever the reason, huge, boulder-like upper arms are at the top of many people’s wish list.
The barbell drag curl is one of the most widely performed bicep building exercises ever. Every bodybuilder with noticeable biceps has done this exercise hundreds of times.
Equipment needed:
The barbell drag curl requires only the barbell.
How to do the barbell drag curls
Starting Position:
- Stand with a straight back
- Feet should be shoulder width apart and knees can be slightly bent
- Grasp the barbell with an underhand grip (palms should be facing you) and arms must be shoulder width apart
- Keep the elbows slightly bent
- Tuck the abs in
The Movement:
- Allow the barbell to hang in front of the body
- Drag the barbell up as far as it would by bringing your elbows back at a slightly elevated angle.
- Squeeze the biceps hard and hold for a second
- Lower the biceps gently and bring it to the starting position
Tips:
- To get a better squeeze at the top of the movement, allow the upper arms to shift forward slightly.
- Do not swing the barbell forward too much as this will rob the biceps of the load. The whole point of this exercise is to work the biceps to the fullest.
- Keep arms close to the sides
- Use low weights or no weights at all, particularly in the beginning
- Lower the bar slowly
Variations:
There are a number of variations for the barbell drag curl.
The wide grip barbell curl allows you to work out the inner head of the biceps. In this variation, you will be holding the arms a little more than shoulder width apart. However, the hands must not be held too far apart as this could lead to tendonitis.
In the close grip barbell curls, hands are closer than shoulder width apart. This works out the outer head of the biceps.
Cheat barbell curls are a variation that are often seen in gyms. In this variation, people use heavy weights (in fact, the heaviest they can possibly lift) and thus work the biceps more than ever before. However, care must be taken to use weights that are not too heavy as this might injure the muscles.
In conclusion:
A great set of biceps can definitely up your oomph factor more than anything else. So, if you dream of grabbing eyeballs, start working out on the drag barbell curls. Pronto!
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