Proper form for a Bicep Curl

Here is another exercise that is typically done very poorly. I know people want to believe that they can curl more than they are actually capable of. It is funny how form is just tossed out the window to try and pretend like people can reach for the next dumbbell on the rack. Do people really think anyone cares how much weight they are doing? The bicep curl is a classic example. Working in the gym setting for over a decade I loved  watching the guys with their ridiculous weight belts on that are tightened about 3 notches too tight doing some kind of hip thrust dance back and forth as they did their curls. Momentum anyone?

Not only would they sway back and forth but they would be using predominantly the anterior portion of the deltoid and pecs to help pull the upper arm up. This makes it look like they are curling the weight when in really they are just shortening the lever to make the weight a little easier to handle. 

 Look at the starting position shown here. I like to use a wall sit position as a teaching tool. The objective is to keep your entire back against the wall. Now keep the arms straight down to your sides so the tricep is also against the wall.

As you curl keep your tricep against the wall so you are only using the bicep to do the motion. Most people feel they need to go further than is necessary in the motion.

 Now in the picture to the right notice how at the top of the curling motion the tricep stays on the wall. This helps to isolate using the bicep in the motion to make sure you strengthen the entire bicep from origin to insertion.

Finally the last picture shows the form we see many people using. The tricep coming off the wall is a sign the weight they are using is too heavy so they need to recruit the shoulder and the pecs to help lift the weight. 

There re more muscles necessary than just the biceps to perform the bicep curl by really attempt to keep the upper arm as still as you can to help ensure you are attempting to attain maximum amount of stimulus to the muscles fibers within the biceps to help improve the overall muscular efficiency of the upper body.