Bicep Curl: How-to, Benefits & Variations
Bicep curls build arm strength for everyday pulling and carrying. Keep elbows pinned to your sides, curl with control, and lower slowly.
Bicep Curl: How-to, Benefits & Variations
Open a jar. Carry a child on your hip. Pull a heavy door toward you. Every one of these relies on bicep strength, and most women have never trained their biceps on purpose. Bicep curls are simple, direct, and effective. Grab a pair of dumbbells, keep your elbows pinned to your sides, and curl. The muscle you build here is not about aesthetics. It is about having arms that actually work for you at 45 the way they did at 25.
Bringing Sexy Back 7
Sophie Jones
How to Do Bicep Curls
Set up in the starting position for bicep curl. Feet hip-width apart (or as the exercise requires). Engage your core before initiating any movement.
Begin the movement with control. Danielle Harrison cues: "What we don't want is to be rocking the body into it. If we're doing that, we're going too heavy."
Complete the full range of motion. "Elbows stay tight to the sides. We come up to the shoulders, and we control all the way back."
Return to the starting position with control. Make sure our wrists aren't either bent this way... We want nice straight wrists.
Danielle Harrison adds: "Dumbbells drive up towards the shoulders. We're gonna take that slight lunge behind."
Muscles Worked
Primary
Biceps
Primary mover during the bicep curl.
Secondary
Why this matters in perimenopause
resistance training preserves muscle mass and bone density during perimenopause. The bicep curl directly supports this by targeting Biceps.
Coach's Tips
"What we don't want is to be rocking the body into it. If we're doing that, we're going too heavy." - Danielle Harrison
Danielle Harrison
"Elbows stay tight to the sides. We come up to the shoulders, and we control all the way back." - Sophie Jones
Sophie Jones
"Dumbbells drive up towards the shoulders. We're gonna take that slight lunge behind." - Danielle Harrison
Danielle Harrison
"Make sure our wrists aren't either bent this way... We want nice straight wrists." - Sophie Jones
Sophie Jones
"Watch that knee carefully. If you prefer to just do a reverse... rather than the curtsy lunge... no problem." - Danielle Harrison
Danielle Harrison
Why This Matters for You
resistance training preserves muscle mass and bone density during perimenopause. The bicep curl loads bones and builds lean muscle during a time when the body needs it most. Research supports resistance training for women during the menopausal transition.
Variations & Modifications
Bicep 21s (Round 1)
mediumAlternating Bicep Curls
mediumBicep Curl to Shoulder Press (Round 2)
mediumBenefits
Builds biceps strength
The bicep curl targets a key muscle group, making it efficient for building functional strength that transfers to daily activities.
Supports your body through hormonal changes
resistance training preserves muscle mass and bone density during perimenopause. The bicep curl directly addresses this.
Requires minimal equipment
No equipment needed. You can do the bicep curl at home, in a hotel room, or between meetings.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using momentum instead of muscle
Slow down. If you can't complete the bicep curl with a two-second pause at the hardest point, the weight is too heavy or you're moving too fast.
Holding your breath
Exhale during the effort phase, inhale during the return. Holding your breath spikes blood pressure and reduces core stability.
Common form breakdown
Sophie Jones warns: "Make sure our wrists aren't either bent this way... We want nice straight wrists."
Workouts Featuring This Exercise
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Frequently Asked Questions
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