Barbell Curl

How to Barbell Curl:

Stance: Stand up straight with your torso upright in the anatomical reference position, with the body erect, arms upright and palms forward.

Prep:  Holding the barbell with extension of the arms as straight as possible. Use a conventional underhand grip with your hands just outside your thigh line and hold an isometric contraction, this will be your prep stage.

Movement: Lift the bar up halfway. Your elbows should remain close to your sides. The bar should be at roughly the same level as your belly button, or maybe a little bit higher. At this point your bicep and forearm should perform a flexion movement roughly forming a 90-degree angle.

Follow Through: Continue the movement until your biceps are fully concentric contraction and the barbell is at shouldler level. Hold the contracted position for half a second and squeeze/ flex the bicep hard. 

Recovery: Slowly begin to bring the bar back to your starting position as you breathe in performing an eccentric contraction.

Novice

Expert

Cues: Body Straight, Chest up, 90 Degrees
Drills: Repetition with light weight or without the bar, to help with muscle memory and movement.

Definitions:

Anatomical reference position- erect standing position with all body parts, including the palms of the hands, facing forward. (considered the starting position for body segment movements)

Flexion- movement which brings the limbs or body into a more bend

Extension- movement which brings the limbs or body into a straighten position.

Isometric contraction- involving muscular contraction against resistance in which the length of the muscle remains the same.

Eccentric contraction- a type of muscle contraction that occurs as the muscle fibers lengthen, such as when a weight is lowered through a range of motion. The contractile force generated by the muscle is weaker than an opposing force, which causes the muscle to stretch.

Concentric contraction-a common form of muscle contraction that occurs in rhythmic activities when the muscle fibers shorten as tension develops.