Band Curl
A biceps curl with a resistance band: standing on the middle of the band, you curl the ends toward your shoulders, with the tension rising as the band stretches.
- Primary muscles
- Biceps
- Secondary
- Forearm flexors
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Band × reps
Loads from YouTube only when you press play. The video is by an independent creator.
Why do it
Band curls suit home workouts, travel and warm-ups, since a band packs into a bag and still challenges your biceps. The band is light at the bottom and heaviest at the top, the opposite of how a dumbbell curl feels, so the squeeze at the top is the hard part. To progress, move to a stronger band or wrap the ends around your hands to shorten it.
How to do it
Stand on the middle of a band with both feet and hold one end in each hand, palms facing forward and arms straight at your sides.
Curl your hands up toward your shoulders while keeping your elbows at your sides.
Squeeze your biceps at the top without swinging your torso.
Lower slowly until your arms are straight. Log the band you used; a stronger band counts as progress.
Common mistakes
Letting the band snap you down
The band pulls hardest at the top, so it wants to yank your arms down fast. Resist it the whole way; the lowering half counts too.
Too much slack at the bottom
If the band goes loose with your arms straight, the start of each rep does nothing. Shorten the band so there's light tension from the first inch.
Elbows creeping forward
As the band tightens, it's tempting to bring your elbows forward to ease the top. Keep them pinned at your sides through the whole rep.
Leaning back at the top
Swinging your torso back to get through the hardest point moves the work to your lower back. Stand tall and squeeze your biceps there instead.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
