Barbell Drag Curl

Start

Finish

How to do it

Curl the bar while dragging it up the front of your body, letting the elbows travel backwards behind the torso so the bar stays in contact with you the whole way.

Muscles worked

Primary: biceps · Also works: forearms

Equipment

Barbell, Full gym

Common mistakes

• Letting the bar swing away from the body, which turns it back into a standard curl
• Loading it like a normal curl — dragging removes the shoulder's help so the weight must drop
• Shrugging the shoulders up as the elbows go back

Variations

• Smith machine drag curl on a fixed path
• Dumbbell drag curl with a neutral grip

Can't do this one? Swap it for

• Barbell Biceps Curl
• EZ-Bar Biceps Curl
• High Cable Curl

Related exercises

• Dumbbell Biceps Curlbiceps
• Towel Biceps Curlbiceps
• Backpack Biceps Curlbiceps
• Table Biceps Curlbiceps
• Resistance Band Biceps Curlbiceps
• Band Hammer Curlbiceps