Many of you might be familiar with an incline dumbbell curl alternatives. It is one of the popular exercises to build an amazing bicep. It puts your bicep in an extra stretch right at the bottom position, making your bicep work harder.
However, there might be some instances where you are stuck at home or the gym is crowded and you can’t have access to an incline bench. In that case, you should not stop your workout. There are so many great alternative exercises which you can do instead of incline dumbbell curl alternatives.
In this article, you will find some of the best incline dumbbell curl alternatives. Most of the exercises which I have shared can be done qt home with basic gym equipment. Also, in the end, you will see 2 incline curl exercises that you can do without a bench.
But before talking about the alternatives, it’s important to know the benefits of incline dumbbell curl alternatives and which muscles are worked during an incline dumbbell curl alternatives.
Benefits Of Incline Dumbbell Curl
You might have this question that ‘why you should do an incline dumbbell curl alternatives ‘? or ‘is it necessary to do an incline dumbbell curl’? Let me share with you some of the benefits of incline dumbbell curl due to which it becomes one of the effective exercise.
Puts Extra Stretch on the Bicep
Incline dumbbell curl alternatives puts an extra stretch on the bicep especially at the bottom part of the movement. This allows you to train your bicep in a full range of motion, making your bicep work more. In most other exercises, your bicep will not get that amazing stretch.
Helps in Building Bicep Peak
Incline dumbbell curl alternatives is a great exercise to target the long head of the bicep which contributes to building a nice peak. This makes your bicep look bigger and stronger.
Less Momentum
You can’t have a lot of momentum during incline curls as your back is on the bench. You have to use your biceps the most during the movement. There is no other choice. However, you can ruin your form anyway by just swinging the weights and not focusing on the right muscle. But still, the chances are less to where your form goes bad. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
Muscles Worked During Incline Dumbbell Curls
Incline dumbbell curl is one of the effective exercises to train the biceps. It primarily targets the bicep brachii muscle, which is your bicep muscle, especially the long head. If you don’t know what is the long head of the bicep is, then let me tell you that the bicep brachii has two heads:
- Long head
- Short head
The long head is the outer part of the bicep which is usually responsible for that bicep peak. And the short head is the inner part of the bicep which is visible when you lift your arms and starts flexing your arms to show your biceps. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
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Along with the long head of the bicep, the incline dumbbell curl also activates the front delts and forearms as a secondary muscle. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
So if you look at the alternative exercises which I have mentioned below, you will find most of the exercises are targeting the long head. So now let’s see some of the alternatives here! incline dumbbell curl alternatives
Incline Dumbbell Curl Alternative
1. Barbell Drag Curls
This is a great exercise to work on your biceps without involving a lot of shoulder muscles. Drag curls are a great way to add some size to your biceps. This exercise will hit the long head by holding a narrow grip.
How to do
1. Hold a bar with both hands placed at about shoulder-width apart.
2. Stand straight while keeping your shoulders retracted and this will be your starting position.
3. Start curling up by dragging the barbell towards your body such that the bar is in contact with your torso.
4. Fully contract your biceps at the top and then slowly bring the bar back to the starting position. Breath in on the way down.
Recommended Reps- 12-15 reps
Make sure that as you lift the barbell, your elbows should be going back. Also, remember not to shrug the weights up or lift the shoulder during the movement. Otherwise, you won’t engage your biceps. You should keep as much tension as possible on your biceps. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
2. Close-grip EZ Bar Curls
If you want to target your outer biceps, then this is a great exercise for you. Here, you can focus on the long head as your hands are close to each other during the movement. If you want to replace incline with any exercise, then close grip EZ bar curl is a great option. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
How to do
1. Hold the close grip curve of the EZ bar and stand straight with your chest up and shoulders retracted.
2. Keep your elbows in front of the hips and arms straight down. This will be your starting position.
3. Now start lifting the bar while breathing out and bring it at about shoulder height.
4. Squeeze your biceps at the top and then slowly bring the bar back to the starting position.
Recommended Reps- 10-12 reps
You can also perform this exercise with a straight barbell if you have good wrist mobility. Most people have less wrist mobility and can’t balance the barbell during curls. So that’s why it is advisable to start with the EZ bar and then move to the straight bar curls. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
3. Landmine Concentration Curls
You might be familiar with the concentration curls done with dumbbells. This exercise is similar to concentration curls done with a barbell. Here, you will work on the biceps peak just like incline curls.
How to do
1 Place one end of the barbell at the side corner of the wall to create a landmine setup.
2. Now sit with one leg on the floor facing the barbell and the other on the ground.
3. Hold the barbell and keep your elbows on your thighs for support. This will be your starting position.
4. Start curling the bar up and squeeze your biceps at the top. Remember to breathe out on the way up.
5. Slowly bring the barbell back to the starting position where your arms are fully stretched. Do the same with the other arm.
This is a great barbell variation of concentration curls. You can increase the weights by adding plates but don’t compromise your form. Your back should be straight especially your lower back as it gets injured quickly.
Recommended Reps- 12-15 reps
4. Band Resisted Barbell Curl
Band resisted curls will make your biceps work more as you take the barbell up. As the band is stretched more, it creates more resistance which will allow the biceps to work more at the top. This means that your biceps will work harder at the top. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
How to do
1 Take a band and lower it down to the floor while holding it. Step over the band to create resistance.
2. Now bend down and grab a barbell while holding the band and then stand straight with your shoulders retracted. This will be your starting position. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
3. Start curling the bar up and bring it up towards the shoulder level. Fully contract your biceps at the top.
4. Slowly bring the bar back to the starting position and then repeat the movement.
Recommended Reps- 10-12 reps
You can change the grip width for targeting the different heads of the biceps. For example, if you want to target the outer or the long head, then hold a narrow grip. However, if you want to focus on the short head l, then go wider than the shoulder width. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
5. Concentration Curls
This is another awesome exercise to train the long head of the biceps. Concentration curls can be done at home if you have a dumbbell. This exercise will help you to build that amazing peak.
So if you are at home and wondering which exercise to do instead of an incline dumbbell curl alternatives, you should do concentration curls.
How to do
1. Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in one hand. Place an elbow on the mid part of your thigh and place the other hand on the other leg.
2. Start the exercise by curling up the dumbbell and squeezing your biceps at the top. Don’t bend or roll your back during the movement.
3. Slowly bring the dumbbell down to the starting position and then repeat the movement.
Recommended Reps- 12-15 reps
You should not use a heavy dumbbell during this exercise because of the body position. Also if you go heavy, you will end up training your shoulder instead of biceps! So choose a moderate weight in this exercise.
6. Single Dumbbell Curls
This is another great alternative exercise to hit the long head! you can do this anywhere with just a dumbbell and you do not require any additional equipment for this. So if you are at home, stuck at lockdown, then grab a dumbbell and start this exercise right away! incline dumbbell curl alternatives
How to do
1. Hold a dumbbell with both hands by placing your palm beneath the dumbbell and standing at about hip-width apart.
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2. Keep your chest up and shoulder back and stand straight. This will be your starting position.
3. Start the exercise by curling the dumbbell up by keeping your hands forward and stopping at shoulder level.
4. Slowly bring your hands down to the starting position and then repeat.
Recommended Reps- 12-15 reps
Make sure that you move at a full range of motion instead of partial reps. Also, keep your back straight through the entire movement. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
7. Dumbbell Alternate Curls
Alternate dumbbell curls are one of the popular and effective exercises to train biceps. This exercise can be done at home or anywhere else and you only need a chair and a dumbbell. If you don’t have an incline bench to perform incline dumbbell curl alternatives, then do this as an alternative.
How to do
1. Grab two dumbbells and stand straight with both feet at shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your hands down to the side while holding the dumbbell. Keep your chest up and shoulders retracted. This will be your starting position.
3. Start the exercise from one side by lifting the dumbbell while keeping your elbows in. Don’t bend your wrist as you curl the weight up.
4. Stop at the top when the dumbbell reaches shoulder level and the bicep is fully contracted.
5. Slowly bring your arm down to the starting position. Repeat same with the other hand.
Recommended Reps- 10-12
You can also do this exercise while sitting on a bench. This exercise will help you in building amazing fuller-looking biceps and will help you in getting bigger arms. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
8. Chin Ups
This is another great alternative exercise, which will help you in building bigger biceps. You can do this at home if you have a pull-up bar. Chin up is a bodyweight exercise that requires a good amount of strength to execute the movement. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
If you are a beginner then this might not be the best exercise for you. You should do dumbbell and barbell exercises with moderate weight. Once you gain enough strength and build a good foundation, then go for chin-ups. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
Or else, you can also use someone else as a supporter who can support you from the bottom to push you while doing chin-ups. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
How to do
1. Grab a pull-up bar with an underhand grip. Your grip should be just under shoulder-width apart.
2. Hang on to the bar and keep your core tight. Look straight and then pull yourself up with the help of your arms. Kee the tension on the biceps as you go up. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
3. Stop at the top when the bar is just below your neck and then slowly go down to the starting position.
Recommended Reps- 10-12 reps
You can make this exercise difficult by using plates and dumbbells. You can use a belt for this. Tie a plate with the belt and hook it on your waist. This will allow you to increase the intensity and difficulty of the exercise.
Also, make sure that you don’t just swing and use a lot of momentum. This will engage other muscles like lats and rhomboids and your biceps will not get a maximum contraction. So make sure that your form is good.
Now I will share 2 incline dumbbell curl alternatives exercises which you can do without a bench!
How Do You Do Incline Dumbbell Curl Without Bench
9. Swiss ball Incline Dumbbell Curl
Swiss ball incline dumbbell curl alternatives work similarly to the incline bench dumbbell curl. The only difference here is the ball over a flat surface. When you do dumbbell curls on an incline bench, the body is much more stable as compared to the swiss ball curls.
Swiss ball incline curl will activate your core and other stabilizer muscles like the serratus anterior and transverse abdominis. So doing curls on a swiss ball is a little difficult in comparison to the incline dumbbell curls. But is a very effective alternative you should try! incline dumbbell curl alternatives
How to do
1. Place a swiss ball on the floor and sit in between the ball while holding a pair of dumbbells.
2. Start rolling your body forward until your body is in an incline position ( 45° angle from the floor).
3. Keep your arms straight down. Keep your chest up and shoulders retracted. This will be your starting position.
4. Start the exercise by curling the weights up and bringing the dumbbell towards your shoulder. Make sure that your back stays neutral and your elbows are inward.
5. Pause at the top and squeeze your biceps. Then slowly return to the starting position.
10. Resistance Band Incline Curls
If you don’t have a bench, don’t worry. You can do the same incline curls with a resistance band. Resistance band incline dumbbell curl alternatives can b done easily at home. You don’t need any heavy equipment or machine. All you need is a resistance band.
How to do
1. Fix a mid part of the resistance band at the corner of the table. Hold both the handles of the band and take 2 steps forward. incline dumbbell curl alternatives
2. Keep your arms straight while keeping your elbows tucked in. Your arm should go back behind the body. This will be your starting position.
3. Start the exercise by curling forward and up. Make sure to keep your elbows back and you should only move your forearms.
4. Stop at the top when your biceps are fully contracted and then slowly return to the starting position.
So these were some of the best alternatives to incline dumbbell curl. You can do many of these exercises at home, so never have any excuse for not doing a workout. Even if you are at home and can’t go to a gym, you can still do many exercises with just a basic gym garage equipments.
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