How to Do Alternating Bicep Curls: Form and Guide

Master the alternating bicep curl with our expert guide. Learn proper form, avoid common mistakes, and build arm strength with dumbbells.

How to Perform

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
  2. Engage your core and keep your elbows tucked close to your torso throughout the entire movement.
  3. Curl one weight toward your shoulder while rotating your palm to face upward as the dumbbell rises.
  4. Squeeze your bicep at the top of the contraction for one second without moving your elbow forward.
  5. Lower the weight back to the starting position in a slow and controlled manner.
  6. Repeat the same motion with the opposite arm to complete one full repetition.
  7. Maintain a slight bend in your knees to prevent lower back strain and avoid using momentum.

Common Mistakes

  • Swinging the hips or using momentum to lift the weight
  • Allowing the elbows to drift away from the ribcage
  • Dropping the weights quickly rather than controlling the descent
  • Failing to fully rotate the wrist into a supinated position

Muscles Worked

Primary movers

  • Biceps

Stabilizers

  • Brachialis
  • Brachioradialis
  • Forearms

Related Guides

Biceps · Strength