Move gently and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, numbness, or symptoms that feel unsafe. This routine is general fitness guidance, not medical care.
Exercises
1. Barbell Curl
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
The standing barbell curl. If the torso swings, drop the weight rather than the standard.
Steps
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, gripping the bar underhand at shoulder width with arms fully extended.
Pin your elbows to your sides and brace your core to stop your torso from swinging back.
Curl the bar upward by bending only at the elbows, keeping the upper arms locked in place.
Squeeze the biceps hard at the top with the bar near the front of the shoulders.
Lower the bar slowly over 2 to 3 seconds, fighting the bar all the way back to full extension.
Pause at the bottom in a fully straight-arm position, then repeat for clean controlled reps.
Cues
Elbows stay pinned.
No leaning back.
Lower slowly.
Common mistakes
Swinging the torso to throw the bar up, which transfers work from the biceps to the lower back.
Drifting the elbows forward at the top, which turns the curl into a partial front raise.
Cutting the range short and not extending the arms fully at the bottom of each rep.
Gripping the bar too wide, which shifts tension off the biceps and stresses the wrists.
2. Barbell Drag Curl
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
Dragging the bar up the torso keeps tension on the biceps rather than handing it to the shoulders.
Steps
Stand tall holding a barbell with an underhand grip at shoulder width and arms fully extended.
Brace your core and pin your shoulders down and back to lock the upper body in place.
Pull the bar straight up the front of your torso by driving your elbows back behind you.
Stop the bar at the upper chest with elbows tucked back, feeling a strong biceps contraction.
Lower the bar slowly down the front of the body, keeping it in contact with the torso.
Finish with arms fully extended and elbows reset under the shoulders before the next rep.
Cues
Bar drags up the body.
Elbows travel back.
Short range.
Common mistakes
Letting the elbows drift forward like a regular curl, which removes the long-head bias.
Using too much weight, which forces the body to swing and breaks the dragging path of the bar.
Cutting the bottom range short and not fully straightening the arms between reps.
Rounding the shoulders forward to chase the bar up, which loads the front delts instead.
3. EZ Bar Preacher Curl
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
The EZ bar is kinder on the wrists, and the pad removes any swing.
Steps
Set the preacher bench so the top pad sits just under your armpits with your chest pressed against it.
Grip the EZ bar at the inner-angled grips with your palms facing up and arms fully extended down the pad.
Curl the bar up toward your shoulders by bending only at the elbows, keeping your upper arms locked on the pad.
Squeeze the biceps hard at the top of the rep without letting the elbows drift forward off the bench.
Lower the bar slowly over 2 to 3 seconds until your arms are almost fully extended at the bottom.
Stop just short of full lockout to keep tension on the biceps, then curl back up for the next rep.
Cues
Chest on the pad.
Elbow stays down.
Full extension.
Common mistakes
Pulling the elbows back off the pad to use the shoulders, which removes the isolation from the curl.
Letting the bar drop fast at the bottom and bouncing out of the stretch, which strains the elbow tendons.
Lifting the chest off the pad to swing the weight up, turning a strict curl into a partial cheat rep.
Cutting the range short at the top or bottom, missing the stretch and contraction that drive bicep growth.
4. EZ Bar Reverse Preacher Curl
3 sets 路 12 reps 路 40s rest
The overhand grip shifts work to the forearms, so expect to use much less weight.
Steps
Set the preacher bench so the top pad sits just under your armpits with your chest pressed firmly against it.
Grip the EZ bar at the inner-angled grips with your palms facing down and arms extended down the pad.
Curl the bar upward by bending only at the elbows, keeping your wrists straight and your upper arms locked in place.
Squeeze the top of the rep with your wrists held neutral, feeling the work in the forearms and outer biceps.
Lower the bar slowly over 2 to 3 seconds until your arms are nearly straight at the bottom of the rep.
Stop just short of full lockout to keep constant tension, then curl the bar back up for the next rep.
Cues
Palms face down.
Light weight.
Slow both ways.
Common mistakes
Letting the wrists bend backward under load, which strains the wrist joints and cuts the lift short.
Going too heavy with a reverse grip, where forearm strength gives out long before the biceps do.
Pulling the elbows back off the pad mid-rep, swapping isolation for shoulder cheating.
Skipping the stretch at the bottom by stopping the rep early, which leaves growth on the table.
5. Barbell Close Grip Bench Press
3 sets 路 8 reps 路 50s rest
The triceps half of the session. Keep the grip inside the shoulders, not painfully narrow.
Steps
Lie on the bench with eyes under the bar and feet planted flat on the floor for a stable base.
Grip the bar with hands about shoulder-width apart, slightly inside your normal bench grip.
Pull your shoulder blades back and down, then unrack the bar to full arm extension over the chest.
Lower the bar slowly to the lower chest with elbows tucked close to your sides at around 30 to 45 degrees.
Pause briefly at the chest, keeping the wrists stacked over the elbows and full-body tension intact.
Press the bar back up by driving through the triceps until the arms are fully locked out.
Cues
Hands inside shoulders.
Elbows brush the ribs.
Press straight up.
Common mistakes
Gripping the bar too narrow, which strains the wrists without adding any extra triceps work.
Letting the elbows flare out wide, turning the lift back into a regular bench and reducing triceps load.
Bouncing the bar off the chest to use momentum instead of a controlled pause and press.
Allowing the wrists to bend back under the bar, which leaks force and stresses the joints.