At a glance
- Main muscle
- Biceps
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Rep range in Mitta
- 8 to 12 reps
- Skill level
- Beginner
- How tiring
- Low
- Weight step in Mitta
- 1 kg
How to do it
- Bench at 45–60°.
- Let your arms hang straight down.
- Don't let your elbows drift forward.
Pick a weight you can lift for 8 to 12 reps with good form, and stop each set with a few reps left in the tank.
Why rating A
Stretches the long head; gave more proximal growth than preacher curls, similar overall.1
Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.
Alternatives
These train the same muscle. Use one if you lack the equipment, if this exercise does not feel right, or for some variety.
- Bayesian Cable Curl · Cable · rating A
- Dumbbell Preacher Curl · Dumbbell · rating A
- Dumbbell Curl · Dumbbell · rating B
Keep learning
- What is progressive overload, and how do you do it?
- How many sets per muscle per week?
- What is RIR, and how do you estimate it?
- One-rep max calculator: your max from any hard set of the incline dumbbell curl.
Let Mitta set the weight.
Mitta plans the incline dumbbell curl with a weight and rep target for every set, worked out from your last sessions.
Questions about the
incline dumbbell curl
What muscles does the incline dumbbell curl work?
The incline dumbbell curl mainly trains your biceps.
How many reps of the incline dumbbell curl should I do?
Mitta plans the incline dumbbell curl at 8 to 12 reps per set. Most sets should end with only a few reps left in the tank.
What can I do instead of the incline dumbbell curl?
Good alternatives that train the same muscle are the Bayesian cable curl, dumbbell preacher curl and dumbbell curl.
Is the incline dumbbell curl good for beginners?
Yes. It is easy to learn, so it suits people who are new to lifting.
Why does the incline dumbbell curl have rating A?
Stretches the long head; gave more proximal growth than preacher curls, similar overall.
Sources
- Kassiano et al. 2025, Int J Sports Med (preacher vs incline curl: regionaal verschil, totaal vergelijkbaar) doi.org/10.1055/a-2517-0509