Dumbbell drag curl

Muscles worked: Upper arms
Upper arms
🔧 Dumbbells ↕ Pull 🏋️ kg × reps Difficulty:

Muscle outlines from Body Muscles by Ivan Vulović, Apache 2.0 — regrouped and recoloured for Muscle Train.

How to perform

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells, palms facing forward. Start with arms extended, dumbbells lightly touching your thighs. Brace your core, retract your shoulders, and maintain an upright torso. Drive your elbows straight back, allowing the dumbbells to 'drag' up your chest – keep them in contact with your ribs. Pause at the top, elbows pointing back, squeezing your biceps. Lower slowly (2-3 seconds), maintaining contact with your torso. Reset and repeat. Perform 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Muscles Worked

Biceps brachii (long head emphasis)
Secondary: Brachialis, brachioradialis, posterior deltoid, core stabilizers

Tips

Focus on driving your elbows back, not up. Keep dumbbells glued to your torso throughout the movement. A shorter range of motion is normal; avoid swinging the weights. Use a lighter weight than you would for a standard curl to ensure proper form and maximize bicep engagement.

Similar exercises

Barbell drag curl Forearms · 🔧 Barbell 2/10 Dumbbell curl to press Shoulders, Upper arms · 🔧 Dumbbells 3/10 Dumbbell twist curl Upper arms · 🔧 Dumbbells 2/10 Dumbbell reverse curl Upper arms · 🔧 Dumbbells 2/10 Dumbbell lower curl Upper arms · 🔧 Dumbbells 2/10 Dumbbell hammer curl Upper arms, Forearms · 🔧 Dumbbells 2/10 Dumbbell upper curl Upper arms · 🔧 Dumbbells 2/10 Dumbbell seated curl Upper arms · 🔧 Dumbbells 2/10
Feedback

Found a bug or have an idea?

MuscleTrain is actively being built. If something looks broken, or you have a suggestion, let us know — it really helps shape the app.