# High Dumbbell Curl

A standing dumbbell curl with both upper arms held out to the sides at shoulder height, curling the dumbbells in toward your ears. Trains the biceps with the most tension at the start of the curl.

- Beginner · Isolation
- Equipment: Dumbbells
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-high-curl/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/high-dumbbell-curl/

## Muscles worked

- Biceps: 9/10
- Side delts: 5/10
- Supraspinatus: 4/10
- Forearms: 4/10
- Traps: 3/10

## How to do the High Dumbbell Curl

1. Stand tall, arms out to the sides at shoulder height, palms up.
2. Curl the dumbbells toward your ears, bending only at your elbows.
3. Slowly extend your arms back out, keeping your upper arms level.

### Full technique — 6 steps

1. Stand tall with feet about shoulder width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip.
2. Raise both arms out to the sides to shoulder height with a slight elbow bend and palms up.
3. Keep your shoulders down and your upper arms level with your shoulders.
4. Curl the dumbbells toward your ears by bending your elbows without dropping your upper arms.
5. Squeeze the biceps in the fully curled position when the dumbbells are beside your head.
6. Lower the dumbbells back out until your elbows are nearly straight, upper arms still at shoulder height.

## Common mistakes

- Letting the upper arms drop
- Shrugging shoulders toward ears
- Cutting off the bottom range
- Leaning back to start reps

## Form cues

- Keep upper arms still
- Palms stay up
- Keep shoulders down
- Curl toward your ears

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3 sets of 8–10 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 1 min · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Endurance** (good fit): 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Cable machine**: [Overhead Cable Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/overhead-cable-curl/), [Single-Arm Cable Cross-Body Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/cable-curl-behind-back/)
- **No equipment**: [EZ Bar Preacher Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/ez-bar-preacher-curl/), [EZ Bar Spider Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/ez-bar-spider-curl/)
- **Kettlebell**: [Kettlebell Concentration Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-concentration-curl/), [Incline Bench Kettlebell Preacher Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/incline-bench-kettlebell-preacher-curl/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Resistance Band Spider Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-spider-curl/), [Squatting Resistance Band Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/squatting-resistance-band-curl/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Alternating Machine Biceps Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/alternating-machine-biceps-curl/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: High Dumbbell Curl — Beginner**
- Harder: [Barbell Curl](https://seto.fit/exercises/barbell-curl/) — Beginner

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the High Dumbbell Curl work?

Primary: Biceps 9/10. Also works: Side delts 5/10, Supraspinatus 4/10, Forearms 4/10, Traps 3/10.

### Which joints does the High Dumbbell Curl load?

Shoulder: moderate, Elbow: low, Wrist: low. Shoulder — lighter options: Incline Dumbbell Curl, Single-Arm Cable Cross-Body Curl, Single Arm Dumbbell Zottman Preacher Curl.

### When should I do the High Dumbbell Curl in a workout?

Finisher. Goes last, once the heavy work is done. ≈ 6 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the High Dumbbell Curl?

Strength: 3 sets of 8–10 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 1 min, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the High Dumbbell Curl?

Cable machine: Overhead Cable Curl, Single-Arm Cable Cross-Body Curl. No equipment: EZ Bar Preacher Curl, EZ Bar Spider Curl. Kettlebell: Kettlebell Concentration Curl, Incline Bench Kettlebell Preacher Curl. Resistance bands: Resistance Band Spider Curl, Squatting Resistance Band Curl.

### What is an easier version of the High Dumbbell Curl?

Alternating Machine Biceps Curl (Beginner).

### What is a harder version of the High Dumbbell Curl?

Barbell Curl (Beginner).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

---
seto — Fast, simple, clever workout tracking — offline-first by design. https://seto.fit/

Video licensed for playback on seto only — copying, downloading, or redistribution is prohibited. https://seto.fit/terms/