Incline Inner Biceps Curl
The incline inner biceps curl has you recline on an angled bench with your arms hanging out to the sides rather than straight down, then curl the dumbbells up while keeping that outward angle. Starting with the arms slightly away from the body shifts more emphasis onto the long head of the biceps, the part that runs along the outer edge of the muscle. It's a detail-focused variation for lifters who already curl regularly and want to target that specific part of the arm.
Why it works
The biceps has two heads that both cross the shoulder and elbow joints, and the angle your arm hangs at changes how much each one contributes. Letting your arms drift out to the sides instead of hanging straight down puts the shoulder in a position that stretches the long head of the biceps more than a curl with the arms held close to the torso. The incline bench itself does the same job it does in a standard incline curl, pinning your torso in place and keeping your shoulders from swinging to help lift the weight, so the extra emphasis from the arm angle isn't diluted by momentum.
Set up
- Set an incline bench to a moderate angle, around 45 to 60 degrees.
- Sit back with your shoulders and upper back against the pad, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Let your arms hang out to the sides at roughly a 30 to 45 degree angle from your torso, palms facing forward.
How to do it
- Curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders while keeping your arms out at that same outward angle.
- Avoid letting your elbows drift inward toward your ribs as the weight rises.
- Squeeze the biceps briefly at the top of the curl.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly back to a full stretch before starting the next rep.
- Repeat for the target number of reps.
Form cues
- Hold your arms out at a consistent angle from your torso the whole set.
- Curl straight up, don't let the dumbbells drift across your body.
- Keep your shoulders pinned to the backrest.
- Lower all the way to a full stretch each rep.
Breathing: Exhale as you curl the dumbbells up, inhale as you lower them back down.
Common mistakes
Letting the elbows drift back in toward the torso during the curl.
Fix: Keep your arms held out at the same angle for the whole set; drifting inward turns this into a standard incline curl and loses the point of the variation.
Swinging the dumbbells across the body instead of curling straight up.
Fix: Curl on a straight vertical path from wherever your arm is angled, rather than letting the weight sweep inward.
Using a bench angle so shallow it barely differs from a seated curl.
Fix: Set the bench closer to 45 to 60 degrees so your shoulders sit behind your hips for a real stretch.
How to program it
- Two or three sets of 10 to 12 reps is a solid range for this detail-focused biceps exercise.
- Twice a week is plenty for a single-joint arm exercise like this one, spaced a few days apart.
- Use lighter dumbbells than your standard incline curl, since holding the outward arm angle makes the same weight feel heavier.
- Place it later in an arm workout, after your main curling movement, since it's better suited to refining than to moving heavy weight.
Safety notes
- Keep the outward arm angle moderate, around 30 to 45 degrees; going wider can put unnecessary strain on the front of the shoulder.
- Ease off the weight if you feel a sharp pull at the front of the shoulder instead of a stretch through the biceps.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Pull
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
How many reps should I do for the incline inner biceps curl?
Two or three sets of 10 to 12 reps is a good starting point. Use less weight than your usual incline curl, since the outward angle makes it feel harder.
What's the difference between this and a regular incline dumbbell curl?
This version holds your arms out to the sides at an angle instead of straight down, which shifts more emphasis onto the long head of the biceps.
What can I do without an incline bench?
Seated Dumbbell Inner Biceps Curl uses the same outward arm path on a flat bench.
Why does this feel different from a standard curl even with the same weight?
Holding your arms out to the sides puts the long head of the biceps under a different stretch than a curl with arms hanging straight down, which changes how the effort feels even at the same load.