Lying Close-Grip Bar Curl On High Pulley
This is a biceps curl done flat on your back with a close-grip bar attached to a high cable pulley behind your head. Lying down and pulling from an overhead angle keeps the cable pulling at your biceps through the entire range instead of going slack at the top like a free-weight curl does. It's a beginner-friendly isolation move for anyone who wants a different biceps stimulus than a standard curl.
Why it works
A dumbbell curl loses tension right where your arm is fully bent, because gravity stops pulling straight down against the muscle at that angle. Lying under a high pulley changes the direction the resistance comes from, so the cable keeps pulling against your biceps even at the top of the curl. That constant load through the full range is what makes cable curls feel different from free weights, and why lying versions in particular can hit the peak of the curl harder.
Set up
- Attach a close-grip or EZ-bar handle to a high pulley on a cable station.
- Lie on your back on a mat or bench with your head near the base of the tower.
- Reach up and back to grip the bar with both hands, arms extended toward the pulley.
- Choose a weight that keeps the cable taut even with your arms fully stretched.
How to do it
- Lie flat with your head close to the tower and your arms extended overhead holding the bar.
- Brace your core and keep your upper arms fixed against the floor or bench.
- Curl the bar down toward your forehead, bending only at the elbows.
- Pause and squeeze your biceps hard once the bar is as close to your head as your shoulders allow.
- Extend your arms back out slowly, keeping the cable under tension the whole way.
- Repeat for the set without letting your elbows drift forward.
Form cues
- Elbows stay planted, only the forearms travel.
- Squeeze hard at the top instead of just touching it.
- Control the stretch back out, don't let the weight stack yank your arms.
- Keep your shoulders down, away from your ears.
Breathing: Exhale as you curl the bar toward your head, inhale as you extend back out.
Common mistakes
Letting the elbows flare forward or out to the sides during the curl.
Fix: Keep your upper arms pinned in place and let the movement come only from the elbow joint.
Using momentum from the shoulders or a shrug to help drag the bar up.
Fix: Drop the weight until you can complete the curl using your biceps alone, with your shoulders staying still.
Letting the cable snap the arms back out on the way down.
Fix: Resist the pulley the entire way back to the stretched position instead of letting the weight stack do the work.
How to program it
- As a beginner isolation move, 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps most training days that include arm work suits it well.
- It fits at the end of a pull or upper-body session, after your heavier rowing or pulling movements are done.
- Add a small amount of weight only once every rep in the set keeps the elbows still and the range full.
Safety notes
- Keep the weight light enough that your elbows and shoulders don't shift position mid-curl; a lying angle makes it easy to compensate with your shoulders if the load is too heavy.
- Stop the set if you feel any pinching at the front of the shoulder rather than pushing through it.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Pull
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
How many sets and reps for the lying close-grip bar curl on high pulley?
Two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps works well for most people, since it's a beginner-friendly isolation move rather than a heavy compound lift.
What can I do instead if I don't have a cable machine?
A standard EZ-bar curl or alternating dumbbell curl trains the same biceps through a comparable range without needing a cable tower.
Why do my elbows hurt during this curl?
That usually means the elbows are drifting forward or the weight is too heavy for a controlled range. Pin your upper arms in place and lighten the load until the movement stays smooth.
Lying cable curl vs standard barbell curl: what's the difference?
A barbell curl loses tension near the top as your arm bends past a certain angle, while the lying cable version keeps the cable pulling on your biceps through the whole range, including that peak-contraction point.