Drag Curl (Dumbbell)

A bicep curl variation where dumbbells are dragged up the body with elbows behind the torso, maximizing bicep contraction and reducing shoulder involvement.

Instructions

1. Stand upright with dumbbells at your sides and your feet hip-width apart.
2. Keep your elbows close to your body and slightly behind your torso.
3. Curl the dumbbells upward by bending at the elbows, dragging them along the front of your body.
4. As you curl, keep the dumbbells in contact with or very close to your body.
5. Continue curling until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells reach chest height.
6. Lower the dumbbells back down along the same path with control.
7. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Tips

• The key to this exercise is keeping the dumbbells close to your body throughout the movement
• Positioning your elbows behind your torso maximizes bicep contraction at the top
• Avoid swinging the dumbbells or using momentum
• This variation removes shoulder involvement compared to standard curls
• The dragging motion creates consistent tension on the biceps
• Start with lighter weights than traditional curls to maintain proper form
• Control both the upward and downward portions of the movement