Barbell curl

Barbell, or EZ bar

Also called standing barbell curl, straight bar curl

Stand holding a barbell with an underhand grip, curl it up to the shoulders with the elbows at your sides, then lower slowly.

Movement

Main movers get full credit for a set, helpers half.

Upper body

Scores 1-5 averaged over sources. Tap a rating for the claims behind it. Claims are our summaries of the linked sources, fact-checked by AI.

Muscle growth higher is better3.0
Solid; a reasonable default. 1 source.
- 3/5 C+ upgraded to B for accessibility; weak tension at the stretch, wrist strain, ties up a rack. Jeff Nippard, The Best And Worst Biceps Exercises @ 2:34videoExpert opinion2024checked by AI
Stimulus to fatigue higher is better5.0
Large stimulus with little fatigue. 1 source.
- 5/5 Strict curling keeps fatigue local to the biceps, the ideal local-to-systemic ratio. Renaissance Periodization, How Safe And Effective Is Ego Lifting REALLY? @ 19:24videoExpert opinion2025checked by AI
Elbow stress lower is better4.0
Elevated; a common source of elbow irritation. 1 source.
- 4/5 Gripping a straight bar with both hands forces the forearms into a fixed line at odds with the elbow carrying angle, straining wrists and elbows over many reps. Jeremy Ethier, Workouts That WRECK Your Joints (I Wish I Knew This Sooner) @ 7:09videoExpert opinion2025checked by AI