The bicep curl is the ‘classic’ dumbell weight exercise and is often the first that comes to mind when thinking of dumbell’s. It is important for any free weight exercise to be warmed up and to know correct technique, as it is easy to cause more damage to your body than good by doing an exercise wrongly.

The bicep curl is mostly performed with the wrists turned upwards and the arm can be either supported (for example by a prearcher bench) or free standing, while in the seated or standing position. It is a versatile exercise – important in general fitness and strength building as well as building bulk and most importantly it can be performed with just your dumbell weights as equipment.

The following video is a great place to start with bicep curls and to give you an idea of what your curls should look like. A useful tip for any weight exercises is to use a mirror to ensure that you are aligned correctly and exercising with the proper technique – those mirrors in gyms are there for reasons other than just checking yourself out!