How to do the Cable Biceps Curl (SZ Bar)
BicepsCableBeginner
The cable biceps curl with an EZ bar keeps constant tension on your biceps throughout the entire range of motion, making it one of the most effective tools for building arm size and strength. The angled grips of the SZ bar also reduce wrist strain, so you can focus entirely on loading the muscle.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
Biceps
Secondary
BrachialisForearms
Step-by-step
- Stand facing the cable stack, grip the SZ bar at the angled outer handles with an underhand grip, and set your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Pin your elbows firmly against your sides and keep them there for the entire set.
- Curl the bar smoothly up toward your upper chest, squeezing the biceps hard at the top.
- Lower the bar slowly under control until your arms are fully extended, feeling the stretch at the bottom.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the torso to help lift the weight — reduce the load and initiate every rep with your biceps only, not momentum.
- Letting the elbows drift forward at the top — keep them anchored at your sides to maintain peak tension on the biceps.
- Cutting the range of motion short at the bottom — fully extend your arms on every rep to maximize the stretch and muscle activation.
Pro tip — At the very top of each rep, tilt the bar slightly toward you by supinating your wrists a fraction more — this small adjustment intensifies the biceps peak contraction in a way most lifters never tap into.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
More Biceps exercises
Want this built into a full plan?2fit4u turns moves like this into your personalized weekly program — free to start.
Build my free plan →