Home / Exercises / Cable One Arm Inner Biceps Curl
Cable One Arm Inner Biceps Curl animation

How to do the Cable One Arm Inner Biceps Curl

BicepsCableBeginner

The cable one arm inner biceps curl uses a fixed line of resistance to keep constant tension on your biceps through every degree of the movement, making it one of the most effective tools for building peak and thickness. Master this unilateral cable pattern early and you build the strength foundation and mind-muscle connection that pays dividends for years.

Add this to my personalized plan →

Muscles worked

Primary
Biceps
Secondary
BrachialisForearms

Step-by-step

  1. Set the cable pulley to the lowest position, grip the handle with your palm facing up and step slightly away from the stack to keep tension before you begin
  2. Pin your elbow firmly against the inner side of your thigh or just inside your hip, using your body as a stable anchor point
  3. Curl the handle in a smooth arc toward your shoulder, squeezing the biceps hard at the top without letting your elbow drift forward
  4. Lower the weight under full control back to a near-straight arm, feeling the cable stretch the biceps before initiating the next rep

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the torso to help the weight up, which shifts load off the biceps onto momentum, fix this by slowing the tempo and reducing the weight until you can lift with a rigid torso
  • Letting the elbow travel forward at the top, which recruits the front deltoid and reduces biceps peak contraction, fix this by keeping the elbow anchored in place throughout the entire rep
  • Releasing tension at the bottom by letting the cable go slack, which wastes the greatest advantage of cable training, fix this by stopping just short of full extension so the biceps stays loaded

Pro tip — Angle your wrist into slight supination, rotating the pinky slightly higher than the thumb at peak contraction, to fully engage the biceps brachii and maximize the peak squeeze the cable angle makes possible.

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

Barbell CurlBarbell CurlBarbell Drag CurlBarbell Drag CurlBarbell Preacher CurlBarbell Preacher CurlBarbell Seated Close Grip Concentration CurlBarbell Seated Close Grip Concentration CurlBarbell Standing Wide Grip CurlBarbell Standing Wide Grip CurlCable Lying Close »Rip CurlCable Lying Close »Rip Curl
Want this built into a full plan?2fit4u turns moves like this into your personalized weekly program — free to start.
Build my free plan →