Home / Exercises / Dumbbell Standing Inner Biceps Curl
Dumbbell Standing Inner Biceps Curl animation

How to do the Dumbbell Standing Inner Biceps Curl

BicepsDumbbellIntermediate

The dumbbell standing inner biceps curl targets the often-neglected inner head of the biceps by rotating the grip outward, building that coveted peak and full arm thickness. Master this variation and you will unlock a dimension of biceps development that standard curls simply cannot reach.

Add this to my personalized plan →

Muscles worked

Primary
Biceps
Secondary
BrachialisForearms

Step-by-step

  1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing outward at roughly a 45-degree angle away from your body.
  2. Keeping your elbows pinned tight to your sides, curl both dumbbells upward in a smooth arc toward your shoulders.
  3. Squeeze the biceps hard at the top for a full second, ensuring the pinky-side of your hand leads the movement throughout.
  4. Lower the dumbbells under full control over two to three seconds, resisting gravity all the way back to the start position.

Common mistakes

  • Allowing elbows to drift forward during the curl, which shifts load to the front delts — brace your upper arms against your torso and keep them stationary throughout the lift.
  • Using momentum by swinging the torso to initiate the curl, which bleeds tension from the biceps — reduce the weight and own every inch of the rep with muscle alone.
  • Losing the outward wrist rotation at the top of the movement, which defeats the purpose of this variation — consciously drive the pinky upward and maintain that supinated angle through the full range.

Pro tip — At the very top of the curl, actively pronate and then re-supinate the wrist slightly while holding the peak contraction — this micro-rotation fires additional motor units in the inner biceps head and dramatically intensifies the squeeze without adding any load.

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 →