By FAR the single most common form mistake that people make with “biceps curls” of all types and variations is that they SWING the weight up!!
It looks something like this (and this is actually a very subtle swing compared to many that I see at the gym):
The tell-tale sign is the rocking back-and-forth motion of the upper body.
Swinging the weight like that is extremely counter-productive and even detrimental to your gains (with one exception I’ll address below), for all of the following reasons:
- MOMENTUM is doing much of the work… not the target muscles.
- That momentum is actually largely generated from your BACK and LEGS, and can cause injuries to them
- The swinging throws off the LENGTH-TENSION curve of the biceps and other elbow flexors
- It also LIMITS any significant load-bearing to certain ranges of motion, while leaving others out (they’re effectively “skipped” as momentum takes over), which leads to the next two points (5 & 6)
- It creates WEAKNESSES in the “skipped” ranges of motion, making the chances of tears and other injuries all but inevitable
- It leads to UNEVEN GROWTH across the length of the biceps and other elbow flexors, since ranges of motion play a huge role in determining regional hypertrophy
However, the insidious aspect of this rocking / swinging error is that most people don’t even realize they’re doing it!!
They think they’re using good form… but close observation reveals a subtle back-and-forth rocking motion of their upper body. It’s a natural, even subconscious action our bodies take, particularly when relatively heavy weight is involved. Yet even very slight use of momentum can have disproportionately negative effects!
I published a YouTube video a long time ago in which I gave one technique for avoiding the use of momentum, which is to learn your upper body forward slightly and use very slow, controlled movements, shown in the GIF below:
Note: I’m actually using the exact same weight below as I am in the swinging example above. However, I could go all day with the swinging form (legitimately 30+ reps)… while using the proper form below I can only do 8-10 reps. That goes to show just how much load the swinging motion takes off of the biceps!!
However, today I want to give you a technique that is even MORE effective at completely removing all use of momentum and fully isolating the biceps:
KNEELING while performing curls!!
Yes, it may look odd. Yes, some people may give you some weird looks at the gym. But who cares?? And nobody will argue with the results!
If you’re skeptical, just try it once! Use the same weight that you’d normally max out at 8-10 reps with, and you’ll find that somehow, magically, the weight is significantly heavier!
How does it work?
I told you above that the momentum is mostly generated by the back and legs. Kneeling down prevents them from doing so! Your biceps (and other elbow flexors) will be taking on a greater percentage of the true load than they ever have before… and they’ll do so through the entire range of motion of the curl!
Of course, I’m NOT saying that you should kneel with all biceps exercises every time. As always, variety is key. But I AM saying that you should consistently work this technique into your routines, and you SHOULD always use at least some kind of technique to eliminate rocking & swinging as much as possible from your form (again, with the one exception below).Yes, it may look odd. Yes, some people may give you some weird looks at the gym. But who cares?? And nobody will argue with the results!
If you’re skeptical, just try it once! Use the same weight that you’d normally max out at 8-10 reps with, and you’ll find that somehow, magically, the weight is significantly heavier!
How does it work?
I told you above that the momentum is mostly generated by the back and legs. Kneeling down prevents them from doing so! Your biceps (and other elbow flexors) will be taking on a greater percentage of the true load than they ever have before… and they’ll do so through the entire range of motion of the curl!
Of course, I’m NOT saying that you should kneel with all biceps exercises every time. As always, variety is key. But I AM saying that you should consistently work this technique into your routines, and you SHOULD always use at least some kind of technique to eliminate rocking & swinging as much as possible from your form (again, with the one exception below).
Application: You can FULLY eliminate swinging and thereby improve your results by KNEELING when performing curls!
EXCEPTION:
As I alluded to above, there is ONE exception to the no swinging rule. That’s if you’re performing a specific type of eccentric-overload technique. It’s done by using more weight than you’d otherwise be able to curl, and using momentum to swing through the concentric phase… then slowly resisting the eccentric (aka “negative”) phase back down without any rocking. Even then though, there still exists the risks inherent in this type of swinging motion. And it’s an advanced move. It’s better to have a workout partner assist you during the concentric phase, or to do them unilaterally and use your opposite hand to assist concentrically. Nevertheless, it is a valid and effective technique for experienced lifters to use!
Note also that there are several other use-cases for momentum with different exercises targeting various other parts of the body, although they’re relatively rare. So what I say above about swinging shouldn’t be extrapolated to all other lifts.
Relevant Research Article(s):
1) Eccentric Overload during Resistance Exercise: A Stimulus for Enhanced Satellite Cell Activation
Related Dr. Gains YouTube Video(s):
1) How To Do MAXIMALLY EFFECTIVE BICEP CURLS!! (Fix These 2 Major Form Mistakes!!)
Dr. Gains 
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