Exercise description of the incline dumbbell curl.  Learn about the incline dumbbell curl with video and pictures.  Also learn how the incline dumbbell curl can improve your sports performance.

Primary muscles worked:  Biceps

Synergist Muscles:  Forearms

Mechanics:  Isolation

Equipment:  Incline Bench, Dumbbells

How to perform the exercise:  The athlete should grab a pair of dumbbells with an underhand grip and lay with their back flat on an incline bench. The athlete should allow their arms to lay to the side of the body, off of the bench, and perpendicular to the floor. The athlete will then curl the weight up by flexing the arms in an arc like path toward the shoulder. Once the weight is roughly two to three inches from the shoulder, which depends on the athlete, the lifter may return the arms to full extension. This particular style of curl will better isolate the biceps by preventing the shoulder's assistance with the lift.

Spotting the exercise:  During the incline dumbbell curl, the spotter should stand in front of the athlete. If the athlete is unable to complete the desired number of repetitions on their own, the spotter should assist the athlete by applying upward force on the athlete's wrists.

Sport specific application:  The incline dumbbell curl from a sports specific standpoint has some movements which may correlate to this exercise. These movements include any form of underhand pitching in both softball and baseball, movements in tennis, and bowling.