Drag Curl

A barbell curl where the elbows travel backward and the bar drags up the torso, eliminating front-delt assistance and emphasizing the long head of the biceps.

How to do it

1. Stand holding a barbell with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Start with the bar at the thighs and elbows at the sides.
3. Curl the bar by sliding (dragging) it straight up along your body.
4. As the bar rises, let the elbows travel backward so the bar stays in contact with your torso.
5. Stop when the bar reaches mid-chest; the biceps will be fully shortened.
6. Lower under control along the same path and repeat.

Tips

• Use significantly less weight than a standard curl — the altered mechanics make it much harder.
• The bar should never move away from the body.

Muscles

Primary: Biceps

Secondary: Brachialis