The Seated Dumbbell Curl is a beginner-friendly dumbbell strength exercise that targets the biceps, with the forearms working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesBiceps
Secondary musclesForearms
EquipmentDumbbell
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Seated Dumbbell Curl
Set an adjustable bench upright and sit with your back flat against the pad.
Plant your feet on the floor about hip-width apart with your knees bent.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging and palms facing forward.
Curl both dumbbells toward your shoulders, moving only at the elbows.
Squeeze the biceps at the top without letting your shoulders shrug.
Lower the dumbbells slowly to full extension and repeat.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
The supported back makes cheating obvious, so the biceps take the load.
Each arm works independently, which exposes side-to-side differences.
Needs only a bench and a pair of dumbbells, so it fits minimal home setups.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Peeling the back off the pad to start the rep, which reintroduces the swing the seat removes.
Letting the elbows drift back behind the torso, which shortens the range at the bottom.
Dropping the weights quickly, which throws away half of every rep.
Shrugging at the top, which passes work to the traps instead of the biceps.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Seated Dumbbell Curl, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
