Exercise Comparison
Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl vs Drag Curl
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Instructions
Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl
Sit down on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand being held at arms length. Tip: Keep the elbows close to the torso.This will be your starting position.
While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the right weight forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. As you do so, rotate the hand so that the palm is facing up. Continue the movement until your biceps is fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps. Tip: Only the forearms should move.
Slowly begin to bring the dumbbell back to starting position as your breathe in.
Repeat the movement with the left hand. This equals one repetition.
Continue alternating in this manner for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Drag Curl
Grab a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing forward) and get your elbows close to your torso and back. This will be your starting position.
As you exhale, curl the bar up while keeping the elbows to the back as you "Drag" the bar up by keeping it in contact with your torso. Tip: As you can see, you will not be keeping the elbows pinned to your sides, but instead you will be bringing them back. Also, do not lift your shoulders.
Slowly go back to the starting position as you keep the bar in contact with the torso at all times.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the biceps. Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl is a beginner exercise using dumbbell, while Drag Curl is intermediate and uses barbell. Choose Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl if you're looking for a more accessible option, or Drag Curl for a greater challenge. Drag Curl is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl isolates the target muscle for focused development.