Exercise Comparison
Brachialis-SMR vs Lying High Bench Barbell Curl
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Instructions
Brachialis-SMR
Lie on your side, with your upper arm against the foam roller. The upper arm should be more or less aligned with your body, with the outside of the bicep pressed against the foam roller.
Raise your hips off of the floor, supporting your weight on your arm and on your feet. Hold for 10-30 seconds, and then switch sides.
Lying High Bench Barbell Curl
Lie face forward on a tall flat bench while holding a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing up). Tip: If you are holding a barbell grab it using a shoulder-width grip and if you are using an E-Z Bar grab it on the inner handles. Your upper body should be positioned in a way that the upper chest is over the end of the bench and the barbell is hanging in front of you with the arms extended and perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
While keeping the elbows in and the upper arms stationary, curl the weight up in a semi-circular motion as you contract the biceps and exhale. Hold at the top of the movement for a second.
As you inhale, slowly go back to the starting position. Tip: Maintain full control of the weight at all times and avoid any swinging. Remember, only the forearms should move throughout the movement.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the biceps. Brachialis-SMR is a intermediate exercise using foam roll, while Lying High Bench Barbell Curl is intermediate and uses barbell. Choose Brachialis-SMR if you have access to foam roll, or Lying High Bench Barbell Curl if you prefer barbell.