Exercise Comparison
Brachialis-SMR vs Seated Dumbbell 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.
Seated Dumbbell Curl
Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell on each hand being held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the torso.
Rotate the palms of the hands so that they are facing your torso. This will be your starting position.
While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the weights and start twisting the wrists once the dumbbells pass your thighs so that the palms of your hands face forward at the end of the movement. Make sure that you contract the biceps as you breathe out and make sure that only the forearms move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps.
Slowly begin to bring the dumbbells back to the starting position as your breathe in and as you rotate the wrists back to a neutral grip.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the biceps. Brachialis-SMR is a intermediate exercise using foam roll, while Seated Dumbbell Curl is beginner and uses dumbbell. Choose Seated Dumbbell Curl if you're looking for a more accessible option, or Brachialis-SMR for a greater challenge.