Exercise guide
Dumbbell Incline Inner Biceps Curl
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Rep-based
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
This variation emphasizes the short (inner) head of the biceps by placing the arms behind the torso and rotating the palms outward. The incline position provides a deep stretch, leading to greater muscle fiber recruitment and hypertrophy.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Set an adjustable bench to a 45 to 60-degree incline.
- Sit back with your head and spine firmly against the pad and feet flat on the floor for stability.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging straight down toward the floor.
- Rotate your wrists so your palms are facing away from your body and angled slightly outward.
How to do it
- Exhale as you curl the weights toward your shoulders while keeping your elbows pinned in a fixed position behind your torso.
- Maintain the outward rotation of your palms throughout the entire upward movement to isolate the inner bicep.
- Squeeze your biceps hard at the top of the movement for a one-second peak contraction.
- Inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position using a controlled 3-second tempo.
Form checklist
- Keep your elbows stationary and pointed toward the floor; do not let them swing forward.
- Ensure your back and head stay in constant contact with the bench.
- Achieve a full range of motion by fully extending the arms at the bottom of every rep.
- Avoid using momentum or arching your lower back to move the weight.
Pro tips
- Focus on turning your pinky fingers toward the ceiling at the top of the movement to maximize the contraction of the short head.
- Keep your shoulders retracted and depressed to prevent the front deltoids from assisting the lift.
Make it harder
- Add a 2-second pause at the bottom of the movement to emphasize the weighted stretch.
- Slow the eccentric phase down to 5 seconds to significantly increase time under tension.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the dumbbell incline inner biceps curl work?
- The dumbbell incline inner biceps curl primarily targets the biceps, and also works the deltoids and triceps as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the dumbbell incline inner biceps curl?
- The dumbbell incline inner biceps curl uses dumbbell.
- Is the dumbbell incline inner biceps curl good for beginners?
- Yes. The dumbbell incline inner biceps curl is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.