Drag Curl

How to do it

1. Stand tall holding a barbell with palms facing forward, hands shoulder-width, bar against your thighs.
2. Pull your elbows back behind your body as you curl, keeping the bar in contact with your torso.
3. Slide the bar up until it reaches your lower chest.
4. Squeeze the biceps with the elbows behind you.
5. Lower the bar along the same path, dragging it down your body.

Tips

• Keep the bar brushing your shirt from start to finish.
• Use less weight than a regular curl: the range is shorter but harder.

Common mistakes

• Letting the bar swing out into a normal curl.
• Shrugging the shoulders up.

Muscles worked by the Drag Curl

• Biceps (long head) Primary36%
• Biceps (short head) Primary26%
• Brachialis Secondary18%
• Brachioradialis Minor6%
• Forearm flexors Minor6%
• Front delts Stabilizer3%
• Spinal erectors (lower back) Stabilizer3%
• Upper abs Stabilizer2%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

With the arm behind the body the long head works from a stretch (Oliveira 2009). Elbow flexion with a supinated grip: both biceps heads lead, brachialis assists, the forearm muscles hold the wrist.

Drag Curl alternatives

Same equipment

• Narrow Grip Barbell CurlBarbell
• Axle Bar CurlBarbell

Different equipment

• Bayesian CurlCable
• Bayesian Curl (Cuff)Cable

Easier

• EZ Bar Drag CurlEZ bar
• Incline Dumbbell CurlDumbbell

Make it harder

• Barbell Cheat CurlBarbell
• Cheat CurlDumbbell

Make it easier

• EZ Bar Drag CurlEZ bar
• Incline Dumbbell CurlDumbbell
• Seated Incline Dumbbell CurlDumbbell
• Narrow Grip Barbell CurlBarbell

Similar exercises

• Decline Dumbbell CurlDumbbell
• Dumbbell Drag CurlDumbbell

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Drag Curl work?

Mainly the biceps (long head) and biceps (short head). The brachialis assist.

Is the Drag Curl good for beginners?

The Drag Curl is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the EZ Bar Drag Curl first and build up from there.

What is a good alternative to the Drag Curl?

For example the Bayesian Curl, Bayesian Curl (Cuff) and EZ Bar Drag Curl. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Drag Curl harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Barbell Cheat Curl and Cheat Curl.

Sources

• Oliveira et al. 2009, J Sports Sci Med 8(1):24-29 (shoulder position and biceps activity)

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