Arms · Curl
Cable Bar Curl
The Cable Bar Curl mainly trains your biceps. Also working: forearms.
One cable
Stable
How to do it
- Stand close in front of the pulley, elbows slightly in front of your hips
- Curl the bar in an arc toward your shoulders
- Squeeze at the top, wrists stay straight
- Lower slowly to full extension
Coach’s tip
The bar lets you move the most weight. If your wrists or elbows bother you, use the EZ bar: the slightly angled grip noticeably reduces the strain.
Noticeably loads the elbow. If you tell DCFT that this joint bothers you, the app leaves exercises like this one out and picks a better supported alternative.
Setup
Pulley
Pulley at the bottom
Grip
EZ bar or short bar, underhand grip
Load
One cable
You need
one of: EZ bar, Short straight bar
Stability
A bench, the floor or the frame takes the counterforce, or the cable pulls straight up or down. Good for heavy sets.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the same movement (curl). In DCFT you can swap with one tap, and the app only offers what your equipment allows.
Questions about this exercise
What muscles does the Cable Bar Curl work?
Mainly the biceps. The forearms help.
How do I set up the cable machine for the Cable Bar Curl?
Pulley: Pulley at the bottom. Grip: EZ bar or short bar, underhand grip.
What can I do instead of the Cable Bar Curl?
For the same movement: Cable Biceps Curl, Rope Hammer Curl and High Cable Curl. In DCFT you swap with one tap.
DCFT
The Cable Bar Curl in DCFT
In the app this exercise comes with your weight: the plate to pin, what you lifted last time and a rest timer that starts by itself.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription.