Arms · Curl
Incline Cable Curl
The Incline Cable Curl mainly trains your biceps. Also working: forearms.
Both cables
Adjustable bench
Stable
How to do it
- Set the backrest of the adjustable bench to about 60°, lean back, arms hanging down and back
- Shoulders stay against the backrest
- Bend only at the elbows, elbows pointing to the floor
- Lower slowly to full extension
Coach’s tip
Like the Bayesian curl, except the backrest holds you in place: so you can make full use of the stretch without getting pulled backward. Plan on less weight than for a regular curl.
Noticeably loads the shoulder. 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
Both pulleys at the bottom, bench in front with the backrest toward the machine
Grip
Single handles
Load
Both cables
Needs two cable towers
You need
Adjustable bench
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 Incline Cable Curl work?
Mainly the biceps. The forearms help.
How do I set up the cable machine for the Incline Cable Curl?
Pulley: Both pulleys at the bottom, bench in front with the backrest toward the machine. Grip: Single handles. You also need: Adjustable bench.
Can I do the Incline Cable Curl on a single cable tower?
Not like this. The Incline Cable Curl needs both cables at once, so two towers. If you set up DCFT for one tower, the app leaves it out of your plan and uses exercises such as Rope Hammer Curl and Cable Bar Curl instead.
What can I do instead of the Incline Cable Curl?
For the same movement: Cable Biceps Curl, Rope Hammer Curl and Cable Bar Curl. In DCFT you swap with one tap.
DCFT
The Incline Cable 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.