Biceps curls with hanldebar and cable pulley

This exercise targets your biceps directly and strengthens your arms for more power in everyday life and during workouts.

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Preparation

Attach the cable in the lower position and insert the handlebar.

Starting Position

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and keep your upper body upright and stable. Pull your shoulders back and stretch your chest forward. Grab the handlebar with both hands shoulder-width apart in an underhand grip. Engage your entire body.

Execution

Raise the handlebar evenly up to the maximum height. Then lower it slowly and controlled back to the starting position.

Muscles Used

Biceps

Tip

Make sure to keep your elbows close to your body. The upper body, as well as shoulders and upper arms, remain still - the work is done solely by the elbows.

What makes this exercise particularly effective?

This variant combines the handlebar with the cable pull, ensuring a uniform, constant resistance throughout the entire range of motion. Unlike free weights or traditional dumbbell curls, there are no points where the resistance “decreases.”

The cable ensures that the resistance is effective not only during lifting (concentric) but also when lowering (eccentric).

The handlebar stabilizes the hand position and reduces the need for wrist or forearm rotations, making execution more stable and controlled.

In addition, the cable allows for different loading angles depending on the height and angle of the pulling point. This enables targeted training of the biceps—from a greater stretch at the beginning to maximum contraction at the end.

What effect does the exercise achieve?

Strong bicep development: Constant resistance engages both the long and short heads of the biceps, making it ideal for muscle mass and definition.
Muscle contraction & pump: The continuous tension often produces a stronger “muscle pump,” as no part of the movement is skipped, unlike some free-weight exercises. Studies show that cable curls with bar or rope often produce better force effects under constant resistance.
Improved joint and wrist behavior: The handlebar ensures stable alignment, and the cable pulley minimizes momentum, reducing strain on wrists and elbows compared to unstable or freely guided variations.
Versatile adjustment: By changing the pulling angle, grip width, weight, or speed, the exercise can be precisely adapted to your level and goals.

How does this exercise fit into the Big 5 concept?

The Big 5 include the fundamental exercises: squat, deadlift, bench press, pull-up or lat pulldown, and shoulder press. Even though “biceps curls with bar and cable pulley” are not part of the classic Big 5, this exercise can be a meaningful addition:

Supports pulling movements: Improves arm and forearm strength, supporting exercises such as pull-ups, rows, or other pulling movements.
Helps prevent muscular imbalances: Strong biceps ensure that the pulling muscles (lats, back) are balanced, avoiding poor posture or compensatory movements.
Ideal as a supportive exercise: Perfect for training concepts like MIKE5, adding extra stimulus, promoting hypertrophy, and helping to overcome training plateaus.