Barbell exercise

Drag Curl (Barbell) form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The drag curl is a barbell curl variation in which the bar is dragged up the front of the torso with the elbows traveling backward, emphasizing the long head of the biceps while removing front-delt assistance. Lifters use it to build biceps peak and add a novel hypertrophy stimulus when standard curls have grown stale, typically with lighter weight and strict form.

Drag Curl (Barbell) illustration

How to do Drag Curl (Barbell)

  1. 1Stand holding a barbell with an underhand, shoulder-width grip resting against your thighs.
  2. 2Brace your core and keep your torso upright with a neutral spine.
  3. 3Exhale as you drag the bar straight up your body by bending your elbows and driving them behind you, keeping the bar in contact with your torso.
  4. 4Do not let the elbows drift forward or the shoulders roll to lift the bar higher; the bar should only reach the lower chest.
  5. 5Squeeze the biceps at the top, then inhale as you slide the bar back down your body under control.

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Track Drag Curl (Barbell) in Plates

Save this movement to a workout template, log sets and rest periods, and keep your training history in one focused gym tracker.