Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using dumbbells.

Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl — Starting position Starting position
Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl — End position End position
Difficulty Beginner
Type Strength
Equipment Dumbbells
Primary Muscle Biceps
AI Rep Counting Log manually

How to Do Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

  1. Stand (torso upright) with a dumbbell in each hand held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the torso and the palms of your hand should be facing your thighs.
  2. While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the right weight as you rotate the palm of the hands until they are facing forward. At this point continue contracting the biceps as you breathe out until your biceps is fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps. Tip: Only the forearms should move.
  3. Slowly begin to bring the dumbbell back to the starting position as your breathe in. Tip: Remember to twist the palms back to the starting position (facing your thighs) as you come down.
  4. Repeat the movement with the left hand. This equals one repetition.
  5. Continue alternating in this manner for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles Worked

Front
Back

Primary

Where Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl does most of its work.

Secondary

Assisting and stabilising muscles.

Alternatives to Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.

  1. 1 Machine Bicep Curl

    Machine Bicep Curl

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  2. 2 Alternate Hammer Curl

    Alternate Hammer Curl

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  3. 3 Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl

    Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  4. 4 Preacher Hammer Dumbbell Curl

    Preacher Hammer Dumbbell Curl

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  5. 5 Incline Dumbbell Curl

    Incline Dumbbell Curl

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  6. 6 Lying Supine Dumbbell Curl

    Lying Supine Dumbbell Curl

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  7. 7 One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

    One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  8. 8 Seated Dumbbell Curl

    Seated Dumbbell Curl

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  9. 9 Seated Dumbbell Inner Biceps Curl

    Seated Dumbbell Inner Biceps Curl

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  10. 10 Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Curl Over Incline Bench

    Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Curl Over Incline Bench

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do dumbbell alternate bicep curl work?

Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl primarily works the biceps. The forearms assist as secondary muscles.

What equipment do I need for dumbbell alternate bicep curl?

Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl uses dumbbells.

Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl: is it suitable for beginners?

Yes. Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.

What can I do instead of dumbbell alternate bicep curl?

Machine Bicep Curl, Alternate Hammer Curl, Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.

Can Fitnit count my dumbbell alternate bicep curl reps automatically?

Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; dumbbell alternate bicep curl can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.

Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.

Track Your Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl with AI

Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.