Are bicep curls better with dumbbells or machines?

Author: Emiliano Huel II  |  Last update: Monday, January 26, 2026

When you do biceps curls with a barbell, for example, the resistance at the top decreases, due to the fact that free weights rely on gravity. When you do curls in a machine, the resistance is maximal throughout, which means more muscle fibers are overloaded for a longer time.

Is it better to use dumbbells or machines for biceps?

Using dumbbells for bicep curls allows for a greater range of motion, angle variation, and increased activation of stabilizing muscles, while using a machine can provide a more controlled and isolated movement with less reliance on stabilizing muscles, and a more uniform resistance curve throughout the ...

What is the most effective form of bicep curls?

We've put together a list of the very best bicep exercises – that aren't your standard dumbbell bicep curl.
  • Concentration Curls (short head)
  • Hammer Curls (long head)
  • EZ Bar Curls (long / short head depending on grip)
  • Preacher Curl (short head)
  • Single Arm High Cable Bicep Curl (short head)

Is it better to do bicep curls with dumbbells?

Using dumbbells for bicep curls allows for a greater range of motion, angle variation, and increased activation of stabilizing muscles, while using a machine can provide a more controlled and isolated movement with less reliance on stabilizing muscles, and a more uniform resistance curve throughout the ...

What is the best technique for bicep curls?

Slowly curl the weight up by bending your elbow, keeping your elbow close to your body. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the front of your upper arm. When you're doing biceps curls, don't swing your arm or elbow.

CABLES OR DUMBBELLS: Which Is Superior?

Do dumbbell curls make biceps bigger?

The best exercise for growing the bicep muscle is any variation of the curl. Curls are best done using a barbell and weights or a set of dumbbells. If you're training in the gym, sitting at a bench or using the preacher curl machine can help to further concentrate tension on the bicep muscle, leading to bigger gains.

Why do bodybuilders use machines instead of free weights?

Many bodybuilders use weight machines instead of free weights to isolate muscle groups. Unlike free weights, machines help target specific muscles that bodybuilders may want to build and sculpt for competitions.

What are the disadvantages of machine weights?

The cons. Many machines do not allow you to express full range of motion around the joints. This may encourage faulty movement patterns and increase your injury risk. Moving a weight through one plane could be described as unnatural – you are not required to activate many stabilising muscles.

Can you build muscle with machines only?

As a fitness coach, I'm often asked whether training with machines is enough to add a significant amount of muscle or if muscle growth only happens with dumbbell, barbell, or kettlebell training. So, can you build muscle using machines? Yes, machines can lead to significant muscle growth.

What curl is best for biceps growth?

Preacher Curl Variations for Biceps Growth:
  • Cable preacher curl (underhand, hammer)
  • EZ-bar preacher curl.
  • Dumbbell preacher curl (bilateral, single-arm, hammer)
  • Spider curl (dumbbell, EZ-bar)
  • Machine preacher curl (bilateral, single-arm)

Is it better to do bicep curls fast or slow?

By lifting and lowering the weight slowly, you engage the muscles for a longer duration, leading to increased time under tension. This prolonged tension can stimulate muscle growth and hypertrophy. Moreover, slow bicep curls can help improve muscle strength and stability.

How many reps of bicep curls to build muscle?

This depends on your starting point. Our beginner gym workout plan suggests starting with one set of 20 reps and then increasing the reps or weight each week. For people with some training experience, three to four sets of 10 to 12 reps is commonly prescribed for hypertrophy training (building muscle).

Why can I lift heavier on machines than dumbbells?

Machines offer more stability, which means you can put up more weight. “If you're doing a standing cable row, you can lift way less weight than if you're on a machine,” Tumminello says. And don't assume weight is relative because they're different modalities.

Can you get big biceps with just dumbbells?

Even if you have only a single pair of dumbbells, you can still get an effective biceps workout at home. Some of the best biceps building exercises to add to an effective arm workout include: Alternating Dumbbell Biceps Curl. Dumbbell Weighted Chin Up.

How long should I rest between sets?

Rest between set durations should be based on sets/exercise (volume), and not load or training goal. General recommendations include moderate (2 min) rest between sets if performing 2 sets/exercise, long rest (3 min) if performing 3 sets/exercise, and very long rest (> 4 min) if performing 4 sets or more/exercise.

Are dumbbells more effective than machines?

In general, free weights activate more muscles than machines and therefore are better for building muscle in the long-run. However, towards the end of your session when your muscles are tired and your form is starting to suffer, machines are safer and can help you to continue training safely.

What are two disadvantages of using machines?

Some disadvantage:

The pollution caused by machine increases, generating waste, augmenting power or oil use. Health disorders can cause injuries if workers do not use personal protective equipment effectively. Unemployment – Machines replace man labour, as some times machines are more than workers.

What is hypertrophy?

WHAT IS HYPERTROPHY? Muscle hypertrophy (known simply as hypertrophy) is an increase in the size of a muscle, or its cross- sectional area attributed to an increase in the size and/ or number of myofibrils (actin and myosin) within a given muscle fiber.

Are machines better for hypertrophy?

Hypertrophy. Our analysis found no difference between free-weight and machine-based strength training for hypertrophy. Both training groups induced similar hypertrophic gains during the strength training interventions lasting nine weeks on average (ES free-weight group: 0.251, ES machine group: 0.206).

How many reps of an exercise should I do?

The NSCA recommends doing 1-6 reps for strength, 6-12 for muscle growth, and more than 15 repetitions to build endurance. If lifting heavy weights to build strength or muscle mass, aim to lift heavier weights and complete fewer repetitions - anywhere from one to six per set.

What is the enlarging of a muscle called?

Muscular hypertrophy refers to an increase in muscle mass. This usually manifests as an increase in muscle size and strength. Typically, muscle hypertrophy occurs as a result of strength training such as weight lifting.

Which bicep curl is most effective?

Arguably the most efficient exercise in yielding maximum bicep growth, a recent study by the American Council on Exercise found that the seated concentration curl yielded 97% bicep activity in contrast to EZ-bar curls (wide grip 75%; narrow grip, 71%), incline curls (70%), and preacher curls (69%).

Is it better to do bicep curls with dumbbells or machine?

Allows for More Range of Motion

Dumbbells offer increased range of motion during bicep curls, promoting flexibility in the arm muscles and providing greater resistance throughout the exercise.

Will doing 100 bicep curls a day do anything?

Key Takeaways. Daily bicep curls can lead to significant muscle growth due to increased muscle protein synthesis. Frequent training enhances neuromuscular adaptations, resulting in increased strength.

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