Zottman Curl
DumbbellStrength
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The Zottman Curl is a dumbbell strength exercise that involves curling a dumbbell in each hand upward in a standard biceps curl before rotating your palms downward and lowering the weights slowly, targeting both the biceps during the concentric phase and the forearms during the eccentric phase. It primarily works the biceps brachii and brachioradialis while enhancing grip strength and elbow flexion control. Ideal for beginners to advanced lifters seeking balanced arm development, it requires a pair of dumbbells.
How to Perform Zottman Curl
- 1Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with arms extended fully at your sides, palms facing your body (neutral grip), and core engaged.
- 2Inhale as you bend your elbows to curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders, rotating your palms to face up (supinated grip) as you lift.
- 3Squeeze your biceps at the top of the curl, keeping elbows tucked close to your sides and shoulders down.
- 4At the top, rotate your wrists so your palms face down (pronated grip) on the dumbbells.
- 5Exhale as you slowly lower the dumbbells under full control in this pronated grip, resisting the weight the whole way down.
- 6Fully extend your arms at the bottom, then rotate your palms back to neutral to begin the next rep.
- 7Repeat for desired reps, maintaining steady pacing without swinging.
- 8Key form tips: Keep elbows stationary—avoid using momentum or shoulder involvement; control the eccentric (lowering) phase in the pronated grip for maximum bicep and forearm work. Common mistakes: Swinging the body to lift the dumbbells, using a partial range of motion, or rushing the pronated-grip descent.