10 Best Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster) Alternatives for Any Gym
If you can't perform the Barbell Biceps Curl with an arm blaster, use movements that preserve elbow-stabilized flexion and long-head tension: EZ-bar curl, seated incline dumbbell curl, preacher curl, single-arm cable curl, or supinated chin-ups. Cue a controlled 2-1-2 tempo and keep elbows pinned to the sides to maximize biceps activation.
Original Exercise: Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)
How to Perform Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
- Place your upper arms against the arm blaster, keeping your elbows close to your torso.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
- Continue to raise the barbell until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
- Inhale and slowly begin to lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster) Alternatives
1. Ez Barbell Curl
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
- Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
- Exhale as you curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale as you slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Ez-bar Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
- Place your upper arms against the arm blaster, keeping them stationary throughout the exercise.
- Keeping your elbows close to your body, exhale and curl the barbell up towards your shoulders.
- Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
- Inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
3. EZ-Bar Curl
99.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight while holding an EZ curl bar at the wide outer handle. The palms of your hands should be facing forward and slightly tilted inward due to the shape of the bar. Keep your elbows close to your torso. This will be your starting position.
- Now, while keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps. Focus on only moving your forearms.
- Continue to raise the weight until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the top contracted position for a moment and squeeze the biceps.
- Then inhale and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
4. Drag Curl
99.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Grab a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing forward) and get your elbows close to your torso and back. This will be your starting position.
- As you exhale, curl the bar up while keeping the elbows to the back as you "Drag" the bar up by keeping it in contact with your torso. Tip: As you can see, you will not be keeping the elbows pinned to your sides, but instead you will be bringing them back. Also, do not lift your shoulders.
- Slowly go back to the starting position as you keep the bar in contact with the torso at all times.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
5. Barbell Curl
99.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing forward.
- Keep your elbows close to your torso and exhale as you curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
- Continue to raise the bar until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
- Inhale as you slowly begin to lower the bar back to the starting position.
6. Close-Grip EZ Bar Curl
99.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up with your torso upright while holding an E-Z Curl Bar at the closer inner handle. The palm of your hands should be facing forward and they should be slightly tilted inwards due to the shape of the bar. The elbows should be close to the torso. This will be your starting position.
- While holding the upper arms stationary, curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Tip: Only the forearms should move.
- Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second and squeeze the biceps hard.
- Slowly begin to bring the bar back to starting position as your breathe in.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
7. Close-Grip Standing Barbell Curl
99.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Hold a barbell with both hands, palms up and a few inches apart.
- Stand with your torso straight and your head up. Your feet should be about shoulder width and your elbows close to your torso. This will be your starting position. Tip: You will keep your upper arms and elbows stationary throughout the movement.
- Curl the bar up in a semicircular motion until the forearms touch your biceps. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement and contract your biceps hard for a second at the top. Tip: Avoid bending the back or using swinging motions as you lift the weight. Only the forearms should move.
- Slowly go back down to the starting position as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
8. Close-Grip EZ-Bar Curl With Band
99.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Attach a band to each end of the bar. Take the bar, placing a foot on the middle of the band. Stand upright with a narrow, supinated grip on the EZ bar. The elbows should be close to the torso. This will be your starting position.
- While keeping the upper arms in place, flex the elbows to execute the curl. Exhale as the weight is lifted.
- Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second and squeeze the biceps hard.
- Slowly begin to bring the bar back to starting position as your breathe in.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
9. Barbell Drag Curl
98.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
- Let the barbell hang at arm's length in front of your thighs.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the barbell up towards your chest by contracting your biceps.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Ez Barbell Close-grip Curl
98% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
- Curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster) Alternative
People swap the barbell curl with an arm blaster because of shoulder discomfort, missing specialty gear, or to change stimulation patterns. The arm blaster limits shoulder extension and forces isolated elbow flexion, which boosts biceps activation but can aggravate the anterior shoulder. Alternatives let you alter the moment arm and supination—for example, an incline dumbbell curl increases long-head stretch, while a cable curl keeps consistent tension. If you have elbow tendonitis, choose a neutral-grip hammer curl and keep the wrist aligned to reduce shear. Select alternatives that maintain elbow pinning and controlled eccentric phases to protect joints while preserving hypertrophy stimulus.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Pick a substitute based on equipment, pain history, and the biceps head you want to emphasize. Use seated incline dumbbell curls to bias the long head because the shoulder starts extended; cue full shoulder extension and slow eccentrics. Choose EZ-bar or preacher variations to reduce wrist strain and concentrate load onto the short head—position the elbows high and avoid shoulder swing. For unilateral imbalances, use single-arm cable curls and fully supinate at the top to maximize peak contraction. Prioritize exercises that let you maintain a strict elbow hinge, progressive overload, and a controlled tempo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster) work?
The move primarily targets the biceps brachii (both long and short heads), with secondary activation of the brachialis and brachioradialis. The arm blaster stabilizes the shoulders, increasing demand on elbow flexors and reducing scapular involvement.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)?
A supinated (underhand) chin-up is the top bodyweight substitute because it loads elbow flexion under full-body tension. Cue pulling the elbows down and back, fully supinating the wrists at the top, and control the eccentric to maintain biceps time under tension.
Can I build muscle without doing Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)?
Yes. Build biceps size by applying progressive overload with any exercise that enforces elbow flexion and full range of motion, such as weighted chin-ups, incline dumbbell curls, or cable curls. Emphasize tempo, full supination at the top, and incremental loading to drive hypertrophy.
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