10 Best Cable Lying Close-grip Curl Alternatives for Elbow Pain

If you can’t perform the Cable Lying Close-grip Curl, use movements that isolate elbow flexion while preserving constant tension on the biceps. Effective swaps include supinated chin-ups, incline dumbbell curls, and band curls, focus on full forearm supination and keeping the upper arm fixed to maximize biceps activation and peak contraction.

Original Exercise: Cable Lying Close-grip Curl

Cable Lying Close-grip Curl
Primary Muscle
Biceps
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Forearms
How to Perform Cable Lying Close-grip Curl
  1. Attach a straight bar to a low pulley cable machine.
  2. Lie face up on a flat bench with your feet flat on the ground.
  3. Grasp the bar with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  4. Extend your arms fully, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
  5. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the bar towards your chest by contracting your biceps.
  6. Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
  7. Slowly lower the bar back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
  8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Ranked Cable Lying Close-grip Curl Alternatives

Best Match
Cable Lying Bicep Curl

1. Cable Lying Bicep Curl

99.9% Match
Biceps Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a straight bar to a low pulley cable machine.
  2. Lie face up on a flat bench with your feet flat on the ground.
  3. Grasp the bar with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  4. Extend your arms fully, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
  5. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the bar up towards your shoulders.
Cable Two Arm Curl On Incline Bench

2. Cable Two Arm Curl On Incline Bench

99.9% Match
Biceps Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on an incline bench with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the ground.
  2. Grasp the cable handles with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and your arms fully extended.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the handles towards your shoulders while contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your biceps.
  5. Inhale and slowly lower the handles back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
Lying Cable Curl

3. Lying Cable Curl

93% Match
Biceps Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Grab a straight bar or E-Z bar attachment that is attached to the low pulley with both hands, using an underhand (palms facing up) shoulder-width grip.
  2. Lie flat on your back on top of an exercise mat in front of the weight stack with your feet flat against the frame of the pulley machine and your legs straight.
  3. With your arms extended and your elbows close to your body slightly bend your arms. This will be your starting position.
  4. While keeping your upper arms stationary and the elbows close to your body, curl the bar up slowly toward your chest as you breathe out and you squeeze the biceps.
  5. After a second squeeze at the top of the movement, slowly return to the starting position.
Cable Preacher Curl

4. Cable Preacher Curl

92% Match
Biceps Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the cable machine so that the preacher curl pad is at chest height.
  2. Sit on the preacher curl bench and place your upper arms on the pad, gripping the cable attachment with an underhand grip.
  3. Keep your back straight and your elbows tucked in at your sides.
  4. Slowly curl the cable attachment up towards your shoulders, squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement.
  5. Pause for a moment, then slowly lower the cable attachment back down to the starting position.
Cable Seated Curl

5. Cable Seated Curl

92% Match
Biceps Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a cable machine with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
  2. Grasp the cable attachment with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and your arms fully extended.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the cable attachment towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your biceps.
  5. Inhale and slowly lower the cable attachment back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
High Cable Curls

6. High Cable Curls

92% Match
Biceps Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand between a couple of high pulleys and grab a handle in each arm. Position your upper arms in a way that they are parallel to the floor with the palms of your hands facing you. This will be your starting position.
  2. Curl the handles towards you until they are next to your ears. Make sure that as you do so you flex your biceps and exhale. The upper arms should remain stationary and only the forearms should move. Hold for a second in the contracted position as you squeeze the biceps.
  3. Slowly bring back the arms to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Overhead Cable Curl

7. Overhead Cable Curl

92% Match
Biceps Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. To begin, set a weight that is comfortable on each side of the pulley machine. Note: Make sure that the amount of weight selected is the same on each side.
  2. Now adjust the height of the pulleys on each side and make sure that they are positioned at a height higher than that of your shoulders.
  3. Stand in the middle of both sides and use an underhand grip (palms facing towards the ceiling) to grab each handle. Your arms should be fully extended and parallel to the floor with your feet positioned shoulder width apart from each other. Your body should be evenly aligned the handles. This is the starting position.
  4. While exhaling, slowly squeeze the biceps on each side until your forearms and biceps touch.
  5. While inhaling, move your forearms back to the starting position. Note: Your entire body is stationary during this exercise except for the forearms.
Cable Curl

8. Cable Curl

91.4% Match
Biceps Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Grasp the cable attachment with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
  3. Keep your elbows close to your sides and your upper arms stationary.
  4. Exhale and curl the cable attachment towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your biceps.
Cable Drag Curl

9. Cable Drag Curl

91.4% Match
Biceps Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand facing a cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Grasp the cable attachment with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and arms fully extended.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the cable attachment towards your shoulders by contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your biceps.
  5. Inhale and slowly lower the cable attachment back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
Standing Biceps Cable Curl

10. Standing Biceps Cable Curl

91.2% Match
Biceps Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up with your torso upright while holding a cable curl bar that is attached to a low pulley. Grab the cable bar at shoulder width and keep the elbows close to the torso. The palm of your hands should be facing up (supinated grip). This will be your starting position.
  2. While holding the upper arms stationary, curl the weights while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. 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 as you squeeze the muscle.
  3. Slowly begin to bring the curl bar back to starting position as your breathe in.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Cable Lying Close-grip Curl Alternative

You might substitute the Cable Lying Close-grip Curl because you lack a low cable setup, have wrist or elbow irritation, or want greater carryover to compound lifts. Some lifters prefer free weights or bands to vary loading angles and stress. Biomechanically, the lying cable curl isolates elbow flexion and limits shoulder involvement; alternatives replicate that by keeping the humerus stable and emphasizing forearm supination. If pain arises, lower the load, slow the eccentric, and keep elbows pinned to the bench to reduce shear on the joint.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select an alternative based on equipment, pain profile, and desired tension curve. For constant tension like the cable, pick resistance bands or single-arm cables; for maximal overload choose heavy dumbbell or barbell curls. Pay attention to muscle activation, use a supinated grip to bias the biceps brachii and set the shoulder angle (e.g., incline curls at 30–45° to stretch the long head). Use technique cues: pin elbows, drive with the forearm, and control the eccentric to maintain time under tension and stimulate hypertrophy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Cable Lying Close-grip Curl work?

The exercise primarily targets the biceps brachii (both heads), with secondary work from the brachialis and brachioradialis. Because you lie back and keep the humerus fixed, the movement isolates elbow flexion; cue full forearm supination and a controlled eccentric to maximize biceps fiber recruitment.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Cable Lying Close-grip Curl?

A supinated (chin) inverted row or bodyweight chin-up is the best bodyweight option to load the biceps while keeping the shoulder stable. Pull with elbows driving down, squeeze the biceps at the top, and maintain full supination to increase biceps activation.

Can I build muscle without doing Cable Lying Close-grip Curl?

Yes. You can build biceps size with a variety of curls and compound pulls by applying progressive overload and ensuring full range of motion. Prioritize exercises that allow you to keep the elbow stabilized, use time under tension, and control the eccentric for optimal hypertrophy.

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