10 Best Cable Standing Inner Curl Alternatives for Home & Gym

The Cable Standing Inner Curl is done standing with a cable machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Biceps Leg Concentration Curl and the Bodyweight Side Lying Biceps Curl.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Cable Standing Inner Curl

Primary muscle
Biceps
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Forearms

How to perform Cable Standing Inner Curl
  1. Stand facing a cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Grasp the cable handle 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 handle towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your biceps.
  6. Inhale and slowly lower the cable handle back to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Filter Cable Standing Inner Curl alternatives by your equipmentTell us what you have and we'll hide exercises you can't do.
Equipment you can use
20 more equipment types

Sign in to remember your equipment on every page.

Ranked Cable Standing Inner Curl Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Cable Standing Inner Curl on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

    • Biceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on your side with your legs extended and your head supported by your arm.
    2. Hold your upper arm against your side and bend your elbow to curl your forearm towards your shoulder.
    3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your forearm back down to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: curl, the same as the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Primary muscle: biceps, the same as the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A looser match: it works the lats rather than the biceps.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand with a neutral grip.
    2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
    3. Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not biceps
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Upper Back
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A looser match: it works the upper back rather than the biceps.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a towel with one hand.
    2. Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
    3. Extend your arm fully, allowing the towel to hang in front of you.
    4. Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the towel back to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: upper back, not biceps
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
    2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
    3. Let the dumbbell hang straight down in front of you, with your arm fully extended.
    4. Pull the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.
    5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
    6. Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not biceps
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a towel with one hand.
    2. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
    3. Pull the towel towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the towel back to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not biceps
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
    2. Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
    3. Extend your arms straight in front of you, gripping the bar or handles with a close grip.
    4. Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly release and return to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not biceps
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Standing Inner Curl
  1. 8. Elevator

    36% match
    • Upper Back
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
    2. Place your hands on your hips or cross them in front of your chest.
    3. Keeping your back straight, slowly bend forward at the waist, lowering your upper body towards the ground.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly raise your upper body back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: upper back, not biceps
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Kneel down on the ground with your knees hip-width apart.
    2. Place your hands on the ground in front of you, shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward.
    3. Extend your legs straight behind you, balancing on your toes and hands, forming a straight line from head to heels.
    4. Bend your elbows and lower your upper body towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
    5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your hands to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, not biceps
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: kneeling, not standing
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
    2. Grasp a bar or handles with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
    3. Keep your back straight and core engaged.
    4. Pull the bar or handles towards your body, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement.
    6. Slowly release and extend your arms back to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not biceps
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Cable Standing Inner Curl
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Standing Inner Curl

Cable Standing Inner Curl FAQ

What muscles does Cable Standing Inner Curl work?

The exercise primarily targets the biceps brachii (both heads), with secondary stress on the brachialis and brachioradialis. Using a supinated grip emphasizes biceps peak and forearm supination function while minimizing triceps assistance.

Can I build muscle without doing Cable Standing Inner Curl?

Yes, you can build biceps size with other curls and compound pulling movements so long as you apply progressive overload. Focus on exercises that allow full elbow flexion and wrist supination, control eccentrics, and increase load or volume over time.

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Search the exercise database and filter the ranked substitutes by the equipment you own.

Similarity scores compare exercise metadata such as movement pattern, muscles, equipment and body position. They are not a safety rating or a check that you own the equipment. Learn about our methodology