10 Best Alternatives to Dumbbell Biceps Curl with Arm Blaster
If you can't perform the Dumbbell Biceps Curl with an arm blaster, use barbell or EZ-bar curls, preacher curls, cable curls, or close-grip chin-ups to maintain biceps isolation and peak contraction. Cue: keep elbows fixed and squeeze the peak contraction for one-second holds to maximize biceps brachii activation and limit shoulder substitution.
Original Exercise: Dumbbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)
How to Perform Dumbbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)
- Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary.
- Exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
- Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
- Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Dumbbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster) Alternatives
1. 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.
2. Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
3. Dumbbell Biceps Curl
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward and arms fully extended.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
- Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
- Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
4. 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.
5. Dumbbell Standing Biceps Curl
99.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward and arms fully extended.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
- Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
- Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
6. 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.
7. Dumbbell High Curl
99.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Keep your upper arms stationary and curl the dumbbells as high as possible while contracting your biceps.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster) Alternative
You might substitute the Dumbbell Biceps Curl with an arm blaster due to equipment limits, acute joint pain, or a desire to shift mechanical emphasis. An arm blaster pins the elbow to isolate the biceps; without it you can replicate that restriction with preacher stations or by tucking elbows tightly during barbell curls to reduce shoulder involvement. For elbow or wrist issues, cables or an EZ-bar let you change grip and wrist angle to lower shear. Cue: maintain a vertical upper arm and initiate movement from the forearm to keep biceps brachii loading high while minimizing scapular and shoulder contribution.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Match the substitute to your goal, available gear, and injury status. For maximal load and balanced long-/short-head recruitment, use a barbell or EZ-bar and cue a neutral wrist and pinned elbows to maintain biceps tension. For isolation with reduced shoulder input, choose preacher or concentration curls and hold the peak contraction for 1–2 seconds to target the short head. If you need constant tension through the range, pick cable curls and slow the eccentric. For bodyweight strength, use underhand chin-ups and emphasize a slow, controlled descent to increase eccentric biceps activation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Dumbbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster) work?
The exercise primarily targets the biceps brachii (long and short heads) and recruits the brachialis and brachioradialis as secondary elbow flexors. The arm blaster pins the elbows to reduce shoulder involvement and increase peak biceps activation; cue: keep the upper arm vertical and move only the forearm.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)?
The best bodyweight alternative is the supinated (underhand) chin-up. Cue: pull your chest to the bar with elbows driving down and back to emphasize concentric biceps recruitment, and control the eccentric for greater time under tension to stimulate hypertrophy.
Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)?
Yes. You can build biceps size with other loaded elbow-flexion movements—barbell curls, preacher curls, cable curls, and underhand chin-ups all provide sufficient mechanical tension. Focus on progressive overload, strict elbow positioning, and controlled eccentrics to maximize biceps activation.
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