9 Best Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball Alternatives for Limited Equipment

The Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball is done seated with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Biceps Leg Concentration Curl, the Bodyweight Side Lying Biceps Curl and the Biceps Pull-up.

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

Original Exercise: Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball

Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise BallPlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Biceps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Forearms

How to perform Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball
  1. Sit on an exercise ball with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing up and your arm fully extended.
  3. Keeping your upper arm stationary, curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder by contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.
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Ranked Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball Alternatives

9 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball 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.

  1. Best match
    Biceps Leg Concentration CurlPlay demonstration

    1. Biceps Leg Concentration Curl

    86% match
    • Biceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the biceps with bodyweight alone.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on a bench with your legs spread apart and your feet flat on the ground.
    2. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and place your elbow on the inside of your thigh, just above the knee.
    3. With your palm facing up, curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder while keeping your upper arm stationary.
    4. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.

    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 Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball
    • Primary muscle: biceps, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball
  2. Bodyweight Side Lying Biceps CurlPlay demonstration

    2. Bodyweight Side Lying Biceps Curl

    80% match
    • 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 Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball
    • Primary muscle: biceps, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
  3. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm RowPlay demonstration

    3. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

    39% match
    • 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 free weights
    • Body position: standing, not seated
  4. One Arm Towel RowPlay demonstration

    4. One Arm Towel Row

    37% match
    • 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 free weights
    • Body position: standing, not seated
  5. Bodyweight Standing One Arm RowPlay demonstration

    5. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row

    36% match
    • 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 free weights
    • Body position: standing, not seated
  6. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)Play demonstration

    6. Bodyweight Standing One Arm Row (With Towel)

    36% match
    • 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 free weights
    • Body position: standing, not seated
  7. Biceps Pull-upPlay demonstration

    7. Biceps Pull-up

    33% match
    • Biceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands shoulder-width apart.
    2. Engage your core and pull yourself up by bending your elbows, bringing your chest towards the bar.
    3. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: biceps, the same as the Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not seated
  8. Bodyweight Kneeling Triceps ExtensionPlay demonstration

    8. Bodyweight Kneeling Triceps Extension

    33% match
    • 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 free weights
    • Body position: kneeling, not seated
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball
  9. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip RowPlay demonstration

    9. Bodyweight Standing Close-grip Row

    31% match
    • 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 free weights
    • Body position: standing, not seated

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball Alternative

You might substitute this exercise because you lack an exercise ball, you have low shoulder stability, or the ball’s instability interferes with biceps overload. An exercise ball forces core and scapular stabilization, which can limit pure biceps loading; swapping to a stable seat or cable lets you target elbow flexion and increase time under tension. For shoulder or lower-back pain choose an option that keeps the humerus neutral or slightly behind the torso to reduce long-head stretch. Cue: sit with a packed scapula and drive the forearm through supination to maximize biceps brachii recruitment.

Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball FAQ

What muscles does Dumbbell One Arm Seated Bicep Curl On Exercise Ball work?

The movement primarily targets the biceps brachii (both heads) through elbow flexion and forearm supination, with secondary work from the brachialis and brachioradialis. The exercise ball also demands core and scapular stabilization, so the rectus abdominis and obliques assist to maintain seated balance.

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