10 Best Incline Inner Biceps Curl Alternatives for Limited Equipment

Original Exercise: Incline Inner Biceps Curl

Primary Muscle

Biceps

Equipment

Dumbbell

Difficulty

Intermediate

Type

Isolation

How to Perform Incline Inner Biceps Curl

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lie back on an incline bench.
2. The dumbbells should be at arm's length hanging at your sides and your palms should be facing out. This will be your starting position.
3. Now as you exhale curl the weight outward and up while keeping your forearms in line with your side deltoids. Continue the curl until the dumbbells are at shoulder height and to the sides of your deltoids. Tip: The end of the movement should look similar to a double biceps pose.
4. After a second contraction at the top of the movement, start to inhale and slowly lower the weights back to the starting position using the same path used to bring them up.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Pro Tips

• Category: Strength
• Movement type: Isolation

Best Incline Inner Biceps Curl Alternatives

Best Match

1. Dumbbell Incline Inner Biceps Curl

98.7% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
2. Rest your upper arms on the bench, allowing your elbows to hang down and your palms to face forward.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
4. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.

2. Dumbbell Lying Supine Biceps Curl

98.7% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Lie flat on a bench with your back and head supported, and your feet flat on the ground.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up and your arms fully extended.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
4. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.

3. Dumbbell Lying Supine Curl

98.7% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing up and arms fully extended.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
3. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

4. Dumbbell Lying Wide Curl

98.7% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing up and arms fully extended.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
3. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

5. Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl

94.7% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso and arms fully extended.
2. Keep your back against the bench and your feet flat on the floor.
3. While keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
4. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.

6. Dumbbell Incline Curl

93.7% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
2. Rest your upper arms on the incline bench and let your elbows hang down, fully extending your arms.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
4. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.

7. Dumbbell Incline Curl V. 2

93.7% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward and arms fully extended.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
3. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

8. Barbell Drag Curl

92% Match

Biceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
2. Let the barbell hang at arm's length in front of your thighs.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the barbell up towards your chest by contracting your biceps.
4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

9. Ez Barbell Spider Curl

92% Match

Biceps Ez-barbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
2. Rest your upper arms on a preacher bench or stability ball, allowing your elbows to hang down.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the barbell up towards your shoulders.
4. Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.

10. Dumbbell Preacher Curl

92% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on a preacher curl bench with your upper arms resting on the pad and your chest against it.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up and your arms fully extended.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
4. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.

Why You Might Need a Incline Inner Biceps Curl Alternative

You may substitute the Incline Inner Biceps Curl for several reasons: shoulder or elbow pain on an incline bench, no access to dumbbells or adjustable bench, need for greater loading, or a preference for constant tension. The incline position lengthens the long head and shifts torque; replacing it requires movements that preserve elbow flexion and forearm supination. For pain-prone shoulders choose exercises that keep your humerus neutral and avoid excessive shoulder extension. For heavier loading use cable or barbell variations that allow progressive overload while you focus on a controlled eccentric and full supination to maximize biceps activation.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Choose a substitute based on equipment, pain tolerance, and the specific biceps head you want to target. If you lack a bench, pick single-arm cable or band curls to maintain continuous tension and a supinated grip. If your shoulder limits range, use concentration curls or preacher variations that lock the humerus and isolate elbow flexion. For strength goals select weighted chin-ups or barbell curls to increase loading capacity. Always cue a stable elbow, full supination at peak contraction, and a 2–3 second eccentric to match the incline curl's muscle activation pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

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