Male model ex_COFNIO

Watermarked 360p preview. Through the API this animation plays without the watermark at 600 × 720, 30 fps. See plans

Upper Arms · Dumbbell

Dumbbell Seated Curl

beginnerstrength

Dumbbell Seated Curl is a beginner isolation strength exercise that works the biceps (upper arms), with the forearms assisting. It needs a dumbbell. A typical prescription is 3 sets of 10-15 reps, and it burns about 4.3 calories per minute.

Target: Biceps
Body part: Upper Arms
Equipment: Dumbbell
Category: Strength
Mechanic: Isolation
Force: Pull
Sets × reps: 3 × 10-15
Calories / min: ≈ 4.3 kcal

Primary muscles

Biceps · Biceps Brachii

Secondary muscles

Forearms · Brachialis, Brachioradialis

How to do Dumbbell Seated Curl

Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting your arms hang down by your sides with your palms facing your body (neutral grip).
Keep your upper arms stationary and curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders by bending your elbows while rotating both wrists until your palms face the shoulders.
Squeeze your biceps at the peak of the movement and hold for a second.
Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Repeat for the desired repetitions.

Form tips

Avoid swinging your arms or using momentum; focus on controlled, slow movements.
Exhale as you curl the dumbbells up and inhale as you lower them.
Concentrate on using your biceps to lift the weights, minimizing shoulder involvement.

Dumbbell Seated Curl alternatives

Barbell Curl

Biceps · intermediate

Kettlebell Curl

Biceps · intermediate

Barbell Seated Concentration Biceps Curl

Biceps · beginner

Ez Barbell Curl

Biceps · intermediate

More biceps exercises

Dumbbell Seated Zottman Curl

Biceps · beginner

Dumbbell Seated Preacher Curl

Biceps · beginner

Dumbbell Seated Hammer Curl

Biceps · beginner

Dumbbell Alternate Seated Hammer Curl

Biceps · beginner

Alternating Biceps Curl Seated Dumbbells

Biceps · beginner

Alternate Hammer Curl Seated Dumbbells

Biceps · beginner

Dumbbell Seated Reverse Grip Concentration Curl

Biceps · beginner

Kettlebell Goblet Curl

Biceps · intermediate

Dumbbell Seated Curl FAQ

What muscles does Dumbbell Seated Curl work?

Dumbbell Seated Curl mainly works the biceps in the upper arms (Biceps Brachii). The forearms work as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for Dumbbell Seated Curl?

You need a dumbbell.

How many sets and reps of Dumbbell Seated Curl should I do?

Start with 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.

Is Dumbbell Seated Curl good for beginners?

Yes. Dumbbell Seated Curl is rated beginner, so it's a sound choice while you learn to train the biceps.

How many calories does Dumbbell Seated Curl burn?

About 4.3 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 3.5. Ten minutes of work is roughly 43 calories; heavier people burn more.

What is a good alternative to Dumbbell Seated Curl?

Other exercises for the biceps include Barbell Curl, Kettlebell Curl, Barbell Seated Concentration Biceps Curl and Ez Barbell Curl.

For developers

Use Dumbbell Seated Curl in your app

Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.

Get a free API key Read the docs

# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links
curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_COFNIO" \
  -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

{
  "id": "ex_COFNIO",
  "name": "Dumbbell Seated Curl",
  "model": "male",
  "target": "Biceps",
  "equipment": "Dumbbell",
  "media": {
    "mp4": "https://…/ex_COFNIO/mp4-720.mp4?…",
    "poster": "https://…/ex_COFNIO/poster.jpg?…"
  }
}