Dumbbell Drag Curl

The drag curl differs from a standard curl in where the elbow goes. Instead of staying fixed at your side while the forearm rotates around it, the elbow travels backward as the dumbbells rise, so the weights drag up along the front of the body rather than swinging out in an arc. That path removes the shoulder from the movement almost entirely, and the front deltoid, which quietly assists the top half of an ordinary curl, stops contributing. What remains is the biceps working alone, particularly its long head. The range is shorter than a conventional curl and the weights will be lighter, both of which are the honest consequence of the isolation rather than a sign that something is wrong. Keep the wrists straight and let the dumbbells stay in contact with your torso as they travel.