Zottman Curl

Biceps, ForearmsDumbbells

The Zottman curl is a standing arm isolator that pairs a standard bicep curl with a overhand eccentric drop. It hits your biceps, brachialis, and forearms in one move, firing up grip strength and upper-arm symmetry.

How to do it

1Stand tall holding dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing forward.

2Curl the weights toward your shoulders while keeping your elbows glued to your ribs.

3At the top, rotate your wrists so your palms face away from you.

4Slowly lower the dumbbells back down under control with an overhand grip.

5Rotate your palms back forward at the bottom before starting your next rep.

Common mistakes

Swinging your body to lift the weights, stripping tension away from your arms.

Flaring your elbows backward or out to the sides, engaging your back and shoulders instead.

Dropping the dumbbells quickly after the wrist turn, wasting the eccentric phase.

Breathing

Exhale as you curl the weights up to your shoulders. Inhale as you flip your grip and lower them slowly.

Make it harder or easier

To make it easier, drop to a lighter weight so you can master the wrist rotation.

To make it harder, slow down the eccentric lowering phase to three or four full seconds.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.