Kettlebell Curl
A standing biceps curl done with kettlebells — an offset load that adds extra forearm and grip work.
How to do it
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell by the handle in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Let the kettlebells hang naturally below your wrists, arms fully extended at your sides.
- Brace your core and keep your elbows pinned to your ribs throughout the rep.
- Curl both kettlebells up toward your shoulders, bending only at the elbows.
- Squeeze your biceps hard at the top, with the bells stacked over your wrists for a clean contraction.
- Lower the kettlebells slowly back to full arm extension over 2–3 seconds, then start the next rep.
Key technique cue
Wrist straight, don't let the bell pull it back — elbow at your side.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Letting the wrists bend back under the weight, which overloads the wrist joints and shortens the curl.
- ✕ Swinging the torso to start the rep, which uses momentum instead of biceps strength.
- ✕ Letting the elbows drift forward at the top, which takes the biceps out of the movement.
- ✕ Cutting the range short by stopping before full extension, missing the deepest part of the biceps stretch.
Benefits
- ✓ Builds biceps strength and size with extra load on the grip and forearms.
- ✓ Reinforces wrist control under an offset weight.
- ✓ Adds a fresh stimulus to a program used to dumbbells.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Step 2
About the exercise
The Kettlebell Curl is a standard biceps curl performed with a kettlebell instead of a dumbbell. The bell hangs below the wrist rather than sitting on top of it, which shifts the load behind the hand and forces the forearm and grip to work harder to keep the wrist neutral. The biceps still do the curling, but the surrounding muscles get a stronger pull. It works well for kettlebell-only training, at home or on the road. It's also a smart accessory pick for grip-strength work, since every rep adds extra load on the wrist and forearm. It's the entry-level kettlebell curl variation and pairs well with the goblet curl and kettlebell hammer curl.
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