Arms · Cable
Cable Bicep Curl
How to do the cable bicep curl, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Curl
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand in front of a cable machine with a straight or bar attachment. Grip the bar with palms facing up and curl it towards your shoulders. Lower with control.
- 1Feel your biceps contracting as you curl the cable attachment up
- 2Keep your elbows pinned to your sides and wrists neutral
- 3Squeeze at the top and lower slowly
Common mistakes
- Avoid swinging your torso or using momentum
- Don't let your elbows drift forward
- Avoid bending your wrists
Muscles worked
The cable bicep curl mainly works the biceps, with the forearms assisting.
- BicepsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Front DeltsMinor
Cable Bicep Curl strength standards
See how your cable bicep curl ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM35 lb
Silvere1RM72.5 lb
Golde1RM127.5 lb
Platinume1RM185 lb
Diamonde1RM222.5 lb
Champione1RM255 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the cable bicep curl for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More biceps exercises
- How to do the resistance band bicep curl
- How to do the resistance band hammer curl
- How to do the barbell bicep curl
- How to do the cable hammer curl
- How to do the overhead bicep curl
- How to do the cable reverse curl
Last reviewed April 2026.