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Barbell Drag Curl

Intermediate
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A barbell isolation exercise that targets the biceps and brachialis to build hypertrophy. Performed by dragging the bar up the torso to minimize anterior deltoid involvement and emphasize peak contraction.

About Exercise

Equipment

Barbell

Difficulty

2/5 • Intermediate

Primary Muscle Groups

Biceps, Forearms

Secondary Muscles

Traps

Popularity Score

7

Goals

Strength
Hypertrophy

Training Style

Bodybuilding

Setup Requirements

Requires Rack

No

Requires Bench

No

Requires Spotter

No

Space Needed

Small

Noise Level

Low

Muscle Breakdown

Biceps

10/10

Long Head, Short Head, Brachialis

Forearms

8/10

Flexors

Traps

3/10

Lower Traps

Programming

Typical Rep Range

8-15 reps

Rest Between Sets

60-90 seconds

How to Perform

Stand upright holding a barbell with a shoulder-width underhand grip, arms fully extended, and the bar resting against your upper thighs. Retract your shoulder blades and brace your core.

  1. Pull your elbows back to drag the bar up along your torso.
  2. Keep the bar in contact with your shirt throughout the movement.
  3. Lift until elbows are fully behind the torso and biceps are contracted.
  4. Squeeze hard at the top position.
  5. Lower the bar under control, keeping it close to the body.
  6. Return to full arm extension at the bottom.

Coaching Tips

Form Cues

  • Elbows back
  • Graze the shirt
  • Squeeze at the top
  • Shoulders down
  • No swinging

Breathing

Exhale as you drag the bar up; inhale as you lower the bar.

Tempo

3-1-1

Range of Motion

From full arm extension at the bottom to maximum elbow flexion with the bar touching the mid-to-upper torso.

Safety

Safety Notes

  • Maintain a neutral spine
  • Avoid if experiencing acute elbow pain
  • Use a weight you can control strictly

Spotting

Not recommended; use safeties if necessary or simply drop the bar if failure occurs.

Common Mistakes

  • Letting bar drift forward
  • Shrugging shoulders
  • Using hip momentum
  • Incomplete range of motion

When to Avoid

  • acute wrist pain
  • elbow pain
  • shoulder pain
  • biceps tendonitis

Flexibility Needed

  • wrist extension for grip
  • shoulder flexion

Build Up First

  • basic bicep curl form
  • core bracing control

Also known as

Drag Curl, Standing Drag Curl, Barbell Bicep Drag Curl

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