Incline Curls vs Standing Curls: Which Builds Better Biceps?
24/11/25
When it comes to building biceps that look like they’ve been carved out of marble, the curl is king. But the question that has echoed through weight rooms for decades remains: which variation reigns supreme — the incline curl or the standing curl? So let's break this down with precision, passion.
The biceps may be a relatively small muscle group, but they respond dramatically to angle changes, tension, and technique. The incline curl and standing curl may look similar to the untrained eye, but the way they challenge the muscle couldn’t be more different. Think of them as two brothers — same family, different personalities.
The Standing Biceps Curl
The standing curl is the classic. The old-school iron warriors performed it long before fitness influencers were flexing in their kitchen mirrors. Standing curls allow you to shift serious weight, drawing in not just the biceps but also the stabilising muscles through the shoulders, core, and even the upper back. There is a raw power to the movement; the sort you feel from your fingertips to your elbows as the weight climbs.
But the reality is this: with a standing curl, your ego can creep in. Suddenly the elbows drift forward, the hips start rocking, and before you know it, you’re performing more of a lower-back swing than a curl. Yes, you lift heavier… but the biceps aren’t working as honestly as they could be.
The Incline Biceps Curl
Enter the incline curl, the strict, unforgiving sibling that doesn’t allow any cheating. When you sit back on an incline bench, the shoulders drop into a deep stretch. This puts the long head of the biceps under continuous tension, lengthened and loaded from the start. You can’t swing. You can’t rock. You can’t outsmart the exercise. It isolates the muscle beautifully - almost brutally.
Incline curls are the movement that humbles even the strongest lifters. You may lift less weight, but you feel more. Every rep stretches like a bowstring, and every contraction squeezes like your muscles are trying to tear through the skin.
So which is better?
The truth is you need both. The standing curl develops overall mass, power, and the ability to handle heavier loads. The incline curl refines the peak, isolates the long head, and builds that sweeping, dramatic look that turns biceps from “good” to “great”.
A well-designed arm routine should treat the incline curl as the strict, technical component and the standing curl as the heavy, heroic finisher. If you only ever do one, you’re short-changing your potential.
Remember something important, your goal is not just to lift weight. It’s to build muscle. This distinction is what separates the casual gym-goer from the dedicated sculptor of their own physique. The incline curl teaches discipline. The standing curl builds power. Together they give you the kind of biceps that command respect even before you shake someone’s hand.
Train smart, train hard, and never underestimate the value of mastering the fundamentals. After all, the greatest physiques of all time were built not with gimmicks, but with perfectly executed basics, curls included!
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