Cable curls can be helpful but not everyone likes them. Discover some alternatives to cable curls with similar benefits.
As a general category, cable curls are bicep curl variations done with the cable machine. Some people also consider “cable curls” to only be the overhead variation.
Both of these options will help you work out upper arm muscles like your biceps. Depending on what specific variation you do certain muscles or muscle heads may have to work slightly harder.
More generally, cable curls can help you build muscle mass, burn calories, and offer other typical exercise benefits.
Whether you don’t enjoy cable curls, you want a more at-home-friendly option, or you want an alternative for any other reason, these alternatives to cable curls can offer you some or all of the same benefits.
Remember that if you don’t have a cable machine but want a substitute for overhead cable curls you can also invest in one of the best resistance bands for building muscle.
1. Standing bicep curls
This first cable curl alternative is not the most exciting but it can still be very effective. Take the following steps to do a standing bicep curl:
- Stand up straight with your arms hanging beside you. Each hand holds a dumbbell with a supinated grip which means with your hand palms facing forward in starting position.
- Slowly fold your arms at the elbows as far as you can. Keep your upper arms in the same position throughout the exercise.
- Lower the dumbbells back into starting position in a controlled motion.
It is true that the walk-through example uses dumbbells.
However, similar to most exercises on this list, you can easily use other bicep workout equipment like kettlebells, a barbell, certain weight plates, a cable machine, a smith machine, etc. for standing bicep curls.
If you keep your upper arms and body in place during the exercise, standing bicep curls can offer your biceps a good workout.
2. Reverse curls
Take the following steps to do a reverse curl with a barbell:
- Stand up straight with your arms hanging beside you. Hold a barbell with your hands at about shoulder width with a pronated grip which means with your hand palms facing backward in starting position.
- Slowly fold your arms at the elbows as far as you can. Keep your upper arms in the same position throughout the exercise.
- Lower the barbell back into starting position in a controlled motion.
Changing your grip during bicep curls is visually a subtle change but it does switch in what ratio your muscles get worked.
A reverse grip engages your brachialis, a deeper muscle in your upper arm, and brachioradialis, a forearm muscle, more than regular bicep curls. At the same time, your biceps brachii will still have to work a good amount.
So reverse curls with equipment different from a cable machine can be a good cable curl alternative if you want to focus on your upper arm muscles in a slightly different ratio.
3. Preacher curls
Besides some type of resistance, you will also need a bench specifically made for preacher curls or a regular incline bench for this next cable curl alternative. You basically want a slanted surface.
Take the following steps to do a preacher bicep curl with dumbbells:
- Take a seat behind the preacher bench with the back of your upper arm resting on the slanted surface. Each of your hands holds a dumbbell with your hand palms facing upward in starting position.
- Slowly fold your arms at the elbows as far as you can. Keep your upper arms in the same position throughout the exercise.
- Lower the dumbbells back into starting position in a controlled motion.
Doing preacher curls instead of overhead cable curls or other standing variations can offer a valuable benefit.
Because you are seated and your upper arms rest on the preacher bench, it becomes easier to isolate your bicep muscles.
One downside of this substitute is that do need a preacher bench to do the exercise.
Something else that is different from the cable curl is that due to the angle of your upper arm, the preacher curl focuses slightly more on the short head, the inner part, of the bicep brachii muscles.
4. Chin-ups
The pull-up is a classic compound exercise. Chin-ups are the same bodyweight exercise done with a reverse grip. This makes it so you put more focus on your bicep muscles.
It is true that you need something to do the pull-up on but even if you currently don’t have something like this, a doorway pull-up bar is relatively inexpensive.
Take the following steps to do a chin-up:
- Hang from the pull-up bar with your hands at about shoulder-width with your hand palms facing backward.
- Pull your body up slowly until your shoulders are the height of the bar.
- Lower your body again into starting position in a controlled motion.
Chin-ups are a cable curl alternative with more of a compound focus. On top of your biceps, this exercise will also help you train a variety of upper back muscles.
This compound focus can be both an advantage or disadvantage depending on your training goals.
What is an advantage to most people is that the equipment requirements for chin-ups are less expensive than cable curls. This makes it a more at-home-friendly exercise option.
5. Spider curls
For spider curls, you need an incline bench at about a 45-degree angle and some type of resistance, preferably one-handed.
Once you have these things, take the following steps to do a spider curl with a dumbbell:
- Lie on the bench on your front, your chest should just reach the top of the bench. Let your arms hang down with a dumbbell in each hand with your hand palms facing forward in starting position.
- Slowly fold your arms at the elbows as far as you can. Keep your upper arms in the same position throughout the exercise.
- Lower the dumbbells back into starting position in a controlled motion.
Because you are lying down on a bench when doing spider curls, it becomes harder to use your body to lift the weights compared to cable curl variations. You do still have to pay attention to keeping your upper arm in place.
The angle of your upper arms in relation to your body during spider curls is similar to preacher curls. This leads to slightly more focus on the inner part of the biceps brachii muscles.
6. Incline curls
For this next cable curl alternative, you again need an incline bench at about a 45-degree angle. Once you have that, take the following steps to do an incline curl:
- Lie on the bench on your back. Let your arms hang down with a dumbbell in each hand with your hand palms facing forward in starting position.
- Slowly fold your arms at the elbows as far as you can. Keep your upper arms in the same position throughout the exercise.
- Lower the dumbbells back into starting position in a controlled motion.
Similar to spider curls, incline curls require you to lie down on a weight bench. This can help with isolating your upper arm muscles more than cable curls.
Additionally, because of the gravity working on your arms, your elbows will automatically stay behind your body. This can lead to more focus on the long head, the outer part, of the biceps.
7. Crossbody curls
Take the following steps to do a crossbody curl:
- Stand up straight with your arms hanging beside you. Each hand holds a dumbbell with your hand palms facing forward in starting position.
- Slowly bring the dumbbell of one side to the shoulder of the opposite side as far as possible by folding your arms at the elbow. Keep your upper arm as much in the same position as possible but it will inevitably have to move to be able to do the movement.
- Lower the dumbbell back into starting position in a controlled motion.
- Repeat with the dumbbell on the other side.
Changing the angle of your upper arm in relation to your body is one way to focus on slightly different parts of the biceps.
Another way to do this is to change the angle of the upward motion of the bicep curls.
Crossbody curls are an alternative to cable curls that focuses on the long (outer) biceps brachii muscle heads.
Additionally, you don’t need a cable machine to do this exercise. Even something as simple as a heavy backpack at home can be used to do crossbody curls.
8. Outward bicep curls
Take the following steps to do a standing outward bicep curl with resistance bands:
- Stand up straight with your arms hanging beside you. Each hand holds a resistance band with a supinated grip which means with your hand palms facing forward in starting position. You can anchor the resistance band(s) below your feet or somewhere else low.
- Slowly fold your arms at the elbows as far as you can. Move your hands outward instead of straight up. Keep your upper arms in the same position throughout the exercise.
- Lower your hands back into starting position in a controlled motion.
Outward bicep curls go in the opposite upward direction from crossbody curls.
This makes this substitute for cable curls focus more on the short head of the brachii bicep muscle, the inner of the two brachii muscle heads.
If you do like the constant tension from the cable machine more, you can also do this outward variation with cables.
