Curls for the Girls (or Guys)
Written by Melissa Hurley
Bicep curls?!
I know what you’re thinking; you’re thinking they have no place and that they don’t belong. They don’t belong in our gyms – let alone our CrossFit gyms!
Contrary to popular belief, a curl is not a four letter word. Do you or someone you know have hypermobile joints? There’s some elbow stability to be gained with curls as long as they’re done sparingly and with full range of motion.
When performing curls, make sure to keep the wrists in line with the forearms throughout the entire set. Try using a little less weight for your curls and slowing things down so that you are taking a full two seconds to curl the bar or dumbbells to the top and another three seconds to lower it to the bottom.
Two or three sets of curls once or twice a week will be just enough to work the tissue around the elbow joint without compromising flexibility. Be sure to let your elbow extend all the way on each rep; do not do partial bodybuilding-style curls as these will not help.
Remember, even though everyone loves to touch a beautiful bicep, bicep curls are best looked at as a stability exercise. Don’t get carried away with getting your pump on.