High Cable Curl gives you the advantage of flexing your biceps to see how strong and bulk they are while working out, call it an aesthetic and feel good workout.
High Cable Curl works best when done at the end of your training routine, as it is an isolation exercise. Less weight is best so that you concentrate more on contracting and isolating the primary muscles.
HOW TO DO HIGH CABLE CURL PROPERLY
The workout targets the biceps while the other arm muscles act as synergistic muscles during workout. Using less weight than your usual helps you concentrate on muscle contraction and technique mastering.
You will require a dual cable machine or two cable machines placed opposite of each other with a convenient distance between them.
In case of injuries or assistance with set-up, talk to your trainer/gym instructor to guide you through the technique.
How to do it:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart between the two high pulleys and grasp the handles each on one hand in an underhand grip. This will create tension on the cable.
- Your arms should be parallel to the floor with your shoulder blades (Traps) squeezed together and back straight and braced. This is your starting position.
- Inhale and curl up the handles by flexing at the elbows and bring your fist all the way to your ears. Contract the biceps throughout the curl motion.
- Hold the position and exhale while you go back to your starting position. Maintain a fluid motion to facilitate a smooth breathing pattern.
- At all times your upper arms should be in a parallel position with the floor. Only move your forearm.
- Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
WHAT MUSCLES DO HIGH CABLE CURL WORK
BICEPS BRACHII
Being one of the main muscles of the arms, biceps help with both shoulder and elbow joint movement. The muscle serves to support and stabilize the arm when curling up the handle and lowering it.
Developing and strengthening the biceps helps protect your arms from injuries and increase endurance to perform more upper body workouts with added weights. The workout also helps build width and thickness of the muscles giving it a nice strong appearance.
FOREARM EXTENSORS
Being the secondary muscles worked on, the forearm flexors act as synergistic muscles that helps the biceps perform the workout.
The muscles assist in maintaining a firm grip on the handles to help balance the movement and develop the muscles.
HIGH CABLE CURL BENEFITS
BICEPS DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHENING
High Cable Curl exercise completely isolates your bicep muscles and works on it until muscle build up and strength is achieved. For aesthetic purposes, bulking your upper arm muscles gives you a strong and powerful look that is both intimidating and confident.
Constant bicep workout helps your muscle gain strength for more challenging workouts and increased weights.
POSTURE REINFORCEMENT
Maintaining a straight back while working out is important as it protects the spine from tension and muscle strain which most of the time lead to back pains and even severe injuries.
GRIP IMPROVEMENT AND FOREARM STRENGTHENING
We have to agree that pulling a load in an underhand grip is not easy. Developing a strong grip encourages you to go big with arm workouts and weights.
A strong grip means strong forearm muscles since the arm flexors run all the way to the digits of the hand. This assists the biceps to effectively contract and isolate which facilitates muscle development and build up.
ALTERNATIVES TO HIGH CABLE CURL
CHIN UP
Chin up workout is an essential workout in a strength-training program that should be necessary even for a beginner.
For any assistance, communicate with your trainer/gym instructor to spur you.
How to do it:
- Set up a pull up bar higher than your actual height and grab it with an underhand grip. Hands should be shoulder-width apart.
- Hang freely from the bar and cross your legs at the ankles. This is your starting position.
- Brace your core and inhale as you pull your body up until your chin is in line with the bar. Hold the position and then lower back to your starting position.
- Do 2 sets of 8-10 reps.
RESISTANCE BAND CURLS
If you are shying off from working out in a gym, grab different types of resistance bands and start your workout journey and confidence at home.
How to do it:
- In this workout, it is best to have a resistance band that has a bar handle attached to it.
- Step on the middle part of the resistance band and hold the handles in an underhand grip. This is your starting position.
- Brace your core and curl up both hands towards your chest as you contract your biceps muscles.
- Hold the position then lower your hands back to your starting position.
- Maintain your elbows on your sides throughout the motion and avoid flaring them up.
- Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
HIGH CABLE CURL MISTAKES TO AVOID
ROUNDED/CURVED BACK
A mistake that can cost you your posture and a healthy back. Maintaining a straight back while working out helps you to improve your posture and maintain a healthy spine.
A straight back engages the back muscles that strengthen and tighten with time, which reinforces a good posture.
USING MOMENTUM
Since it is more of a slow and steady movement, you may be tempted to use your other upper body muscles to assist with the curling up motion. This defeats the purpose of the workout and shifts the focus from the biceps to other muscles.
Keep your upper body and upper arms stationary while working out to concentrate on the target muscles, which are the biceps.
CONCLUSION
It goes without saying that while at the gym, it is either you go big or go home. Doing isolation workouts helps you concentrate on progressively developing each muscle and making sure muscle symmetry is achieved.
Work your biceps constantly to facilitate and increase strength and thickness in a short amount of time.
High Cable Curl is a good start as it specifically works on building the bicep muscles.
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