Drag Curl (Barbell)
The Barbell Drag Curl is a strict bicep isolation exercise where you drag the bar vertically up your torso. By pulling your elbows back, this movement eliminates shoulder involvement to specifically target the bicep peak and long head.
Because the drag curl requires a reduced range of motion and strict mechanics, the AI analyzes your load and RPE to prevent you from using excessive weight that compromises form. It tracks recovery metrics like HRV to manage volume, ensuring you don't overtrain the bicep tendons. Additionally, if you have a history of shoulder pain logged in your profile, the AI recognizes this as a joint-friendly alternative to standard curls since it minimizes shoulder flexion.
Form Cues
- Pin your elbows back behind your torso
- Drag the barbell vertically up along your shirt
- Squeeze the biceps hard at the peak of contraction
- Keep your shoulders depressed and down away from your ears
- Don't allow your elbows to drift forward
- Don't shrug your traps at the top of the movement
- Don't swing your hips to generate momentum
- Don't let the bar drift away from your body
Common Mistakes
- Allowing elbows to travel forward
- Shrugging shoulders up
- Using too much weight
- Curling in an arc instead of a straight line
Muscles Worked
This exercise focuses intensely on the biceps brachii, particularly the long head which creates the muscle's peak. It also heavily engages the brachialis and forearms while completely removing the front deltoids from the equation.
Primary
Secondary
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