Drag Curl (Dumbbell)
The Dumbbell Drag Curl is an isolation exercise where you pull weights vertically up your torso by driving your elbows backward. This strict movement pattern eliminates shoulder assistance to specifically target the long head of the biceps.
Since the Drag Curl relies heavily on a strict vertical path rather than heavy loading, tracking your RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) is crucial; our AI monitors this to ensure you aren't sacrificing form for weight. Additionally, by analyzing your recovery status and HRV, the app can adjust volume on arm days to prevent overuse of the bicep tendon, while flagging potential shoulder extension issues if you have a history of anterior shoulder pain.
Form Cues
- Retract your shoulder blades and keep your chest up
- Pull your elbows straight back behind your body
- Drag the dumbbells vertically along your torso
- Squeeze your biceps hard at the peak of the movement
- Lower the weights slowly along the same vertical path
- Don't curl the weights forward in an arc
- Don't let your elbows drift in front of your ribs
- Don't shrug your shoulders to lift the weight
- Don't swing your hips to generate momentum
Common Mistakes
- Allowing elbows to move forward
- Shrugging the upper traps
- Using momentum to initiate the lift
- Losing contact between weights and torso
- Reducing range of motion due to heavy weight
Muscles Worked
This exercise is uniquely effective at targeting the long head of the biceps, which contributes to the biceps 'peak,' by removing the front deltoids from the movement. It also engages the brachialis and forearms significantly to maintain the grip and vertical bar path against gravity.
Primary
Secondary
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