No Money Curl (Dumbbell)
The Dumbbell No Money Curl is a functional bicep exercise that combines elbow flexion with external shoulder rotation. It targets the inner bicep head while simultaneously strengthening the rotator cuff and improving posture.
Since the No Money Curl targets smaller stabilizers in the rotator cuff alongside the biceps, volume management is critical to avoid overuse. Our AI analyzes your recovery metrics and previous training load to prescribe the exact weight and reps that stimulate growth without aggravating the shoulder joint. If you have a history of shoulder impingement, the app remembers this and can suggest safer regressions or monitor your RPE closely to ensure you maintain a pain-free range of motion.
Form Cues
- Keep your elbows glued tightly to your ribs throughout the set
- Rotate your forearms outward as you curl up, like opening double doors
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together slightly to stabilize your posture
- Lower the weights slowly, resisting the pull of gravity
- Keep your wrists neutral or slightly extended, avoiding excessive curling
- Don't let your elbows flare out or drift forward away from your body
- Don't swing your hips or arch your back to generate momentum
- Don't shrug your shoulders up toward your ears as you lift
- Don't rush the lowering phase of the movement
- Don't allow your shoulders to roll forward at the bottom of the rep
Common Mistakes
- Using too much weight, forcing the elbows to separate from the torso
- Failing to fully rotate the palms outward at the top
- Performing the movement too fast and losing tension
- Allowing the wrists to curl inward instead of the biceps doing the work
- Leaning backward to counterbalance the weight
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the short head of the biceps brachii, which contributes to the thickness of the inner arm. Secondarily, it heavily recruits the external rotators of the shoulder (infraspinatus and teres minor) and the posterior deltoids, making it excellent for correcting rounded shoulders.
Primary
Secondary
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