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biceps

Standing High Pulley Cable Curl

Standing between two high cables with your arms out to the sides, you curl the handles toward your head. A strong peak squeeze for the biceps.

intermediatecable machinesingle handle attachment

Standing High Pulley Cable Curl, start position
START
Standing High Pulley Cable Curl, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START2
  1. Set both pulleys at about shoulder height and attach a single handle to each.
  2. Choose a light weight on each stack with the pins.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Stand in the middle with a handle in each hand, arms out to the sides, palms facing up.
  2. Keep your upper arms level with your shoulders for the whole set.

Check: Your arms are straight out to the sides at shoulder height, palms up, with the weight off the stacks.

Curl up

  1. Bend your elbows and curl both handles in toward your ears.
  2. Squeeze for a second with your hands near your head.

Check: Your hands are beside your head, your upper arms are still level with your shoulders, and your trunk is still.

Lower slowly

  1. Straighten your arms slowly back out to the sides.

Check: Your arms are straight out to the sides again at shoulder height.

That is one rep. Repeat for your set.

Breathe out as you curl up in about 1 second; squeeze; breathe in as you lower over 2 to 3 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Standing High Pulley Cable Curl: muscles worked, front view
Standing High Pulley Cable Curl: muscles worked, back view

biceps

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Swinging the body or the elbows forward to lift the weight. Momentum and the shoulders do the work instead of the biceps. Fix: Keep your elbows pinned at your sides and your trunk still; use less weight.
  • Dropping the weight back down. Fix: Lower over 2 to 3 seconds; the lowering half builds the muscle too.
  • Upper arms dropping as you curl. Fix: Keep the upper arms level with your shoulders; only the forearms move.
SAFETY1
  • Keep your wrists straight; do not let them bend back under the weight.
EQUIPMENT SETTINGS
  • cable machine · pulleys: both at shoulder height or a little above
RELATED EXERCISES

variants: rope cable curl

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