Zottman Curl

Directions:

Preperation/body position

1. Find dumbbells that are of a suitable weight for you to execute the exercise.
2. Grasp dumbbells.
3. Keep torso erect and back straight, with upper arms and elbows stationary at your sides.
4. Start with dumbbells down by your sides, with palms facing towards body.

Excution/Movement

1. Just using flexion of the elbow, curl the dumbbell up, rotating the wrist so that at the top of the movement the palm is facing upwards.
2. Keep elbows stationary throughout exercise.
3. After peak contraction, slowly lower the dumbbell, rotating the wrist so that the palms are facing downwards. Complete the lower portion of the eccentric phrase of the exercise with the pronated (palms down) grip.
4. Repeat the same movement for the other arm, once completed.
5. Repeat for desired number of repetitions.

Comments

The Zottman dumbbell curl is an uncommonly used exercise, which is actually very effective at stimulating the biceps brachii and brachioradialis.

The exercise begins in a similar fashion to that of the popular dumbbell curl, which will stimulate the biceps brachii, but through the eccentric phrase of the exercise we shift emphasis onto the brachioradialis by twisting the wrist, so that we are using a pronated (palms down) grip.

It is important to remember that our main goal is to stimulate the biceps brachii and brachioradialis. We want to avoid secondary muscle involvement, from the likes of the anterior deltoid. Therefore, keep torso erect and straight throughout the exercise, with the upper arms and elbow stationary throughout the execution of the exercise.

For hypertrophy 6-12 reps will likely yield the best results, providing optimal time under tension. This will provide adequate stimulation for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, and acute response to anabolic hormone concentrations, compared to that of lower rep ranges.