Cable Rope Bicep Curl

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Beginner

A cable isolation movement targeting the biceps, using a rope attachment on a low pulley. It maintains constant tension, maximizing muscle mass development and peak contraction.

About Exercise

Equipment

Single Cable Machine, Rope Cable Attachment

Difficulty

1/5 • Beginner

Primary Muscle Groups

Biceps

Secondary Muscles

Forearms

Accessory Muscles

Shoulders

Popularity Score

7

Goals

Hypertrophy
Stability

Training Style

Bodybuilding
Functional Training

Setup Requirements

Requires Rack

No

Requires Bench

No

Requires Spotter

No

Space Needed

Small

Noise Level

Low

Muscle Breakdown

Biceps

10/10

Long Head, Short Head

Forearms

3/10

Flexors

Shoulders

2/10

Anterior Delts

Programming

Typical Rep Range

8-15 reps

Rest Between Sets

60-90 seconds • Keep rest shorter for hypertrophy focus.

How to Perform

Attach a rope to the low pulley of a cable machine. Stand upright, holding the rope ends with a neutral or slightly supinated grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and elbows pinned close to your sides.

  1. Brace your core and initiate the movement by flexing your elbows.
  2. Curl the rope up towards your chest, actively pulling the rope ends apart slightly at the peak.
  3. Squeeze your biceps forcefully when your forearms are perpendicular to the floor.
  4. Slowly extend your elbows, controlling the weight back to the starting position.
  5. Stop just short of full elbow extension to maintain constant tension on the biceps.

Coaching Tips

Form Cues

  • Squeeze at the top
  • Keep elbows tight
  • Control the descent
  • Maintain tension
  • Curl toward chin

Breathing

Inhale during the eccentric lowering phase and exhale forcefully as you curl the weight up.

Tempo

3-0-1

Range of Motion

Start with arms slightly bent to maintain tension, curling until the biceps are fully contracted near the chest.

Safety

Safety Notes

  • Do not use excessive weight that forces you to use momentum.
  • Keep the movement smooth and controlled to protect the elbow joints.

Spotting

Not required; decrease the cable weight if form breaks down.

Common Mistakes

  • Swinging the torso to lift the weight
  • Letting elbows drift forward
  • Full extension losing cable tension
  • Rushing the lowering phase

When to Avoid

  • Acute wrist or elbow pain
  • Shoulder joint inflammation

Flexibility Needed

  • Basic elbow flexion mobility

Build Up First

  • Ability to maintain stable upright posture

Also known as

Cable Rope Curl, Rope Cable Curl, Low Pulley Rope Curl

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