Zottman Curls
Isolation exercise, Free weightsOverview
Main muscles
- Biceps: Arm flexor
(Musculus biceps brachii) - Biceps: Upper arm muscle
(brachialis muscle) - Forearm: Brachioradialis
(Musculus brachioradialis)
Workout plan
Here you can find example plans for zottman curls training:
Zottman Curls: Basics and alternatives
Involved main muscle groups:
Zottman Curls
Zottman curls combine two classic curl styles. You’ll lift the dumbbells palms up, turn your forearms at the top, then lower palms down. Your biceps and other elbow flexors move the weights while your forearms do the gripping and turning.
Practice the lift with Biceps Curls and the overhand lowering with Dumbbell Reverse Curls. Learning them separately often makes the grip change easier to coordinate.
Correct execution
The hand turn separates the lifting and lowering phases. A brief, controlled change at the top lets you settle into the overhand grip before the weights descend.
Choose dumbbells you can lower comfortably with an overhand grip, even if you could lift more with your palms facing up. Keep your elbows beside your body and your wrists in line with your forearms.
Think of the repetition as four actions: curl, turn, lower and turn back. Curl the dumbbells with your palms up, then stop briefly at the top. Turn your forearms until your palms face down and lower the weights slowly. At the bottom, turn your hands back to the starting grip before the next lift.
Practice with very light weights until these actions feel coordinated. Your hands and forearms turn together; avoid twisting your wrists sideways. Grip each handle in the middle and keep your thumbs wrapped around it.
Leave a little space between the dumbbells and your shoulders, and between the two weights, so you can turn them while your elbows stay by your sides. If you’re working both arms together, wait until both hands have finished turning before you lower the weights.
Video tutorial
Step-by-step instructions
Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand, arms beside your torso and palms facing forward.
Bend your elbows and curl both dumbbells toward your shoulders, keeping the palms-up grip.
Pause at the top and rotate your forearms until your palms face downward.
Lower the dumbbells slowly while keeping this overhand grip and your upper arms close to your sides.
At the bottom, rotate your hands back into the starting grip without swinging the weights. Reset your posture and begin the next controlled repetition.
Common mistakes
Turning the dumbbells quickly while they’re still rising can make the grip change hard to control. Pause at the top and rotate through a comfortable range, keeping your wrists aligned.
If you can curl a weight up but can’t control the overhand return, use lighter dumbbells. Leaning back or moving your elbows forward also changes the curl; keep your upper body still and your elbows at your sides.
Don’t swing the weights up just to practice lowering them. Reduce the load and take the four actions one at a time again. Give both hands time to turn, letting your slower arm set the pace.