Zottman Curls

Setting up the Zottman curl

The Zottman curl is mechanically simple but requires deliberate wrist rotation between phases. The supinated curl and the pronated descent are equally important. Walk through each phase carefully before chasing load.

1. Stance and grip

Stand with feet hip width apart. Hold the dumbbells at the sides with palms facing forward in a supinated grip. The dumbbells hang at the sides at the start position. Arms straight down from the shoulders. This is the same starting position as a standard dumbbell curl.

2. The supinated curl

Curl both dumbbells up by flexing the elbows. The wrists stay supinated throughout the concentric phase. The dumbbells travel in an arc toward the shoulders. The elbows stay pinned at the sides. The dumbbells arrive at shoulder height at the top of the curl.

3. The peak contraction

At the top of the rep hold for half a second to one second. The wrists are fully supinated. The biceps are fully contracted. This is the standard peak position of a supinated dumbbell curl. The brief pause is what separates the concentric from the eccentric phase.

4. The wrist rotation

At the top of the rep rotate the wrists from supinated to pronated. The palms turn from facing the shoulders to facing forward. The dumbbells stay at shoulder height during this rotation. This wrist switch is the defining feature of the Zottman curl.

5. The pronated descent

Lower the dumbbells under control over two to three seconds with the wrists in the pronated position. The pronated descent loads the brachialis and brachioradialis heavily. At the bottom of the rep rotate the wrists back to supinated and begin the next rep.

What Zottman curls train

The Zottman curl is one of few single exercises that trains both the biceps brachii and the brachialis and brachioradialis equally. The wrist rotation between concentric and eccentric phases is what produces this combined training effect.

Biceps brachii (concentric)

Primary mover during the curl up. The supinated grip places the biceps in its strongest mechanical position. The concentric phase trains the biceps just like a standard supinated dumbbell curl. EMG comparisons show equivalent biceps activation between Zottman curls and standard dumbbell curls during the concentric phase.

Brachialis (eccentric)

Primary mover during the descent. The pronated grip on the way down places the brachialis under heavy eccentric load. The eccentric phase of the Zottman curl trains the brachialis at heavier loads than standard hammer curl eccentrics because the lifter can lift more in the supinated position than in the pronated.

Brachioradialis (eccentric)

Heavily loaded during the descent. The pronated grip biases the brachioradialis through the eccentric phase. This produces forearm thickness as a primary effect of Zottman curl training rather than as a secondary effect.

Forearm flexors and grip

Both phases work the grip. The pronated descent is particularly demanding for grip because the loads are heavier than standard pronated curls allow. Zottman curls produce significant forearm and grip development as part of the standard training effect.

Five errors on Zottman curls

The Zottman curl has specific failure modes related to the wrist rotation timing and the eccentric control. Most common errors involve skipping the rotation or rushing the descent.

Skipping the wrist rotation

If the wrist stays supinated through the descent the lift becomes a standard dumbbell curl. The pronation at the top is what makes the Zottman curl work. Force the rotation deliberately at the top of every rep before beginning the descent.

Rushing the eccentric

The pronated descent should take two to three seconds. The eccentric is where most of the brachialis and brachioradialis stimulus comes from. Rushing the descent wastes the unique training effect of the Zottman curl. Slow controlled descents every rep.

Going too heavy

The Zottman curl loads the pronated descent at supinated curl weights. This is heavier than standard pronated work which means the brachialis and brachioradialis are working at the edge of their capacity. Start lighter than your standard dumbbell curl weight and progress slowly.

Wrist hyperextension during descent

The pronated descent can produce wrist strain if the weight pulls the wrist into hyperextension. Keep the wrist neutral or slightly flexed throughout the pronated phase. Strong wrist control is what makes Zottman curls work.

Swinging with the trunk

The combined concentric and eccentric demand makes Zottman curls tiring quickly. As fatigue accumulates trunk swing becomes tempting. The trunk should stay rigid throughout the set. If trunk movement is needed the weight is too heavy or the set count is too high.

Sets, reps and where Zottman curls fit

Zottman curls are accessory work for combined bicep and forearm development. They are particularly suited to lifters who want to train multiple elbow flexors and grip simultaneously without using multiple exercises.

Hypertrophy: 8 to 12 reps

The productive range. 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps at moderate loads. Stop 1 to 2 reps short of failure. The combined concentric and eccentric demand means each rep takes longer than standard curls. Pace the set accordingly.

High volume: 12 to 20 reps

Higher rep Zottman curls work as a finisher. 2 to 3 sets at lighter loads at the end of an arms session. The combined bicep and forearm fatigue means the high rep work produces significant arm pump and metabolic stress.

Strength is rarely the goal

Zottman curls are not a strength exercise. The wrist rotation requirement limits loading potential and the pronated descent is mechanically weak. Heavier strength work should go on barbell or EZ bar curls. Keep Zottman curls in the hypertrophy and accessory categories.

Frequency

2 to 3 sessions per week is well tolerated. Zottman curls recover quickly because the loads are moderate. The combined bicep and forearm training means a single Zottman curl session covers multiple muscle groups at once which is one of the time efficiencies of the exercise.

When to use Zottman curls

Most useful for lifters who want efficient arm training in limited time. A single Zottman curl set covers what would otherwise require both supinated and neutral grip curls. For lifters with longer training sessions separate exercises produce slightly better results. For short sessions Zottman curls are highly efficient.

More on bicep training

For the supinated portion performed separately, our Standing dumbbell curls guide covers standard supinated curling. Hammer curls are the neutral grip alternative. And the Cross body hammer curls page covers the diagonal brachialis biased variation.