Seated Zottman Curl: How To, Muscles Worked & Tips

If you want bigger biceps, then, you can consider executing the sitting Zottman curl.

By engaging the biceps in both the eccentric and eccentric stages of the lift, you’ll be able to build more muscle in your biceps with every rep.

If you want thicker biceps, you need to start doing this as part of your regular exercise program, and it’s easier than you think.

Table of Contents

Seated Zottman Curl Exercise Details

Exercise type: Strength
Body type: Arms
Level: Intermediate
Main targets: Biceps brachii, brachioradialis, and brachialis
Secondary targets: Forearm extensors and forearm flexors
Compound/Isolated: Isolated
Force type: Pull
Required equipment: Dumbbells and adjustable weight bench

The Zottman biceps curl is a form of bicep workout created by George Zottman in the nineteenth century.

This exercise will incorporate workouts into one, as opposed to the fixed wrist posture required by typical curls.

It is an effective biceps and forearms exercise because it requires alternating overhand and underhand grips with each repetition.

Since your back, legs, and hips are all supported by the bench during a seated Zottman curl, you’ll have a far easier time maintaining tension on the intended muscles than you would with a regular barbell curl.

How To Do Seated Zottman Curl Correctly

1- Put one dumbbell in each hand and sit up straight.

2- Second, while holding the dumbbells supinated, curl them up toward your shoulders.

3- Once you’ve reached the limits, pause for a moment, then turn your palms down by rotating your wrists.

4- In the fourth step, pronate your palms as you lower the weights to the beginning position.

5- 3-5 sets and 8-10 reps should be completed before stopping for a breather.

If you want to boost the hardness of this workout, try completing them while standing instead of sitting. They’re excellent for biceps-focused exercise routines

Seated Zottman Curl Muscles Worked

As we do Zottman curls, we are mainly working to strengthen our biceps, the muscle group responsible for flexing our elbows.

At the beginning of each rep, we do a standard curl, which places the most emphasis on our biceps. Next, we rotate our wrists, putting less pressure on our biceps and more on our forearms.

The location of our wrists creates a mechanical disadvantage for our biceps, yet they nonetheless help us out when we drop the weights.

The brachioradialis, a big, superficial muscle in the forearm, is also worked on while doing Zottman curls.

As we reach the peak of the curl, we may give the brachioradialis a linear motion by twisting our wrists so that it controls the weight as we lower it.

The brachialis, which aids the bicep in bending the elbow, responds well to Zottman curls. As we palm our hands down, our biceps are unable to generate as much power, therefore the brachialis is forced into action.

What Are The Benefits Of Seated Zottman Curl

Amplification of Forearm Stimuli

Forearms play a crucial role in Zottman Curl’s technique.

As a result of their focus on the biceps, several other arm workouts (such as the bicep curl and the incline curl) do not place nearly as much pressure on the forearms.

To maximize full-arm strength and muscular growth, the Z Curl places special emphasis on the forearms during the eccentric stage.

Strengthened Grip

Strengthening your grip will help you to lift heavier weights while doing dumbbell workouts such as the hammer curl, dumbbell rows, pronated curl, lat pulldowns, EZ bar curls, and more.

Athletes may accelerate progress in all areas of their performance by focusing on their grip strength.

More Attractive Upper Body

This exercise benefits the whole arm. To build bigger biceps is not its intended purpose.

Forearms and biceps will both grow and become more defined as a result. Because of this, your arms will appear (and function) much better.

Reduce the chances of cheating

There is no benefit to your biceps by swinging the weights upward, but there is a risk of injury to your back and knees if you continue this unhealthy behavior.

The sitting Zottman curl offers the solution. While you can still curl while seated, your back, legs, and hips will be supported by the bench, preventing you from generating momentum.

Zottman Curl Variations

1. Zottman Curls With a Resistance Band

A resistance band allows for maximum tension at the apex of Zottman curls. Try stepping across an open-ended resistance band.

The breadth of your stance will be determined by the band and how much you have to shorten it in order to feel sufficient resistance.

You can do Zottman curls just as you would with a set of dumbbells after you’ve got everything set up.

2. Reverse Zottman Curl

While doing the reverse Zottman curl, the hands start each rep facing down.

After bringing the weight up to your shoulders, you should rotate your wrists and complete the exercise with a standard bicep curl grip.

The Verdict

Sitting Zottman curls are a great biceps workout.

You may do this workout wherever you have access to a bench and some dumbbells.

Execute the exercise correctly, just by following the steps above.

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Hassane Sghir

Founder & Personal Trainer at Optimal Body Pill

Hi there, I'm the founder & editor of optimalbodypill.com. Because of stress and an unhealthy lifestyle, I've decided to start my fitness journey through bodyweight and also weight training. Now, I enjoy sharing my tiny experience with fitness & gym equipment, I've tested tons of gym products, accessories, and supplements for over 4 years now.