Cable machines make it easy to adjust resistance in small increments and keep a curl challenging through much of its range of motion. They are also useful for beginners because the setup is simple and the movement is easy to control. But no curl can guarantee wider biceps or change the shape of your muscles.
Your genetics influence your muscle shape, while training can help increase the size of the biceps and the other muscles that contribute to the look of your upper arm.
The biceps brachii has two heads, often called the long head and short head. Both help bend the elbow, and the biceps also assists with turning the palm upward. The brachialis, which lies underneath the biceps, also bends the elbow. Building the elbow flexors as a group can add overall upper arm size, but a grip change or a special cable angle cannot reliably isolate one biceps head.
These three exercises give beginners a straightforward way to train the elbow flexors with different arm positions and grips. Choose a weight that lets you use controlled repetitions, and focus on gradually improving your performance.
1. Standing Cable Curl With a Straight Bar
The standing cable curl is a practical starting point because it uses a familiar curling motion and a stable two handed grip. A straight bar also lets you practice turning your palms upward as you curl, a movement called supination that the biceps helps perform.
How to do it
Attach a straight bar to a low pulley. Stand facing the machine with your feet about hip width apart. Hold the bar with your palms facing forward and your hands around shoulder width apart. Step back enough to create tension in the cable, then stand tall with your elbows close to your sides.
Bend your elbows to bring the bar toward your chest. Keep your upper arms still and avoid leaning backward to move the weight. Pause briefly near the top without letting your shoulders roll forward. Lower the bar under control until your elbows are nearly straight, then begin the next repetition.
Use a comfortable range of motion. You do not need to force your elbows into a locked position at the bottom, and you should not shorten the movement just to lift a heavier load. If your wrists feel uncomfortable with a straight bar, use an angled attachment or a pair of single handles.
Why it works for beginners
This curl teaches the basic pattern of elbow flexion while the cable provides resistance throughout the movement. The pulley does not make the exercise automatically better for muscle growth than a dumbbell curl, but it provides a convenient way to train and adjust the load. A controlled lowering phase also helps you maintain technique as the set becomes challenging.
The label “wide grip” is sometimes used to imply that a wider hand position will selectively build a particular biceps head. Research does not support treating grip width as a reliable way to isolate one head. Choose a hand position that feels comfortable and lets you move smoothly.
2. Single Arm Bayesian Cable Curl
The Bayesian curl is a single arm cable curl performed with the pulley behind you. Your upper arm sits slightly behind your torso, which places the shoulder in extension and lengthens the biceps at the start of the movement. It is an option for adding a different arm position to your cable training, although current evidence does not establish that it is best for every beginner.
How to do it
Set a single handle on a low pulley. Stand facing away from the machine and hold the handle in one hand. Step forward until you feel light tension in the cable. Let your working arm rest slightly behind your body, with your elbow nearly straight and your palm facing forward.
Keep your ribs stacked over your hips and your shoulder relaxed. Bend your elbow to curl the handle toward your shoulder while keeping your upper arm in place. Pause when your forearm is close to your biceps, then slowly straighten your elbow to return to the starting position. Complete your repetitions on one side before switching arms.
Do not let the cable pull your shoulder sharply backward at the bottom. Use a range of motion that feels controlled and comfortable. If you have trouble keeping your balance, stand with your feet staggered or hold the machine lightly with your free hand.
Why it works for beginners
This variation trains one arm at a time, which makes it easier to notice whether one side is doing more work. It also gives you a clear opportunity to practice controlling your shoulder and elbow without swinging your body.
A small 10 week study compared cable preacher curls with Bayesian cable curls in young men. Both exercises produced increases in elbow flexor muscle thickness, and the results do not justify promising that one variation will make everyone’s biceps grow more. The study is useful evidence that both arm positions can work, but it was small and should not be treated as a final answer for all trainees.
3. Rope Cable Hammer Curl
The rope hammer curl uses a neutral grip, with your palms facing each other. This position trains the elbow flexors without turning your palms upward during the curl. It is a useful complement to a palms up curl because it changes the grip and involves the brachialis and other elbow flexors.
How to do it
Attach a rope to a low pulley and hold one end in each hand. Stand tall with your palms facing each other and your elbows near your sides. Begin with your arms nearly straight, keeping a small bend in your elbows rather than letting the cable pull your shoulders forward.
Curl the rope toward your shoulders while maintaining the neutral grip. Keep your wrists straight and avoid allowing your elbows to travel forward. At the top, separate the rope ends slightly if that feels natural, then lower the weight slowly until your arms are nearly straight again.
Use a lighter load if you find yourself rocking your torso or bending your wrists to finish each repetition. The goal is to keep the movement controlled, not to move the heaviest possible stack.
Why it works for beginners
The neutral grip is often comfortable for people who find a straight bar awkward on their wrists. It also trains the brachialis, which sits underneath the biceps and contributes to the size of the upper arm. The hammer curl does not isolate the brachialis, and it cannot guarantee a wider appearance, but it adds useful elbow flexion work alongside palms up curls.
How to Use These Exercises
You do not need to perform all three exercises in every workout. Start with two variations, such as the standing cable curl and rope hammer curl, for two or three sets each. A set of roughly 8 to 15 controlled repetitions is a practical starting range. Use a load that makes the final repetitions challenging while still allowing you to maintain your technique.
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Train your biceps around two times per week if that fits your schedule and recovery. Leave at least a day between direct biceps sessions when possible. As you get stronger, add repetitions within your chosen range before increasing the weight by a small amount. Keep a record of the load and repetitions so you can see whether your training is progressing.
You do not need to take every set to the point where you cannot complete another repetition. Aim to finish most sets with about one to three good repetitions still possible. Research suggests that muscle growth tends to increase when sets are performed closer to failure, but taking every set to absolute failure is not required and can create extra fatigue.
Give the program time. Exercise selection matters less than training consistently, using a challenging effort, and gradually progressing. If an exercise causes sharp pain, stop and choose a comfortable variation. Beginners can get a productive biceps workout from simple curls performed with good control.
Key Takeaways
| Exercise | Main training focus | Beginner cue |
|---|---|---|
| Standing cable curl with a straight bar | Palms up elbow flexion with a stable two handed grip | Keep your upper arms still and lower the bar under control |
| Single arm Bayesian cable curl | Single arm curling with the shoulder slightly behind the torso | Use a comfortable stretch and avoid pulling the shoulder backward |
| Rope cable hammer curl | Neutral grip elbow flexion that also trains the brachialis | Keep your wrists straight and do not swing your body |
References
- Attarieh, P. et al. (2025) ‘Comparison between shoulder flexed and extended positions in elbow flexion resistance training on regional hypertrophy and maximum strength: Preacher versus Bayesian cable curls’, European Journal of Sport Science, 25(3), e12279.
- Currier, B.S. et al. (2023) ‘Resistance training prescription for muscle strength and hypertrophy in healthy adults: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis’, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(18), pp. 1211–1220.
- Robinson, Z.P. et al. (2024) ‘Exploring the dose-response relationship between estimated resistance training proximity to failure, strength gain, and muscle hypertrophy: a series of meta-regressions’, Sports Medicine, 54(9), pp. 2209–2231.
- Sato, S. et al. (2020) ‘Placing greater torque at shorter or longer muscle lengths? Effects of cable vs. barbell preacher curl training on muscular strength and hypertrophy in young adults’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(16), 5859.
