SETUP: Load an EZ-bar with a challenging weight. Stand upright, chest out and shoulders back, and hold the bar with your arms hanging straight down.
REP WITH PARTNER: Curl the weight up by having your partner assist in the lift. Control the bar on the way down.
REP BY YOURSELF: Use a slight “kick” (see last 2 reps of video) to generate momentum and help get the bar up (Arnold called these “cheat curls”). Once at the top, slow it down and control the lowering phase.
TIP: As you lower the bar, squeeze it hard and control the tempo. You are much stronger in the lowering phase of a curl, so this exercise allows you to work with a weight you’d usually avoid.