In a recent video, Dr. Mike Israetel breaks down why most lifters have been curling wrong for years—without even realizing it.
Traditional curls like barbell or incline variations often miss the stretch-loaded position where real muscle growth happens.
Israetel explains how small changes in angle and resistance direction can lead to bigger gains with less fatigue. In this article, you’ll discover the specific exercises he recommends—and why they could completely change how you train biceps.
If you’ve hit a plateau, this might be exactly what you’ve been missing.
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The problem with traditional curls
Most standard curls involve a vertical torso position with resistance applied straight down due to gravity. This is true for variations like:
- Standing barbell or dumbbell curls
- Seated curls
- Cable curls done standing upright
This setup causes two key problems:
- Insufficient tension at long muscle lengths: When your arms are extended at the bottom of the movement—the lengthened position for the biceps—there’s almost no tension from gravity-based resistance. These longer lengths are where muscle growth potential is highest, and most people are missing out.
- Excessive tension at short muscle lengths: Conversely, at the top of the curl, when the biceps are fully shortened (and least responsive to hypertrophy stimuli), the load is heaviest. That’s like spending all your energy on the appetizer and tapping out by the time the main course arrives.
Stretch stimulus: the secret sauce for biceps growth
Scientific studies consistently show that muscle growth is maximized when exercises apply load at longer muscle lengths. For biceps, this means working the muscle when your arms are extended and when the muscle is stretched—ideally behind the torso.
Yet few traditional exercises provide load during this lengthened stretch.
Incline curls do help by placing your arms behind your torso, increasing the stretch. But in this position, the resistance is still vertical, meaning minimal tension at the bottom. So, you’re trading tension for stretch, instead of combining both.
Vertical resistance causes unnecessary fatigue
Even beyond inefficient muscle loading, vertical curls fatigue the body more than needed. Because all the resistance is directed down and your torso is upright, your spine takes on much of that load as axial fatigue—compressive forces that wear you down.
That stress accumulates across your training week and can sap the energy needed for heavy compound lifts like deadlifts, rows, or squats.
So, what’s better? Curls with horizontal or angled resistance
Here are four effective alternatives that strike the sweet spot: maximum tension at long lengths, minimal fatigue, and better overall muscle stimulus.
Lying cable curls
Lying cable curls change everything—not by adjusting the movement mechanics, but by taking the spine out of the equation completely.
Benefits:
- No axial loading—removes fatigue from the back and core
- Laser-focused mind-muscle connection through pure biceps isolation
- High-tension, consistent resistance through the range of motion using cables
Tip: You can lie flat on a bench if the gym floor isn’t your thing. The idea is to remove your torso from resisting gravity while keeping the resistance vector aligned with your curl motion.
Behind-the-back cable curls (Seated Free Motion machine)
This method places the cables low and slightly behind you, so your arms start from a heavily stretched position behind your torso. Sitting on a bench makes the setup more stable and removes torso movement.
Why it works:
- Puts biceps in a long, stretched position
- Provides peak tension during the stretch—exactly when growth stimulus is highest
- Loads are lighter at the contracted, less growth-sensitive position
The seated version is ideal, though you can replicate a similar angle by leaning slightly forward during standing cable curls.
Lying dumbbell curls (flat bench)
This unusual-looking movement mimics a dumbbell fly, but for biceps. You lie face-up on a flat bench and curl the weights from your sides.
Because gravity is still pointing downward and your arms start extended toward the ground, tension is highest when your biceps are fully lengthened—exactly what most other exercises miss.
The magic of this movement:
- Extreme biceps stretch at the bottom
- High resistance in the lengthened range
- Minimal tension toward the top when muscle is fully shortened
Tip: Use moderate weights and control the descent to get the most tension throughout the stretch.
Do you need to ditch traditional curls completely?
Not at all.
Exercises like standing barbell curls still have value. They’re easy to set up, efficient, and provide variety. The key is to stop relying on them exclusively.
Start mixing in more stretch-loaded, angle-driven movements that bias the longer length positions of the biceps. These will give you a new growth stimulus and help break through plateaus.
A sample biceps training plan might look like:
- Day 1: Standing barbell curl (traditional), lying cable curl (new style)
- Day 2: Incline dumbbell curl (traditional), behind-the-back cable curl (new style)
Even a 50/50 balance between old and new styles can yield significantly better results.
Final thoughts: Try it, but don’t force it
These updated biceps training techniques aren’t gimmicks. They’re backed by solid movement science and experiential feedback from long-time lifters. Dr. Mike Israetel himself—after decades of training—says he’s seen new gains from these minor shifts in approach.
“If you don’t like them, whatever—don’t use them. No big deal,” he explains. “But if you try them, get ready for some real, noticeable difference.”
And when you’re flexing your biceps next time? Channel your inner Arnold—“Yeah! Look at me!”—because you’re finally curling smart.
