For years I have done dumbbell work for upper body strength. When doing curls, I have always used both arms at the same time, but now and then have seen people doing curls by alternating arms.
Is there any benefit to one over the other? If so, why?
Is there any differece in doing them standing up or sitting?
It’s all about balance and isolating muscles. If you hold heavy weights in front of you, you have to rock your torso back so that you don’t fall over as the weight is coming up. I think that robs a little of the work from your arms. I always alternate arms so that the other weight can help out with the balance.
Also, if you alternate arms in a set-set manner instead of a rep-rep manner, you can devote all the oxygen you’re breathing to just one arm. The other one is resting. In other words, there’s a higher breaths-per-set.
Just MHO.
I agree with this generally, although I do dumbbell curls seated so the balance becomes a non-issue. It also takes a lot of stress off your abs and back, but there are arguments for wanting them in play. I use two dumbbells at once because I like the balanced feel, but there’s no particular argument for it.
If you work one arm at a time, your cardiovascular system can support the exercise better. (I have found that at age 52 sometimes my cardiovascular system reaches its limits to support an exercise before the muscles are truly at exhaustion.)
I do bar curls standing, and plant one foot behind and one ahead so I don’t rock but the center of gravity shifts between the feet. I see most guys standing feet side-by-side and they do rock, which can put too much stress on the mid-to-lower back. However, the rocking to keep the center of gravity over the feet does not rob work from the arms, if it is done slowly with control and does not introduce a swinging motion. (I also see guys swinging the weights to get them up; not directly relevant to the OP but the idea is not to get the weight up however possible but to work the biceps.)
Range of motion:
Alternating dumbbells allow you to go the full range of motion on each arm, as the other rests as a counterbalance and helps prevent to rocking motion.
Keep your elbow by your side and focus on a full, deliberate and complete curl, with all your energy for that rep dedicated to that muscle group: the biceps of one arm.
You might want to try one arm preacher curls with a dumbbell, too.
Rocking is generally to be avoided, but don’t be fooled by people who strategically cheat. Full range of motion with the core set not to cheat is great, but now and then a cheat technique is an effective way to boost strength.
I would be interested in this, can you say more? The only thing I can think of is after the muscle can no longer do the positive side, you swing the weight up and lower slowly to do negatives.
Doing negatives is one way but it’s not cheating.
Proper cheating is to swing the weight only enough to get it past the sticking point, the biceps should continue to work as hard as possible. The trick is finding that line where you only get past that point while still working the biceps.
This usually used after going to exhaustion with regular curls and you’re looking to force out a few more reps.
Thanks everybody, interesting takes on the subject. I forgot to mention that I also do seated concentration curls. I’ll give a try to alternating arms, but at 82, I don’t do really heavy weights, just enough to keep me strong, muscles toned, and slightly larger than without the work. As I do strenuous mountain climbing, my legs don’t need any more work, but my upper body will wither away if I don’t do some upper body work.
I used to do a lot of barbell work too, but always tried for more and more weight (Type A personality :D), so the dumbbells are a compromise just to keep me in shape. At least until I die.
I just want to say that I’m impressed :eek: