March 11, 2023

Why Is the X3 Bicep Curl Different from the Typical Bicep Curl?

We perform drag curls, which call for both shoulders to drop and forearms to rise. Given the variation in resistance that X3 offers, this results in a stronger bicep contraction at the movement’s peak, which increases muscular fatigue. More muscular growth results from more extreme exertion.

Full Transcript

Those who have seen bicep curl videos or pictures know that we recommend a very different type of curl.

Before we get into the curl discussion, there are some people who don’t do curls. That’s because they want to focus on multi-joint or functional movements. This is a very over-used term.

The function of a muscle is to shorten so that you can define anything as functional.

But, they want to mimic the things they might do in a sport.

Or, they want to do things called functional by their CrossFit instructor, which may or may not be true.

Now, instead of a normal curl position, you bring the X3 Bar almost up to the bridge of your nose.

The problem with bringing the bar here is if you look at the radius and ulna and you look at the lower arm, it’s perpendicular to the ground. This is not the ground. I know that the table’s perpendicular or parallel to the ground.

When this happens, the bicep is shut off. You have a stimulus-type situation where you’re turning the muscle on and off. It’s a terrible stimulus.

You’re not keeping constant tension on the muscle. The way to keep constant tension on the muscle is you see how the biceps are very contracted position here, whereas here, it’s not at all.

We get the highest tension and the hardest contraction right here.

The reason they call it drags curl is that you’re hovering the bar, dragging it up the front of your body. As you do this, you’re engaging the posterior deltoid right back here. Also, the trapezius kind of pushes your head a little forward, and that’s normal.

Your normal positioning for a drag curl is the head’s going to come forward a little bit. The biomechanics require it to.

It also turns the movement into a multi-joint movement. From research, we know that multi-joint movements stimulate more growth than single-joint movements.

By getting another joint involved, we’re not only really getting the posterior deltoid, but we’re also enabling the body to see two joints moving. And we’re maximizing the musculature involved.

You’re going to handle more weight, stimulate more growth, and have all the associated benefits of a multi-joint movement.

And you’ll see incredible bicep growth.

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