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Barbell How bad are curls?

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Kozushi

Kozushi

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The Power to the People book seems to make fun of curls, so I kind of scorned them the past few years. But, having bought a barbell, it, hahaha, seems about the only exercise I can do with it without building some kind of structures for bench pressing and deadlifting, is the curl!

I've put 70lbs on a 20lbs bar, so it's 90lbs total, which is about right for me to be able to do 3-5 reps per set, so about right for 5 sets or so at a time.

In any case, not knowing anything about barbells, I can compare the exercise to kettlebell moves, and it sort of resembles the swing in it being a "big pull" movement, but without the sweat(!) which is a good point actually, and it resembles the press in that at the top of the curl when I hold it there for an instant it is a kind of "rack" position and resembles the kind of upright tension you have at the start of an overhead press.

Anyhow, any thoughts on how worthwhile or not curling with a barbell is?

Given 1. my judo schedule with is heavy in cardio training and sweat, and 2. my sore right shoulder (just sore mind you, not "injured"!) I've been fishing around for some other kind of weight training complements to S&S to do on judo days.
 
I do my deadlifts on just a horse stall mat -- no structures required. There many ways to entertain yourself with a barbell and no racks of any kind...

I think Dan John recommends it as the "pull" in various Easy Strength configurations.
 
Well, for all the teasing in the book, Pavel does choose to actually include them as a programming option over dozens of other possible barbell exercises. Dan John recommends them for people who have neglected them in past training. In Pavel's past writing he also used to take jabs at bench pressing. I think he was mainly addressing an exclusive obsession with benching or curling that you see in lots of gyms. At the same time, Pavel calls the bench press the best upper body press. I've also heard that heavy curling is relatively functional for grappling and wrestling. And Bruce Lee also was known to have a strong barbell curl. Good company.
 
Hello,

IMO, curls are not bad in themselves. Doing them with a tight core to really work with the arms and not leaning backward / forward to do the lift. To avoid arm imbalance, maybe some triceps extensions (or any kind of push).

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Curls are an excellent exercise. For anyone who has had to carry things a lot, especially in awkward positions, knows that curls are as functional as it gets.

Like @jca17 said, curls get bad rep along the bench press because some people obsess over them. Curls are for showing the piece and bench press is for telling how much you bench. But that some people give the exercises a bad name is no reason to not do them as a part of a sensible training program.
 
Strict curl are a great exercise - if they are not the only think you are doing. Same thing applies to bench press.

Do you know that biceps curl was a part of powerlifting competition (so called "Strength Set" - biceps curl, bench press, and squat)?

In 1966 it was replaced by the deadlift.
 
Kozushi said:
seems about the only exercise I can do with it without building some kind of structures for bench pressing and deadlifting, is the curl!
Click to expand...
For just a floor and barbell:
  1. Deadlift
  2. Clean and Press
  3. Clean and Front Squat
  4. Floor Press
  5. etc.
Lots to do beside curls. Not that one should not do curls. Curls are very important for improving carrying. Many a strongman have torn a bicep during a carry of some kind.

I wouldn't do much barbell training on the same day as your judo training in addition to S&S though. Who has that kind of time.
 
Bro Mo said:
For just a floor and barbell:
  1. Deadlift
  2. Clean and Press
  3. Clean and Front Squat
  4. Floor Press
  5. etc.
Lots to do beside curls. Not that one should not do curls. Curls are very important for improving carrying. Many a strongman have torn a bicep during a carry of some kind.

I wouldn't do much barbell training on the same day as your judo training in addition to S&S though. Who has that kind of time.
Click to expand...
I rarely do S&S on judo days, but some curls, pushups, chinups, steel mace 360s work without overdoing it.
Those look like a nice combination of moves.
 
jca17 said:
Well, for all the teasing in the book, Pavel does choose to actually include them as a programming option over dozens of other possible barbell exercises. Dan John recommends them for people who have neglected them in past training. In Pavel's past writing he also used to take jabs at bench pressing. I think he was mainly addressing an exclusive obsession with benching or curling that you see in lots of gyms. At the same time, Pavel calls the bench press the best upper body press. I've also heard that heavy curling is relatively functional for grappling and wrestling. And Bruce Lee also was known to have a strong barbell curl. Good company.
Click to expand...
Yes, curls do seem very practical for developing practical strength for grappling and wrestling.
 
Regular judo training (at least 3 times a week) changes a lot how I incorporate weight training into my life. For one thing, it eliminates the pressing need to include cardio into weight training at all. Judo is INSANE cardio. Even "mobility" isn't important, since judo covers that better than anything - pushing, pulling, falling and getting up in every angle conceivable and then some. It's just strength that matters now. The swings are ideal judo strength training moves, but the non-sweating barbell moves are looking good for a supplement, like curls.
 
i find curling more and more necessary. i used to mock them too. but every time you lift an odd object, somehow curl it. you cannot always clean things up, like you would do with a barbell or kettlebell.
it doesn´t have to be obsessive curling training, but something wich mimicks everyday actions seems useful to me. for this case i would recommend sandbags,stones or logs even more than a barbell.
 
Sergej said:
i find curling more and more necessary. i used to mock them too. but every time you lift an odd object, somehow curl it. you cannot always clean things up, like you would do with a barbell or kettlebell.
it doesn´t have to be obsessive curling training, but something wich mimicks everyday actions seems useful to me. for this case i would recommend sandbags,stones or logs even more than a barbell.
Click to expand...
It also seems like a simple exercise to do but quite practical and useful.
 
Sergej said:
i find curling more and more necessary. i used to mock them too. but every time you lift an odd object, somehow curl it. you cannot always clean things up, like you would do with a barbell or kettlebell.
it doesn´t have to be obsessive curling training, but something wich mimicks everyday actions seems useful to me. for this case i would recommend sandbags,stones or logs even more than a barbell.
Click to expand...
This.

I don't do more curl work than the ones I do while performing my prying GS, which are 15-30 per day, but curls get a bad rep for being just for show and not "functional".
In reality though they are a good tool for elbow health (if you're pressing a lot) and IMO one of the most "functional" movement there is.
If I were to track the movements I perform in everyday life I'm sure the curl comes out on top. Just for example, every time you take your bottle or glass and lead it to the mouth to drink, that's a curl.

curl1.jpg curl2.jpg

Or look at the pictures, every time you carry something like that (which is the way people carry most things) you do an isometric curl and curling in your training improves the ability to do that.
 
When I was in the latter stages of rehab for my shoulder surgery the physiotherapist was insistent on the value of doing bicep curls as a part of the recovery process.
 
They also have to be good for back strength since you have to stay upright while doing the curl.
 
If you want Pavel's opinion on curls, check out his book Beyond Bodybuilding. The book gives ways to incorporate different curl exercises into a weekly program. He's not against curls.
 
Ha! I reread the section in Beyond Bodybuilding that Arryn mentioned. Pavel says to do your curls in the power rack.

"And yes, finally you have a legit reason to curl inside a power cage!"
-Pavel
 
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