Barbell Cheat Curls – UPDATED 2022 – A Complete Guide

Do you want HUGE biceps in 2022? If so, then barbell cheat curls are an exercise you should consider adding to your workout. Curls are the perfect exercise when it comes to building upper body muscle.

And sometimes it’s good to cheat. Who wants to follow the rules all the time? Let’s get into all the details you need to know about barbell cheat curls. But, be warned you will be looking at movements that you have been told to avoid.

Barbell Cheat Curls – A Complete Guide

As you may have guessed, cheat curls involve breaking the standard form for regular curls. The ‘cheating’ involves using more eccentric movements. This means you hyperextend your arm and stabilize your back. Now, this may sound counterintuitive. It goes against most people’s idea of what good curls look like. However, when used correctly it isolates your biceps and results in more effective muscle mass growth.

To start the exercise, you should load the barbell with a challenging weight that would allow you to do a few reps with good form. You can use a straight bar or a curl bar.

You can then get into a standing position. Pick up the barbell and hold it at shoulder width while letting it rest against your thighs. You can then curl the weight towards you and make sure to breathe out deeply.

You can then lower the weight back down and inhale deeply. Once you have performed a normal form curl, you can begin to ‘cheat’ and swing the weight up while using your shoulders and back. But, please be careful.

You can repeat this movement for as many reps and sets as you can manage. Be sure to start off easy. Cheat curls are designed to be done with heavy and challenging weights. This means you are forced to break normal form to complete a longer set.

Barbell Cheat Curls For Mass

If you’re looking to pack on serious mass, then barbell cheat curls are the perfect exercise. Let’s go into what ‘cheating’ actually means. It can be used in two ways, to make an exercise more difficult or easier. The goal is to make the exercise tougher on your biceps and the ‘cheat’ helps you to develop mass. These are the types of curls you should be focusing on to help you hit your personal goals for gains.
You are trying to target the biceps brachii with this exercise. This is done by keeping your forearm supinated.

Getting Started With Cheating Barbell Bicep Curls

The exercise can be quite daunting to beginners. It is essential to pay attention to your back and shoulders throughout the exercise. Make sure your back is not hyperextended during the end part of the exercise. If you feel any pain, you should stop and take a rest. Once you start doing cheat curls consistently, you may be able to force your biceps into a new growth phase.

Barbell cheat curls are an exercise suited better to lifters that already have some experience. If you’re still new, then it may be worth sticking with regular curls until you are more confident with various movements. This can help you get better results and also reduce the risk of injuries. Once you get the hang of them, they can be a very powerful tool in your disposal for pushing through biceps growth.

Cheat Curls Vs Strict – Which Is Better?

Many people wonder if cheat curls are superior to strict curls. The truth is that both have their merits. Traditional curling should still be your main method since it helps to build strength. However, you can use cheat curls to target a specific muscle group. It is not about one being better than another. Rather, cheat curls specifically target the biceps whereas regular curls will give you a more general upper body workout. Your back and shoulders are also worked more with cheat curls.

Are Cheat Curls Effective?

When done properly, cheat curls can be very effective at growing your biceps. They isolate the muscle and the amount of strain it comes under allows for the development of serious muscle mass. However, it can be a risky exercise and there are some precautions you can take to maximize their effectiveness.

Remember to keep your core tight. The ‘swing’ motion has the potential to cause injury and it is vital to be braced for the movement. Keep them flexed and employ good technique to lessen the injury risk. Also, make sure the weight is not slammed at the bottom. Letting the weight drop too quickly can cause stress on your shoulders. Slow the momentum near the bottom or completely stop just before your arms are fully extended and locked.

Make sure your wrists are neutral so that your biceps can be fully isolated. Any bend can take away some focus from the targeted muscle. It also heightens the risk for a wrist injury. Make sure your elbows are fixed to your side during the movement. Raising the elbows can increase the risk of injury if you are an inexperienced lifter. However, for some raised elbows can actually be more effective at isolating the bicep muscle.

Barbell Cheat Curls – Closing Thoughts

Overall, barbell cheat curls are a great exercise for building bigger biceps. You will now have a better idea of the benefits of these curls and how you can perform them effectively. The key thing to remember is to perform these ‘cheat’ exercises safely and securely. You will be picking heavy weights which means you need to keep close attention to your form.

Barbell cheat curls are definitely an exercise you can consider adding to your 2022 workouts if you want those big guns to come in for the summer.