{"id":56393,"date":"2015-03-16T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-03-16T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingmuscle.com\/\/\/uncategorized\/anti-bro-arm-movements-bicep-curls-for-a-healthy-back"},"modified":"2022-10-20T15:57:20","modified_gmt":"2022-10-20T20:57:20","slug":"anti-bro-arm-movements-bicep-curls-for-a-healthy-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingmuscle.com\/anti-bro-arm-movements-bicep-curls-for-a-healthy-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Anti-Bro Arm Movements: Bicep Curls for a Healthy Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

Biceps curls wouldn\u2019t appear to bother your back, but there are subtle biomechanics at play in this exercise that can hurt you in the long run. Understanding this can help you make adjustments in form and sort out which variations of the basic curl are best for you.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since the discs and other spine structures become more vulnerable with injury and age, trainees returning from a back injury, older trainees in general, and the simply risk-adverse may find these techniques useful in avoiding further unnecessary wear and tear.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Motivation for Muscular Arms<\/h2>\n

Acquiring muscular arms<\/a> is a classic motivation for fitness enthusiasts, and the curl is the obvious go-to option.<\/strong> The standing biceps curl has a special place for those of us who got started at home with a vinyl-covered barbell set. We may not have had a squat rack or bench, but we could put the plates on the bar and start curling right out of the box.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019ve found that being aware of the biomechanics behind curls (and other exercises) and adapting accordingly can really help manage that.”<\/em><\/h3>\n

The standing curl is a perfectly adequate exercise, especially at the beginning levels of strength and effort. But as we get more experienced, push harder, and become stronger, we use more weight and the curl can put an unexpected strain on the back.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cUnexpected\u201d from the biceps curl, that is, but very expected from those who study the back:<\/p>\n

The likelihood of problems increases if the spine is overloaded (lifting weights) when it is out of the neutral position. The spine is designed to bear loads and stresses in neutral; if it is not aligned properly those loads and stresses are transmitted unevenly and transferred to structures that were not designed for load-bearing.5<\/sup><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If improper posture or lifting is repeated continuously, this will fatigue or weaken the spinal structure increasing the chance of injury. The same continual exposure to force on the spine will cause general wear and tear on the spinal column as we age. This decreases the space between the vertebral bodies and allow forces on the spine to affect the nerves and spinal column, ultimately resulting in increased pain and decreased function.10<\/sup><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Avoid Unnecessary Pain<\/h2>\n

Conventional instruction for the basic standing curl doesn\u2019t contradict any of this, especially with lighter weights and intentionally strict form.<\/strong> But as you train with heavier weights or move deeper into fatigue, there is an inevitable lean away from the weight, especially as you approach the sticking point (forearms horizontal). This results in a sway back posture, a deviation from the neutral spine, which is discouraged as a postural condition, much less with an additional load and effort through the spine.<\/p>\n

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This isn\u2019t necessarily \u201ccheating,\u201d though. With your feet parallel, in line with your shoulders and hips, your base of support is a straight line in the frontal plane<\/strong>. As you curl the weight forward, the weight moves your center of gravity forward of that base of support, the very definition of unstable. What keeps us from face planting is the shoulders and head being drawn opposite the weight by the contraction of the deep back muscles, creating the sway back, but bringing stability to the body-barbell system. Notice, as you complete the curl, the sway back goes back to neutral. You don\u2019t continue to bend backward when the weight is up by your shoulders.<\/p>\n

Curling with your back against a wall doesn\u2019t correct this, because the midway point of the curl still changes your center of gravity. Instead of your head and shoulders moving back, your hips will move forward as your body tries to regain stability.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A more effective fix is a staggered stance.<\/strong> By placing one foot in front of the other, you are rotating your base of support ninety degrees – front-back instead of side-to-side. The shift in center of gravity stays within your base, the body-barbell doesn\u2019t need to regain stability, and so you maintain the neutral posture. Within the staggered stance, it also helps if you alternate curls rather than do both arms simultaneously. In effect, you reduce the total weight impacting the center of gravity.<\/p>\n

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Congruent Exercise Curl<\/div><\/div>
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