Shoulder Flexion During Curls? It Depends!

Nick Licameli

22 Feb 201904:24

Summary

TLDRIn this fitness-focused video, Nicola Camela discusses the nuances of performing curls, emphasizing the importance of understanding muscle engagement. She explains the role of the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis in elbow flexion and how their involvement changes with arm position. Nicola clarifies that adding shoulder flexion to curls can either enhance or detract from the exercise, depending on the muscle group being targeted. The video provides practical demonstrations of standard dumbbell curls, hammer curls, and the impact of forearm rotation on muscle activation, guiding viewers on how to effectively tailor their curl exercises.

Takeaways

💪 The decision to add shoulder flexion in a curl exercise depends on your goal and the muscles you're targeting.
📏 Biceps are involved in both elbow flexion and shoulder flexion, while brachialis and brachioradialis focus on elbow flexion.
🔄 The biceps attaches to the radius, which rotates around the stable ulna during supination.
🔄 Brachialis and brachioradialis attach to the ulna and do not move, focusing solely on elbow flexion.
👐 Pronating your palm downward stretches the biceps, making it a disadvantage for elbow flexion.
👆 Supinating your palm upward gives the biceps a mechanical advantage, allowing it to contribute more to elbow flexion.
🙅‍♂️ In a reverse curl, the biceps is less involved due to pronation, so shoulder flexion is not beneficial.
🙆‍♂️ In a standard curl with palms up, adding a bit of shoulder flexion can engage the biceps more effectively.
🏋️‍♀️ Hammer curls emphasize brachialis and brachioradialis, as they do not cross the shoulder joint, so shoulder flexion is unnecessary.
👍 Flexing the shoulder forward during a standard curl can enhance biceps engagement due to the biceps' role in shoulder flexion.

Q & A

What are the main muscles involved in a standard bicep curl?
-The main muscles involved in a standard bicep curl are the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis.
Why is shoulder flexion sometimes added to a bicep curl?
-Shoulder flexion is sometimes added to a bicep curl because the biceps cross the shoulder joint, and adding slight shoulder flexion can enhance biceps engagement during the movement.
How does supination affect the biceps during a curl?
-Supination, or turning the palm upwards, gives the biceps a mechanical advantage, allowing them to contribute more effectively to elbow flexion during a curl.
What happens to the biceps' contribution during a reverse curl?
-In a reverse curl, the biceps' contribution is minimized because pronation (palm down) puts the biceps at a disadvantage, shifting focus to other elbow flexors like the brachialis and brachioradialis.
What is the role of the brachialis in elbow flexion?
-The brachialis is responsible for flexing the elbow, and it functions independently of the position of the forearm, making it a primary mover in elbow flexion.
How do the radius and ulna work during forearm rotation?
-The radius rotates around a stable ulna during forearm rotation, such as in supination (palm up) or pronation (palm down) movements.
Why doesn’t the brachialis contribute to shoulder flexion?
-The brachialis doesn’t contribute to shoulder flexion because it doesn’t cross the shoulder joint; it only crosses the elbow joint.
What is the benefit of performing a hammer curl?
-The hammer curl focuses more on the brachialis and brachioradialis by placing the biceps at a mechanical disadvantage through a neutral hand position (thumbs up), effectively targeting these deeper elbow flexors.
When is it unnecessary to add shoulder flexion to a curling exercise?
-It is unnecessary to add shoulder flexion when performing exercises like the reverse curl or hammer curl because these movements already minimize the involvement of the biceps.
What is the overall purpose of adding or avoiding shoulder flexion in a curl exercise?
-The purpose of adding or avoiding shoulder flexion in a curl exercise depends on which muscles are being targeted. Adding shoulder flexion can enhance biceps engagement, while avoiding it isolates other elbow flexors like the brachialis and brachioradialis.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Dumbbell Curls for Biceps and Shoulder Flexion

In this paragraph, Nicola Camela discusses the debate over whether to include shoulder flexion in the curl exercise to target different muscles. She explains that it depends on the goal and the muscles being targeted, such as the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis. Nicola goes into detail about the anatomy of the forearm, explaining how the radius rotates around a stable ulna, and how the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis contribute to elbow flexion differently. She clarifies that when performing a reverse curl with the palm down, the biceps is less involved due to pronation, but in a standard curl with the palm up, adding a bit of shoulder flexion can engage the biceps more effectively. Nicola concludes with a demonstration of a standard dumbbell curl, emphasizing the importance of not overdoing the shoulder movement to keep the focus on the biceps.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Curl

A curl is a type of weightlifting exercise that targets the biceps and other forearm muscles. In the context of the video, the curl is discussed as a way to engage different muscles depending on the technique used. The video script mentions different types of curls, such as the standard dumbbell curl and the hammer curl, each with a specific focus on different muscle groups.

💡Shoulder Flexion

Shoulder flexion refers to the movement of raising the arm forward at the shoulder joint. The video discusses whether or not to include shoulder flexion in a curl exercise, which can alter the muscle focus from the biceps to the brachialis and brachioradialis. The script explains that adding shoulder flexion can change the dynamics of the curl, potentially reducing the biceps' involvement.

💡Biceps

The biceps are a pair of muscles at the front of the upper arm that are primarily involved in flexing the elbow and supinating the forearm. The video script explains how the biceps' involvement in a curl can be influenced by the position of the forearm and whether shoulder flexion is added to the movement.

💡Brachialis

The brachialis is a muscle located beneath the biceps and is primarily responsible for flexing the elbow. The video script highlights that when the biceps are at a mechanical disadvantage, such as during pronation, the brachialis becomes the main muscle engaged in elbow flexion during a curl.

💡Brachioradialis

The brachioradialis is a muscle in the forearm that assists in flexing the elbow and is located on the lateral side of the arm. The script mentions that, like the brachialis, the brachioradialis does not cross the shoulder joint and is therefore not affected by shoulder flexion during curls.

💡Supination

Supination is the rotation of the forearm so that the palm faces upward. In the video, supination is discussed as a position that gives the biceps a mechanical advantage, allowing them to contribute more to the curl movement. The script uses the example of the biceps pulling up on the radius during supination.

💡Pronation

Pronation is the opposite of supination, where the forearm is rotated so that the palm faces downward. The video script explains that pronation can put the biceps at a disadvantage for elbow flexion, thus shifting the focus of the curl exercise to the brachialis and brachioradialis.

💡Elbow Flexors

Elbow flexors are the group of muscles responsible for bending the elbow, which includes the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis. The video script discusses the role of these muscles in curl exercises and how their engagement can be manipulated by changing the position of the arm and shoulder.

💡Dumbbell Curl

A dumbbell curl is a specific type of curl exercise performed with a dumbbell in each hand. The video script describes a standard dumbbell curl where the palms are facing up and a slight shoulder flexion is added at the end of the movement to target the biceps.

💡Hammer Curl

A hammer curl is a variation of the curl exercise where the palms face each other, targeting the brachialis and brachioradialis more than the biceps. The video script explains that in a hammer curl, there is no need to add shoulder flexion since the focus is purely on elbow flexion.

Highlights

The decision to add shoulder flexion in a curl exercise depends on the goal and the muscles being targeted.

Biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis are the main elbow flexors, each with different roles in curl exercises.

Biceps attach to the radius, which rotates around the ulna during supination.

Brachialis attaches to the ulna and is the primary mover when the biceps is at a mechanical disadvantage.

Pronation stretches the biceps, making it less effective for elbow flexion.

Supination gives the biceps a mechanical advantage, allowing it to contribute more to the curl movement.

In a reverse curl, the biceps is less involved due to pronation, focusing the exercise on the brachialis and brachioradialis.

For a standard dumbbell curl targeting the biceps, a little shoulder flexion can be added at the end of the movement.

Excessive shoulder movement should be avoided to keep the focus on biceps rather than shoulder muscles.

In a hammer curl, the biceps is at a disadvantage, so the focus shifts to the brachialis and brachioradialis.

Adding shoulder flexion to a hammer curl is unnecessary as it does not improve the exercise for the targeted muscles.

The video emphasizes the importance of understanding muscle mechanics for effective exercise targeting.

Proper form and muscle engagement are crucial for achieving the desired results from curl exercises.

The video provides practical advice on how to perform curls for different muscle groups.

Understanding the role of each muscle in curl variations can help tailor workouts to individual goals.

The video concludes with a reminder to like, comment, and subscribe for more fitness content.