There are two types of lifters: people who want bigger arms, and people who pretend they don’t. And honestly, I get it. Thick forearms make your whole upper body look more “built” even if you’re wearing a hoodie. They also come with the best party trick in the gym: a grip that makes deadlifts, rows, and pull-ups feel way less like a finger endurance test.
The problem is most forearm training gets treated like calf training: rushed, half-hearted, and tacked on at the end when you’re already thinking about your post-workout meal. The good news is forearms can be super responsive if you pick the right move and actually do it with intent.
Take Your Fitness To The Next Level
Enter: Zottman curls. One exercise that hits your biceps hard on the way up, then smokes your forearms and elbow flexors on the way down. Efficient, brutal (in a good way), and a legit way to make your arms look more complete.
Quick Answer
Zottman curls are a dumbbell curl variation where you curl up with a palms-up grip, rotate to palms-down at the top, then lower under control. That rotation plus the slow eccentric makes them one of the best “two birds, one stone” exercises for building biceps size and forearm thickness.
| Key Takeaways | What to do |
| Use a lighter weight than your normal curl | Pick a load you can lower slowly for 2-4 seconds without swinging. |
| Rotate with control at the top | Don’t “flip” your wrists. Smoothly turn palms-up to palms-down. |
| Own the eccentric | The lowering phase is where your forearms and brachioradialis get hit hardest. |
| Keep elbows pinned | Elbows stay close to your sides so your biceps, not momentum, do the work. |
| Program 1-2x per week | Start with 2-3 sets, then add volume as your forearms adapt. |
Who Was George Zottman?
George Zottman was a late-1800s strongman known for impressive arm and forearm development. The curl variation that carries his name has stuck around because it works: it combines a classic biceps curl with a reverse-grip lowering phase that lights up the forearms.
What Is the Zottman Curl?
The Zottman curl is a curl variation that blends two movements:
- Concentric (up phase): curl with a supinated grip (palms up), which heavily involves the biceps.
- Eccentric (down phase): rotate to a pronated grip (palms down) and lower slowly, which shifts more stress toward the brachioradialis and forearm musculature.
Key terms:
- Supinated: palms up
- Pronated: palms down
- Neutral: thumbs up
- Concentric: muscle shortening (lifting phase)
- Eccentric: muscle lengthening (lowering phase)
How To Do Zottman Curls Correctly
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides, palms facing up (supinated grip).
- Curl the dumbbells up by flexing at the elbow. Keep your upper arms still and elbows close to your ribs.
- At the top, pause briefly and rotate your wrists so your palms face down (pronated grip).
- Lower the dumbbells slowly under control with palms down. Aim for a 2-4 second eccentric.
- At the bottom, rotate back to palms up and repeat.
Form Cues That Make This Exercise Actually Work
- Elbows stay pinned: if your elbows drift forward, it turns into a sloppy front-delt swing.
- Rotate at the top only: don’t twist while you’re still curling up.
- Wrist stays neutral: don’t let your wrist bend back during the pronated lowering.
- Control beats load: if you can’t lower it smoothly, it’s too heavy.
Avoid These Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Going too heavy. Zottman curls are more fatiguing than standard curls because you’re asking smaller forearm muscles to do real work during the eccentric. Use a lighter load than your normal dumbbell curl and earn the reps with control.
Mistake 2: Speed-rotating your wrists. The rotation is part of the stimulus. If you “flip” the dumbbell over fast, you lose tension and your wrists take the hit.
Mistake 3: Turning it into a body English competition. If you’re rocking back to get the weight up, your biceps are no longer the limiting factor, and your lower back is doing unpaid overtime.
Zottman Curls Muscles Worked
This curl hits the elbow flexors and forearm musculature through multiple positions, which is why it feels so different than a regular curl.
Biceps Brachii
- Main job: elbow flexion and forearm supination
- Why it matters here: the palms-up curl phase strongly biases the biceps.
The biceps brachii has two heads (long head and short head) and contributes to elbow flexion, especially when the forearm is supinated. You’ll feel it most on the way up.
Related: Long Head Biceps Exercises and Short Head Biceps Exercises
Brachialis
- Main job: pure elbow flexion
- Why it matters here: it helps drive the curl regardless of grip position, and contributes when the biceps are less mechanically advantaged.
The brachialis sits under the biceps and is a workhorse elbow flexor. If you want thicker arms from the side, building brachialis is a cheat code.
Related: Best Brachialis Exercises
Brachioradialis
- Main job: elbow flexion and assisting the forearm toward neutral
- Why it matters here: the pronated lowering phase lights it up, which is forearm thickness territory.
The brachioradialis is a major player in “forearm pop” and helps explain why Zottman curls feel so forearm-heavy compared to standard curls.
Other Forearm Muscles
During the pronated eccentric, your wrist and finger muscles work hard isometrically to keep the dumbbell stable. That’s part of why your grip and forearms get cooked even when your biceps still feel fine.
Benefits of Zottman Curls
- Biceps growth without “junk” reps: the curl portion is straightforward elbow flexion with a strong biceps bias.
- Forearm thickness and grip carryover: pronated lowering forces your forearms to stabilize the dumbbell and fight wrist extension.
- More total stimulus per set: you train multiple elbow flexors and forearm positions in a single set.
- Time-efficient arm training: great when you want biceps and forearms but don’t want 5 different isolation moves.
5 Best Zottman Curl Variations
1. Reverse Zottman Curls
Curl up pronated, rotate at the top, then lower supinated. This shifts more challenge toward the brachioradialis during the up phase. Great if your forearms lag behind your biceps or your biceps are already fried.
2. Seated Zottman Curls
Sitting reduces leg drive and momentum. If you’re prone to swinging, this is the “no excuses” version.
3. Incline Zottman Curls
The incline bench puts the biceps in a longer position at the bottom. Same Zottman mechanics, bigger stretch, and usually a humbling drop in weight.
4. Preacher Zottman Curls
The preacher pad pins your upper arm, kills cheating, and keeps tension where you want it. Range of motion can be slightly reduced, but the isolation is excellent.
Note: No preacher bench? Use a high-incline bench and do one arm at a time with your triceps supported.
5. Unilateral (or Alternating) Zottman Curls
One arm at a time helps clean up imbalances and keeps your focus locked in. You can alternate like a seesaw or finish all reps on one side before switching.
Programming Zottman Curls Into Your Workouts
Sets
Start with 2-3 sets once per week. Forearms get hammered in rows, pull-ups, deadlifts, and carries, so your limiting factor will usually be forearm recovery, not biceps recovery. If you’re recovering well, build toward 4-5 sets in a session or add a second weekly slot using a variation.
Reps
Aim for 10-15 reps. Lower reps tend to push the load too high, and heavy eccentrics plus wrist rotation is not the place to test your ego.
Tempo
- Up: 1-2 seconds
- Rotate: controlled, no rush
- Down: 2-4 seconds
Placement
You’ve got two smart options:
- Early in the workout: a great elbow and forearm warm-up before heavier pulling work.
- End of the workout: a nasty finisher for a biceps and forearm pump.
Simple Add-On Templates
- Back day finisher: Zottman curls 3 x 12-15 + farmer carries 2-3 rounds
- Arm day builder: Zottman curls 4 x 10-12 (slow eccentric) after your main biceps exercise
Related: Reverse Curls and Best Dumbbell Biceps Exercises
FAQs
Are Zottman curls better than regular curls?
For pure biceps strength and loading, regular curls let you go heavier. For balanced arm development that includes forearms, Zottman curls are tough to beat because the pronated eccentric adds a forearm-heavy stimulus regular curls don’t provide.
Why do Zottman curls hurt my wrists?
Usually it’s one of three things: you’re rotating too fast, letting the wrist bend back during the pronated lowering, or using too much weight. Go lighter, rotate slowly, and keep wrists neutral. If pain persists, swap to hammer curls and reverse curls and revisit later.
Can beginners do Zottman curls?
Yes, but start very light and treat the rotation like a skill. Control first, load later.
How often should I train Zottman curls?
Most people do best with 1x per week to start. If your forearms recover well, bump to 2x per week using a variation to reduce repetitive stress.
Final Note
Zottman curls are one of the most time-efficient ways to build biceps and forearms together. Keep your ego in check, rotate under control, and make the eccentric the star of the show. Start with 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps once per week and build up as your forearms adapt. Your sleeves will notice.
More Resources:
- Best Short Head Biceps Exercises
- Best Long Head Biceps Exercises
- Best Brachialis Exercises
- Best Forearm Exercises
- Biceps 21s!
- Average Biceps Size | Building 15-19 Inch Arms
0 comments