For barbell drag curls, the goal is to keep the bar close to your body while emphasizing the biceps without turning the movement into a front-delt or momentum-heavy curl.
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👉 Start with a shoulder-width, palms-up grip. Keep your chest tall, core braced, and shoulders controlled.
Instead of curling the bar outward in a big arc, drag the bar upward along your torso. Think about pulling your elbows backward as the bar rises.
👉 Let the elbows travel slightly behind your body.
That backward elbow movement is one of the main differences between a drag curl and a traditional barbell curl.
👉 Lower slowly and under control, allowing the elbows to return toward the starting position.
A 2–3 second eccentric can make the exercise much more effective.
