Cheat Curl

BicepsBody WeightIntermediate

The Cheat Curl is an effective bicep exercise that allows you to lift heavier weights by using momentum.

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an underhand grip.
  2. Use your legs and back to help lift the barbell towards your shoulders.
  3. Focus on squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement.
  4. Lower the barbell back down with control to complete one rep.

How to perform the Cheat Curl

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Cheat Curl using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your biceps.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your biceps rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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