Exercise guide
Doorway Biceps Curl
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Rep-based
- Upper arms
The doorway biceps curl is a bodyweight isolation exercise that uses your body's leverage against a door frame to target the biceps and forearms. It is an excellent equipment-free alternative for developing arm strength and improving the mind-muscle connection with the biceps.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Primary
Equipment
Setup
- Stand in a doorway and grip the side of the door frame with one hand at shoulder height using an underhand grip (palm facing you).
- Place your feet close to the base of the door frame.
- Lean your body back until your arm is fully extended, maintaining a straight line from your head to your heels.
How to do it
- Exhale and pull your body toward the door frame by curling your arm, focusing on bringing your shoulder toward your hand.
- Squeeze your bicep hard at the top of the movement for one second.
- Inhale and slowly lower your body back to the starting position using a controlled 3-second eccentric tempo.
- Perform all repetitions on one arm before switching to the other.
Form checklist
- Keep your elbow pinned close to your ribcage throughout the movement.
- Maintain a rigid core and straight torso; do not let your hips sag or lead the movement.
- Ensure your feet remain planted and do not slide.
- Use a full range of motion, fully extending the arm at the bottom without locking the elbow out aggressively.
Pro tips
- To maximize the peak contraction, imagine you are trying to rotate your pinky finger toward your shoulder at the top of the curl.
- Focus on pulling through the palm of your hand rather than just gripping with your fingers to better engage the bicep.
Make it harder
- Move your feet further forward (past the door frame) to increase the lean angle and the percentage of body weight you are lifting.
- Add a '1.5 rep' style by performing a full rep followed by a half rep from the bottom to the midpoint to increase time under tension.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the doorway biceps curl work?
- The doorway biceps curl primarily targets the biceps.
- What equipment do you need for the doorway biceps curl?
- The doorway biceps curl requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the doorway biceps curl good for beginners?
- Yes. The doorway biceps curl is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.