Kettlebell Crush Curl
The kettlebell crush curl is an arm exercise where you hold one kettlebell by the round bell, pressing it hard between both palms, and curl it up to your chest. It works the biceps, brachialis and forearms, with the constant squeeze also bringing in the chest.
Also called: KB Crush Curl · Equipment: kettlebell · Pattern: pull
Step by step
- Stand tall with your feet about shoulder-width apart, holding one kettlebell by its bell with both palms pressed flat against the sides.
- Squeeze the bell hard between your palms, handle pointing down, with your arms straight in front of your hips.
- Keep your elbows by your sides and curl the bell up towards your chest.
- Keep squeezing the bell throughout the lift.
- Pause briefly at the top with the bell near your chest.
- Straighten your arms under control back to the start, still squeezing.
- Crush the bell between your palms
- Elbows pinned to your sides
- Curl to the chest, pause
- Keep the squeeze on the way down
- Shoulders down and back
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Biceps brachii | Prime mover | C |
| Brachialis | Prime mover | D |
| Brachioradialis | Secondary | D |
| Pectoralis major: sternocostal (mid) | Stabiliser | D |
| Forearm flexors | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Letting the squeeze relax
Fix: Press your palms hard into the bell for the whole set.
Elbows drifting forward
Fix: Keep your elbows pinned to your sides.
Swinging the bell up
Fix: Stand still and curl smoothly, pausing at the top.
Shrugging the shoulders
Fix: Keep your shoulders down and back as you curl.
What the research says
- Grip — An EMG study found the biceps work harder with a palms-up grip than with palms facing each other, so this curl leans more on the other elbow flexors.
- Load — Research finds a wide range of loads builds muscle when sets are taken close to failure; here the squeeze usually limits the weight.
- Effort — A meta-analysis found muscle growth rises as sets get closer to failure, but going all the way to failure adds only a small extra benefit.
- Volume — A meta-analysis found muscle growth rises with weekly sets, with most of the benefit from roughly 10 or more weekly sets per muscle.
- Direct research — There is no research on the kettlebell crush curl itself.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the kettlebell crush curl in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.