Vince Gironda Body Drag Curl

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Body Drag Curl Exercise

By

Alan Palmieri

It’s been around for years, the body-drag curl. I’m not sure where it originated but I do know Vince Gironda made it popular and he did recommend the movement to many of his students as well as others. Some bodybuilders newly introduced to the movement wouldn’t even consider working their biceps without including the Body-drag Curl. If you’ve never tried the movement you’re biceps are in for a real treat.

I’ve seen the movement performed as wrong as I have any exercise in bodybuilding. I’ve even seen people who were doing, I have no idea what, and when they were asked the name of the movement they said, “Oh, that’s the Body-drag Curl.” Yeah, right! LISTEN; GET IT IN YOUR HEAD RIGTH UP FRONT. You do not need to use tremendous weight in performing the Body-drag Curl for it to be effective. It’s form and technique that produces the results not the amount of weight you load on the bar. So if you intend on having a contest to see who can Body-drag Curl the most weight, forget it. You’re headed in the wrong direction.

1.I like to use an Olympic Bar as the additional length and feel work best for me. A standard 6’ bar is okay but I get more from the Olympic Bar.

2.Take a regular shoulder width stance just like you would for any barbell curl.

3.Take a wide enough grip on the bar so that your littler finger (pinky) is to the outside of your thighs.

4.Now drag, DO NOT CURL the bar up your body and keep the bar touching your body throughout the movement. Bring the bar all the way up until it is under your chin.

5.Once the bar is under your chin squeeze the biceps forcefully for a full two seconds. Now lower the bar to the starting position. Repeat.

Position 1.

Shoulder width stance, wide grip on the bar with the hands outside the thighs.

Position 2.

Keep upper arms back at all times. Drag the bar up the body, DO NOT curl it. The bar must continually touch the body throughout the movement.

Position 3.

Continue d-r-a-g-g-i-n-g the bar up the body. Do not use any body swing to help cheat the bar up. The drag must all be done by the pulling strength of the biceps.

Position 4.

Drag the bar up under your chin and squeeze the biceps for a count of two. Lower and repeat the sequence.

The movement itself is extremely productive, as an added bonus; try performing sets with only 15 to 30 seconds rest between sets. Work up to 5 - 6 sets and you’ll feel a tremendous pump that will stay with you. Performed correctly the Body-drag Curl may very well be one of if not the most productive biceps movement around.

As you advance and become more proficient with the Body-drag Curl, add burns at the end of the movements. Three burns after each set is sure to set your biceps on fire. Avoid the natural tendency to pull the bar away from the body or to use a swinging motion to help cheat the bar up. This one needs to be all biceps.

Good Luck!

Model for all pictures: Walter Gibson

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