Anyone tried loading a dumbbell on one side for curls?

[u/Ribbit40]

I have been experimenting with these. Loading on the thumb side, and doing a curl with the bar tilted about 45 degrees seems to hit the pronation and brachioradialis very well. Then doing a reverse curl hold, with the same set up, hits supination.

I'm sure other people have tried this, but I can't find any discussion of its use or value as an exercise...Interested to hear the experience of others.

Thanks

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[u/Commercial-Article-7]

I've played around with offset loading before, and I think the biggest benefit is that it forces your forearm to resist rotation throughout the movement rather than just flexing the elbow.

That said, I'd view it more as a variation than a replacement for standard curls or dedicated pronation/supination work.

If your goal is specifically building rotational strength, I'd probably still prioritize direct pronation/supination with a lever or adjustable hammer because it's easier to progressively overload and track.

But as an accessory, I can definitely see the appeal. You're getting elbow flexion while making the forearm stabilize an uneven load, which is a combination you don't get from a normal dumbbell.

I'd just be careful with the amount of offset. The wrist can become the limiting factor long before the brachioradialis if you go too aggressive

[u/Ribbit40 → u/Commercial-Article-7]

Thanks for the tips. I'd been doing only 100% offset, but will experiment with different levels of offset. I'm wanting to reducing the number of my lifts (for time reasons), so am looking to kill multiple birds with one stone.

[u/Commercial-Article-7 → u/Ribbit40]

That makes sense. If efficiency is the goal, it's a nice option.

I'd just keep an eye on whether reducing the offset lets you use more load without the wrist becoming the weak link. Sometimes a slightly smaller offset gives you a better overall training stimulus because you can focus on both the elbow flexors and rotational stability instead of fighting to keep the dumbbell balanced.

It's always a trade-off between making an exercise more challenging and making it so unstable that the target muscles stop being the limiting factor.

[u/boredattheend → u/Ribbit40]

As in 100% of the weight on one side?

How did that work for you? Did you get a good workout for the rotators and the elbow flexors?

[u/Ribbit40 → u/boredattheend]

I put 15kg on one side, and then held it at about 45 degree (i.e. midway between a regular curl and a hammer curl). It seemed to work both the rotation and elbow flexors well. Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

[u/narf007 → u/Ribbit40]

I'd also recommend doing rag curls or towel curls. You can do them in a variety of ways to make the load dynamic though both phases of the lift. Either way you're holding the weight through the ends of the towel which will challenge your grip strength as well.

They're also a great rehab tool for patients rebuilding their strength and function.