Ring One Arm Biceps Curl
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Suspension
- Body part
- Upper Arms
- Type
- Strength
The ring one arm biceps curl is a unilateral suspension exercise that loads the biceps and upper arm through a full range of motion using a single gymnastics ring. By leaning back and curling your body toward the ring with one arm, you challenge the biceps with your own bodyweight while the free arm rests at your side. It builds single-arm bicep strength, grip endurance, and exposes and corrects side-to-side imbalances.
How to do the Ring One Arm Biceps Curl
- 1Set the ring to roughly hip or waist height — lower rings increase the difficulty by increasing your lean angle.
- 2Stand facing the anchor point and grip the ring with one hand using an underhand (supinated) grip.
- 3Place your free hand on your hip or behind your back to prevent it from assisting the movement.
- 4Walk your feet forward until your body is on a diagonal lean, with your arm extended and your weight supported by the ring.
- 5Brace your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels throughout the movement.
- 6Curl your body up toward the ring by bending your elbow, driving it straight back rather than flaring it out to the side.
- 7Continue curling until your hand is near your shoulder and your bicep is fully contracted.
- 8Lower yourself back to the start position under control, fully extending your arm before beginning the next rep.
- 9Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other arm.
Form tips
- Rotate your wrist to a fully supinated position at the top of the curl to maximise bicep contraction.
- Keep your elbow fixed in space — letting it drift forward or sideways shifts work away from the bicep.
- The steeper your body angle (feet farther under the anchor), the harder each rep; adjust foot position to match your strength level.
- Squeeze the ring firmly throughout the set to increase forearm and grip engagement, which also stabilises the elbow.
- Control the descent — the eccentric (lowering) phase builds as much strength as the curl itself, so resist the urge to drop quickly.
Common mistakes
- Using the free hand to push off the thigh or assist the curl — this reduces the load on the working arm and undermines the unilateral purpose of the exercise.
- Letting the hips sag or the body bend at the waist — a broken body line transfers effort away from the bicep and strains the lower back.
- Flaring the elbow out to the side during the curl — this recruits the shoulder instead of isolating the bicep and can cause impingement over time.
- Rushing through the eccentric phase — dropping back to the start too quickly wastes the muscle-building potential of the lowering portion.
- Setting the ring too high so the lean angle is too shallow — an insufficient lean makes the exercise too easy and fails to load the bicep through a meaningful range.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the ring one arm biceps curl work?
The primary muscles worked are the biceps brachii and brachialis of the upper arm. The brachioradialis in the forearm assists the curl, and the core muscles work isometrically throughout every rep to keep the body rigid.
How is the ring one arm biceps curl different from a dumbbell curl?
With a dumbbell curl you stand upright and lift a weight; with the ring curl you lean back and lift your own bodyweight using a single arm. The ring version also demands more grip and wrist stability, works the bicep across a longer effective range of motion in the lean position, and recruits the core continuously to maintain a straight body line.
How do I make the ring one arm biceps curl harder or easier?
Walk your feet closer to the anchor point to reduce the lean angle and make the exercise easier, or walk them farther forward (deeper lean) to increase the load. You can also raise or lower the ring height — a lower ring with a steeper lean makes each rep significantly harder.
How many reps and sets should I do?
For strength and muscle development, 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 controlled reps per arm works well. Because the load is determined by your body angle rather than added weight, choose a position that makes the last two or three reps genuinely challenging while still allowing clean form.
Can beginners do the ring one arm biceps curl?
It is better suited to intermediate trainees who already have a solid base of bicep strength and can perform standard ring rows with control. Beginners should first build foundational bicep strength with two-arm ring curls or dumbbell curls, then progress to the one-arm variation once they can maintain a straight body line without assistance.
