The Zottman curl is a rare exercise for training the muscles of the arms. It perfectly develops all the flexor muscles of the arms - biceps, radial muscle, brachialis. Strengthens the grip.

The exercise looks strange, so it often brings a smile to uninitiated club visitors. However, you will quickly appreciate the benefits of the Zottman curls when you start incorporating them into your training program. Usually it is enough to perform 2-3 approaches twice a week to feel the effect.

Initial position

Take the dumbbells of the desired weight in your hands and stand up straight. Feet shoulder width apart. Dumbbells in the arms lowered along the body. In this case, the hands should take the maximum supinated position (palms forward).

Tilt your body back slightly and bend your knees slightly.

Zottman curls, exercise technique

Vigorously bend your elbows while rotating your hands (pronation) so that the palms are again pointing forward in the upper position. Hold for a moment in this position and smoothly return the dumbbells downward, performing reverse rotation with the brushes. Immediately start picking them up again while pronating. Perform the desired number of repetitions.

Zottman curls. Start.
Zottman curls. The finish.
Side view. Start.
Side view. The finish.

Exercise develops the muscles of the forearms and biceps, strengthens the grip.

The Zottman curl can be safely called one of the most unpopular exercises, although you cannot call it ineffective. Exercise puts stress on the biceps and helps to work out brachialis and brachioradialis- muscles that will add volume to your arms and increase your grip strength. But the main thing is that although the Zorttman curls are partly an isolating exercise, they will allow you to work with no less working weight than in basic ones.

A bit of history

Zottman curls were invented by an American athlete George Zottman long before Arnold Schwarzenegger ascended the podium of Mr. Olympia.

The exercise quickly fell into the training programs of athletes and became one of Arnie's favorites, who appreciated it no less than standing bicep curls.

Working muscles

Unlike classic dumbbell lifts, Zottman curls emphasize the load on the brachialis and brachioradialis, two muscles that are not well developed in everyone.

Brachialis will help to give the muscles of the arms volume. Well developed pushes the biceps outward, which makes it more convex.

Developed brachioradialis will add strength to your forearms and strengthen your grip. It will help you work with heavy weights, including during barbell lifts or biceps. After all, it is the undeveloped forearms that make you trample for months at the same shells.

pros

In addition to working out the brachialis and brachioradialis, this exercise has another plus.

In a positive phase The Zottman curl movement is identical to the dumbbell or barbell curl and is a basic exercise. During lifting, biceps, brachialis and brachioradialis are included in the work. You lift dumbbells with three muscles, which means you can afford a high working weight.

In the negative phase you twist your wrists away from you and lower the dumbbells. At this moment, you are already doing an isolating exercise with a load on the brachioradialis, but already with a fairly large weight, which was helped to raise your biceps, brachialis and brachioradialis before. But you can still cope with this weight in the negative phase without problems, because in the negative phase your muscles are always stronger than in the positive one.

It turns out that from the point of view of biomechanics strength will be on your side both in the positive and in the negative phase of the movement. This means you can work with a good working weight. Almost the same as lifting with dumbbells!

Minuses

The weak side of the exercise is the slight load on the biceps. In the negative phase, it practically does not work, and the lion's share of the load is taken by brachioradialis. And since it is the negative phase that works best for muscle growth, then in terms of load on the biceps, this exercise loses to lifting dumbbells and especially .

So our advice is not to replace regular biceps curls with Zottman curls. It is better to combine both in your training program.

Technics

Standing Zottman Curls

Starting position:

Take the dumbbells in your hands, stand up straight. Arms along the body, dumbbells parallel to each other. The gaze is directed in front of you.

Bodybuilders know firsthand how difficult it is. The point is that exercise is not enough for them. These are upward presses with reverse, neutral (hammer) grips, lifts from Scott's bench with palms on top, "spider" curls on.

One of the most productive and undeservedly forgotten practices is Zottman's ascents, which received the same name by the author's surname. Georg Sottman, a famous 19th century strongman, proposed his own technique for the development of the forearms, which many still use today.

Although the technique is known by different names, the execution flow remains the same. At first glance, it seems that it is no different from standing curls. However, in comparison with them, the movements of the limbs are performed in a circle and with turns of the wrists.

Working muscles

With Zottman flexion work brachioradial long and round pronator, flexors of the fingers. Function synergist performs, stabilizers- extensors of the wrist and frontal delta. When the hands are turned upward and the shells are lowered, the brachiaradialis is involved in the work.

What is the peculiarity of the practice

Its value lies in the fact that in one technically simple exercise, the athlete pumps almost all the muscles of the arms. The brachialis is especially heavily loaded. It pushes the double-headed beams upward, giving the arms volume and visual power. Due to supination, the biceps increase. It gives massiveness to the forearms, strengthens the grip, so it makes sense to test the practice on yourself.

How lifts are performed

The Zottman biceps exercise is considered safe, provided the technique is followed.

Ideally, practice is done at the end of the hand-finishing training. The principle is based on making smooth movements without jerking with dumbbells of light weight. For a start, 5 kg weights are enough.

Zottman flexion technique

1. IP - an even stand with straightened arms, in which the shells are clamped.
2. The elbows are pressed against the body, the palms are positioned towards each other, the shoulders are motionless.
3. As you exhale, the biceps are strained, and at the same time, the wrists are turned, palms up.
4. Dumbbells are brought to the shoulders, exhaled, freeze for a second at the top point.
5. Passing into the negative phase, they roll their hands in reverse order.
6. Having reached the hips, they again repeat the circular turn with the hands and raise the shells up.

With Zottman biceps curls, the back is always motionless. Only the muscles of the arms are involved in the process. About after 10 repetitions the athlete feels a burning sensation in the shoulders. Perform 10-12 times in 2-4 sets.

Zottman flexion technique in video format:

Variations: sitting on a straight or incline bench, alternately raising your arms.

Classic mistakes

Experts recommend following the principle - from simple to complex. Sometimes the desire for rapid results forces you to take heavy shells. Without practiced movements and formed muscle memory, it is impossible to correctly perform the Zottman press.

1. Inertial practice is not allowed. Every movement requires mental control.
2. Dumbbells are lowered 2 times longer than raised. If it takes 3 seconds to lift the projectile, lower the arms 6.
3. The elbows are not lifted from the body throughout the entire set, although at the top point there is a desire to spread them apart.

After recent injuries in the elbows, shoulders, sprains of the wrists, the Zottman exercise is not performed.

The practice is suitable for athletes of all skill levels, as everyone can develop the necessary qualities.

• Beginners- to form neuromuscular connections;
• bodybuilders- work out a small muscle at different angles;
• powerlifters- to strengthen the grip.

Perhaps it is this exercise that many do not have enough for sports progress.

(2 estimates, average: 5,00 out of 5)

Professionals know that it is very difficult to work the muscles of the forearms. This is due to the fact that there are very few exercises in bodybuilding that can solve this problem. Therefore, the forearms are very often considered a lagging part of the body.

The exercise, which is named after Georg Zotman, is a lifesaver that will help many athletes avoid such lag.

Execution technique

• Take dumbbells in both hands and stand up straight.
• Elbows should be pressed against the body and made straight arms. When doing this, make sure that your palms are facing each other. This situation can be called the initial one.
• The shoulders should be completely motionless.
• As you exhale, bend your arms at the elbow joint, palms should look up, and the shells should be level with your shoulders.
• After taking a break for a few seconds, turn your palms so that they look down and slowly and smoothly return to the starting position.
• When the hands reach hip level, the palms should return to facing positions.
• Repeat as many times as planned.

If the technique is fully followed, then the athlete, by the end of the execution, should feel warmth in the shoulder.

This training can be called quite safe, but only if there are no violations associated with the technique of execution. It is worth knowing that when performing the exercise there should be no sudden movements of aggressiveness in performance. It is very important to control that when flexing, the entire load falls on the muscles, and not on the body, which does not need help.

It is not worth experimenting with large weights from the first days, it is best to start with the smallest ones and then allow a slight progression.

What muscles work

The muscles of the forearm, which actively work during flexion, have their own characteristics, they include:

• They are very resistant to any stress;
• Poorly resizable;
• And do not rush when accumulating strength;
• Most often in everyday life, these muscles are subjected to minimal stress;

The forearm has an interesting structure that helps move the hand and fingers. In addition to the muscles of the forearms, Zottman is very active in flexion.

The forearm includes a large number of small and large muscles. The most noticeable of these is the shoulder - radial. It is this muscle that is responsible for the volume of the forearm. Flexors and extensors of the hands are also of particular interest in bodybuilding. Also in this group can be attributed to the extensors of the fingers, and so on.

Nuances

• It is very important to follow the correct breathing. At the top of the exercise, it is recommended to make a very active exhalation through the mouth.
• Do not forget about the warm-up, this will help prepare and warm up the muscles of the body, which will make it possible to avoid injuries and make the training effective. The warm-up should include exercises that act on the biceps and triceps.
• Don't experiment with weights. It is best to start with the smallest, increasing the load slowly.
• As well as a warm-up, you can use the usual rotational exercises with the hands.

1. In case of severe fatigue in the hands, you can take a short pause and at this time just shake your hands, this will give the muscles an opportunity to relax.
2. You should not experiment with weights, you should start with small ones, gradually increasing over time.
3. Raising the arm or flexing should take about two seconds, but lowering or unbending about four seconds.
4. The movement during execution should not have any unplanned pauses. That is, rest points are not recommended.
5. Not worth using. Make sure that the shells are not thrown upward when bending.
6. The elbow joints should be pressed against the body.
7. Doing the exercise with an incline bench will help isolate the muscles as well as stretch them well.
8. It is recommended to perform three sets of ten repetitions.
9. It is recommended to train the forearms twice a week.
10. The Zottman flexion is most often included on training days when walking or arms.
11. Between workouts, it is worth taking a break of three days, this will give the muscles an opportunity to recover.

Advantages

The Zottman curl can give you the following benefits:

• With one movement, you can train several muscles;
• The biceps will increase very noticeably;
• The muscles in the forearms will get a good thickening;
• Also, this training will help develop grip strength.

What other exercises will help work your forearm

1. The best is considered to be the bending of the arms with an overhand grip. Can be performed with different types of shells. The features include smoothness of movement.
2. ... You can also perform with different projectiles. It is best to hold them alternately: palms up and then down.
3. Bending the arms at the wrists while standing holding the barbell behind the back. In this training, you need to sit with your back to the racks and take the barbell to do extension and flexion, while making sure that the elbow joint does not bend is very important.
4. , which is suspended on it.

Zottman curls videos

Conclusion

This is one of the main goals of the athlete - the security officer. This is due to the fact that poorly developed forearms do not make it possible to train with dumbbells or a barbell for a long time, when the biceps or back muscles are being worked out.

Also, if we consider this problem from the aesthetic point of view, then in bodybuilding undeveloped forearms are not very beautiful and do not make it possible to fight for high places in competitions and competitions. Forearm training is an essential part of any experienced athlete's training program. The Zottman flexion is an opportunity to make the forearms beautiful and harmonious with other parts of the body.

In this exercise, the brachioradialis muscle, the long radial flexor of the wrist, the circular pronator and the flexors of the fingers are actively working. The load is evenly distributed over the entire muscle group, allowing the athlete to lift and rotate the dumbbells.

Curls are indispensable for many athletes, as all machines minimize the stress placed on the forearms.

Correct technique

Georg Sottmann invented this exercise back in the 19th century, and until now it has not lost its relevance. However, it is important to perform the flexion correctly so that there are no problems with the elbow joints in the future. This requires:

1. Stand straight and take dumbbells in each hand. The arms are fully extended, and the elbows are pressed against the body. Make sure your palms are facing each other. This is your starting position.
2. It is recommended to keep your shoulders still. On exhalation, flexion of the arms is performed on the biceps muscle of the shoulder. It is performed in such a way that the palms are pointing up. To do this, you need to unfold your wrists. The movement continues until the dumbbells are level with the shoulder joints.
3. A short pause is maintained, which is necessary for greater muscle tension.
4. The wrists are rotated so that the palms are not facing up, but down. The thumb is above the little finger.
5. As you inhale, you should carefully lower the weight.
6. At the level of the hips, a new twist of the wrists occurs, and the palms begin to look inward.
7. The required number of repetitions is performed.

The correct Zottman flexion technique in the video:

During the flexion, the subtle brachioradialis muscle will work intensively. After performing 10 reps with a comfortable weight, the athlete may feel a slight burning sensation in the shoulder area. This means that the exercise is being performed correctly.

Safety

The Zottman curls are considered a completely safe exercise. But this does not mean that novice athletes do not need to get acquainted with the technique of its implementation. First of all, you need to remember that flexions are performed smoothly, completely on the strength of the muscles. This is done in order to protect the shoulder joint from unnecessary stress. As a rule, it is too weak for almost all athletes, so problems may arise in the future.

To protect your joints from unnecessary injury, you only need to work with a comfortable weight. It may be different for each athlete, but you need to start training with 5 kg dumbbells. Do not be confused by the low weight, as it will allow you to work out the technique well.

The back should always remain motionless during the flexion.... It is not necessary to pull the dumbbells with the help of back strength, otherwise the effectiveness of the exercise will decrease. For athletes with a weak back, these movements can be dangerous.

Typical mistakes

Most of the mistakes are ignoring warm-ups, improper breathing, and using too much weight. All of them are tolerated by inexperienced or overconfident athletes who believe that they have already brought the body into the required shape.

It is important to remember that exhalation is made at the top point of the amplitude... You don't need to do it down or exhale in the middle of the movement. This can interfere with breathing, making it harder to do the curls.

As for the warm-up, a set of exercises is always done before bending Zottman, including biceps and triceps. To warm up the joints, you can use a dumbbell or bar press, work in a block trainer, or simple arm rotations that develop the elbows and shoulders.

Equipment

To do the Zottman curls, the athlete will need dumbbells. Sports gloves can be worn for convenience. They will help to hold the weight more firmly, since it will no longer slip out of tired and sweaty hands.

1. The elbow flexor muscle will work much more intensely if, at the moment when the dumbbell is level with the shoulder, the athlete changes the position of the elbow joint by moving the weight downward.
2. When the moment of severe fatigue begins to approach, the dumbbells can be put aside and shake your hands for a few seconds. This will help the tired muscles relax a little. However, immediately after that, you need to continue the set, otherwise the exercise will not be effective.
3. It is very important to have complete control over the circular motion performed by the hands. The fact is that the rotator cuff muscles help stabilize the shoulder joint, but if the athlete makes a jerk, then this muscle group can be injured.
4. Zottman curls are always done at the end of the arm workout. You should not try this exercise at the beginning of your workout, as it puts a lot of stress on the shoulder joint.
5. It is important to choose the correct working weight. If you do 12 reps without any problems, then the weight is too small. For about 8 repetitions, the muscles should be “burning”.
6. Always follow the correct technique. If you can't learn the movement, then you can try to do flexions one by one.