Zottman curls

[Guest Harlan Jacobs]

A few post back we where talking about Zottman culrs. I posted on hao I thought they where done. After I thought about it a bit, I gave bad information. When the dumbell is brought up, the arm is turned and brought down across the body but with the palm facing the body. Not facing down as I said before. Sorry for the mix up.

[Rick Browne]

Charles Poliquin describes the Zottman curl this way ....

you sit on the edge of a flat bench with dumbells and arms hanging straight down. (palms facing forward). As you curl the weight up you extend your wrist to about 45 degrees. This will negate the forearm flexors. At the top of the movement you pronate your forearms (palms facing forward)and perform a dumbell reverse curl. The elbows must be glued to your sides at all times. If the forearms flare out during the movement, you are using to much weight and will negate the benefits. Seems like this is more of a bicep movement with a benefit to forearms as well.

[Roark]

A seated Zottman curl is an impossibility.

[Rick Browne]

how so?  you are using dumbells... what is your version of a zottman curl that one can not do it seated. thanks

[Rick Browne]

Roark, in addition to the above thread, several weeks ago you were asking about thick EZ-curl bars. I passed on a phone # that was a possible lead. Did you have any luck? I called it over 6 times and got only an anserwing machine asking to you to leave your name and phone # and that they will call you back. I was never called back. "Custom made equipment" was how they addressed themselves.

[OldGuy]

Here is a description of a true Zottman curl. Any variation is not a Zottman curl. After all he invented it.

Zottman Forearm Curl

Equipment Required: Dumbbell

Muscle Group: Forearms

Muscle Priority: Biceps brachii, brachialis, brachioradialis

Sport Application:

Position:

With a pair of dumbbells in either hand rest your biceps firmly against your chest with your palms facing towards the sides of your thighs. Concentrate on keeping the upper arms motionless as you inhale up and exhale down.

Execution:

1. With your left hand, turn the palm up as you curl the dumbbell upward and slightly outward toward the right shoulder;

2. At the top of the movement, tense the forearm muscle rotate your hand so your palm faces downward;

3. As the left arm straightens to the extended down position you slowly rotate the palm to face the side of the thigh;

4. Start curling the dumbbell in your right hand upward with your palm facing up;

5. Repeat attacking each rep until both arms are exhausted.

Note:

Zottman curls are a combination of alternate dumbbell curls and reverse curls and stress the same muscles as reverse curls but with more stress on the biceps.

Keep the alternately curling seesaw motion slow and deliberate to maintain your careful form.

For more intensity do a ten second negative rep at the end of each contracted position.

Remember: Dumbbell up, palm up; Dumbbell down, palm down

[Roark]

zcor,

No one called me back when I left a message about the

bars.

I'll explain the Z curl in March 8th Iron History column.

Sorry to be brief but I lost my hard drive Thurs night and

am busy restoring files. What a mess!

[Rick Browne]

Roark, Thanks for clarifying the Z curl. It seems to be a complicated move ( I have never used it) and it appears individuals have put variations to it. I have read about directions on the move using a preacher curl bench! take care

[Tom Black]

I found the following in Super Strength, by Alan Calvert (1924):

"The very best forearm exercise is the one invented by George Zottman.  He used to do it with a pair of 50-lb. Dumbbells, and you can start it with a pair of 20-pounders.  Stand erect, with the arms hanging at the sides.  Then bend your right arm and bring the bell up in front of your chest, with the palm of the hand up and the wrist bent strongly inward.  Bring the hand still further up until it is in front of the right shoulder, and then rotate your forearm until the palm is front, and then lower the bell slowly (with knuckles up) until the arm is again hanging at the side.  The right hand describes a complete circle.  When your right hand is in front of your shoulder, start your left hand coming up.  Both hands work at the same time, but as the right hand is coming down the left hand is coming up, and vice versa… The elbows should be kept close to the sides throughout the whole exercise."

I decided to try these yesterday, I worked my way up to a 35-pound dumbbell in the gym during my biceps workout, but did not do them alternating so that I could focus on the movement, which is sort of complex.  I didn't feel that I did the 35-pound dumbbell strict enough, and probably didn't keep my elbows as described in the last sentence, but I did do 30-pounds as described.  I can tell you 50-pounds (the amount attributed to George Zottman) on this exercise is awesome!  Later in the day during my grip workout I decided to try the curl with my Inch handle, doing a set with the bar, plus 10-pounds and plus 1.25-pounds (around 33-pounds).  The last set was particularly nasty.  This exercise really hit my forearms and the lower portion of my biceps at the attachment.