Smith Machine Drag Curl
What Is the Smith Machine Drag Curl?
Smith Machine Drag Curl is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the biceps and also engages the brachialis, brachioradialis and the front of the shoulders. It is a beginner-level movement in which the elbows travel back as the bar slides up the front of the body, instead of staying at the sides while the bar swings forward in an arc as it does in a Barbell Curl.
Because the elbows move back, the bar rises almost straight up along the thighs and torso. That path suits the Smith machine's fixed vertical track: the bar can stay on the body line for the whole rep, while on the Smith Machine Curl the track cannot follow a curl's natural forward arc, so the elbows drift back as the bar passes the stomach and come forward under it at the top. The track also removes the balance work of a free bar, so the only thing left to manage is the elbow path.
The drag path changes where the curl is hardest. At the bottom the forearms hang nearly vertical and the biceps carry little load; the effort builds toward the top, where the forearms approach parallel to the floor, and the range ends with the bar around the lower chest, shorter than a standard curl. Keeping the elbows back also stops the shoulders from swinging forward to help lift the bar, which is why coaches use it as a strict curl. It is often promoted as a long-head exercise, a claim coaches still dispute, since the elbows-back position lengthens the biceps across the shoulder at the same time it shortens them at the elbow.
It suits lifters at any level who want a strict curl, especially those whose shoulders or torso take over on standard curls. Because the bottom of the rep is light, it pairs well with a curl that loads the stretched position, such as the Dumbbell Incline Curl or the Barbell Preacher Curl, and it usually sits late in an arm session with moderate weight for 8 to 15 reps. Newer lifters should learn the elbow path with a light load first; the Dumbbell Drag Curl and Cable Drag Curl teach the same path without a fixed track.
Muscles Worked
- Biceps Brachii
- Primary
- Brachialis
- High
- Brachioradialis
- Medium
- Deltoid
- Medium
Instructions
- Set the Smith machine bar on the hooks at mid-thigh height, with the safety stops just below it, and load the weight.
- Stand facing the bar with your feet about hip-width apart, close enough that the bar touches the front of your thighs.
- Grip the bar underhand with your hands about shoulder-width apart.
- Rotate the bar off the hooks and stand tall with your arms straight, chest up and shoulders down.
- Bend your elbows while driving them back, sliding the bar up your thighs and torso so it stays in contact with your body.
- Keep your elbows close to your sides as they travel back, without flaring them or shrugging.
- Stop when the bar reaches your lower chest, your forearms are about parallel to the floor and your elbows are slightly behind your torso, and squeeze your biceps briefly.
- Lower the bar slowly along the same path, keeping it against your body, until your arms are straight.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps, then rotate the bar back onto the hooks.
Common Mistakes
Standing too far from the bar
If the bar cannot touch your thighs and torso, the elbows have to come forward and the rep turns into a standard curl that the vertical track works against.
Letting the elbows drift forward
Bringing the elbows in front of the torso near the top lets the front of the shoulders lift the bar and loses the drag path.
Letting elbows flare
The elbows should travel straight back close to your sides, because flaring them out turns the pull into something closer to an upright row.
Using momentum
Swinging the torso or leaning back reduces biceps isolation and increases injury risk.
Shrugging the shoulders
Lifting the shoulders toward the ears to finish the rep shifts the work to the upper back, so keep the shoulders down throughout.
Dropping the bar on the way down
Letting the bar fall back to the thighs skips the lowering phase, so lower it along your body under control.
Injuries
Smith Machine Drag Curl is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique.
The main strain points are the front of the shoulder, the wrists and the lower back. As the elbows travel behind the torso the shoulder moves into extension, which stretches the biceps tendon at the front of the shoulder under load, and pulling the elbows far back or going heavy adds to that. The straight bar holds the forearms fully supinated and the track will not let the bar drift to suit your arms, which can irritate the wrists or inner elbows of lifters who lack that forearm rotation. Leaning back to get the bar moving shifts stress to the lower back.
Use a load you can lift without leaning, and move the elbows back only as far as it takes to keep the bar against your body. If the straight bar bothers your wrists, the angled grip of the EZ Bar Drag Curl or the free wrists of the Dumbbell Drag Curl takes the forearms out of full supination. The Cable Drag Curl with a light stack is a good regression for learning the path, and the Barbell Drag Curl is the progression once the path is consistent, since it adds the balance work the track removes.
Stop if you feel sharp pain at the front of the shoulder, a pop or sudden pain at the front of the elbow, or numbness or tingling in the forearm or hand, and have pain that persists checked before training the movement again.
- Primary Focus
- Biceps
- Equipment
- Smith machine
- Modality
- Strength
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Alternative Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Is the Smith machine drag curl suitable for beginners?
Yes, the guided path of the Smith machine makes it easier to control for beginners.
- Q: What grip width should I use?
A shoulder-width underhand grip is typically ideal for targeting the biceps efficiently.
- Q: Why do drag curls suit the Smith machine better than regular curls?
Because the elbows stay back for the whole rep, the bar can rise straight up the front of your body, which matches the Smith machine's fixed vertical track. A standard curl naturally swings the bar forward in an arc the track cannot follow, so on the Smith Machine Curl the elbows drift back as the bar passes the stomach and come forward under it at the top, while the drag curl finishes lower with the elbows behind the body.
- Q: How far back should my elbows go?
Only as far as it takes to keep the bar against your body. The elbows finish slightly behind the torso with the bar around the lower chest, and pulling them further back strains the front of the shoulder without raising the bar any higher.
- Q: Can I use this as a substitute for barbell curls?
It works as a strict alternative, but not as a straight swap. The drag curl is light at the bottom and hardest near the top, so pair it with a curl that loads the stretched position, such as the Barbell Preacher Curl or Dumbbell Incline Curl.
- Q: Does the Smith machine bar count toward the weight?
Yes, but its starting weight varies by machine, and many Smith bars are counterbalanced so they weigh less than a standard 45 lb barbell. Check the label on the machine, and compare loads only with your own earlier Smith sessions.