Zottman curls are a hand gift from the 19th century. Zottman Press - An Effective Biceps Exercise Zottman Curls

Such a muscle group as the forearm, in many athletes is problem area. The fact is that standard hand exercises practically do not affect this area. Moreover, they specifically try not to load the forearm. This is due to the fact that, being a relatively weak muscle group, the forearm quickly gets tired, and the target muscles do not receive the proper load. But it needs to be developed, and there are at least two reasons for this. First, the body must be developed in proportion. And secondly, the stronger the forearm, the stronger the grip. Well, without a strong grip in men's sports nothing to do.

Many have noticed that the forearm of ordinary loaders looks much stronger than that of professional athletes. The fact is that in ordinary training, the athlete affects this muscle group only with the help of flexion and extension of the hand, as well as squeezing the palm. However, the forearm also has such a function as rotation, and a large part of its bundles is intended for this. So it turns out that someone who performs a variety of strength work pumps the forearm better than a regular gym. It is in the rotation of the brush that the whole point of the exercise lies, which we will talk about today.

Zottman curls are an old exercise that few people now use in their workouts, but in vain. It allows you to work out the biceps and forearm at the same time. Let's find out how this exercise can be useful in modern bodybuilding.

general characteristics

This exercise, as already mentioned, immediately trains the muscles of the shoulder and forearm. This is achieved through supination and pronation of the hand. The exercise pursues rather specific tasks, so not all athletes use it in their training. In addition to working out the muscles, it helps to strengthen the grip and improve neural connection. The execution technique is easy to understand, but difficult for the muscles. Therefore, at first it is recommended not to rush to increase the weight of the dumbbells. By the way, Georg Zottmann trained with dumbbells weighing 50 kg. But before reaching such indicators, you need to master the technique.

Zottoman curls are usually performed in the completion or back, and also as a warm-up before working out the biceps. They are suitable for athletes of all levels. For beginners, the exercise is interesting for training neural connections and its versatility. And experienced weightlifters choose it to improve the functional qualities of their hands, which increases strength in the deadlift and bench press.

What muscles work

At first glance, this exercise looks like a simple biceps curl. However, if you look closely, there is some difference in it, due to which it turns out to load more muscles. As a result, at correct execution, Zottman flexion allows you to work out such muscles:

1. (brachioradialis).

2. radial flexor wrist.

3. Finger flexors.

4. Round pronator.

5. Biceps (long and short heads).

At each stage of the movement, one or another muscle receives the load. By the way, the inconspicuous brachioradialis muscle, if the exercise is performed correctly, will make itself felt with a burning sensation in the shoulder area. If it is, then everything is done correctly.

Execution technique

So, before you start pumping your hands, you need to take the starting position: take dumbbells in your hands, stand straight, straighten your arms, press your elbows to the body, and turn your palms towards each other. It's time to start bending. With an exhalation, the arms bend. In the very first stage of the movement, the palms need to be turned up. At the top point, you need to pause so that the biceps get the maximum load.

Now you can proceed to the next stage - lowering the dumbbells. First you need to turn your wrists so that your palms look down. Gently, along with inhalation, the hands return to their original position. That's basically it.

Common Mistakes

As a rule, when performing Zottman bends, athletes make such mistakes: ignoring the warm-up, improper breathing, big weight dumbbells.

It is important to remember that exhalation is done at the top of the amplitude. Do not do it at the bottom or in the direction of travel. This can take your breath away and make your workout more difficult.

As for the warm-up, before proceeding with the Zottman curls, you need to do a simple complex for warming up the muscles of the hands. It can be both regular rotations and work with light dumbbells (bench press, rotations, stretching).

The elbow flexor will work much better if at the top point, when the dumbbells are at chest level, move a little elbow joint down. When you feel very tired, you can put down the dumbbells and shake your arms vigorously for several seconds. This simple manipulation will take the pressure off your fingers and you will be able to continue with Zottman curls.

You need to rotate the brushes during lifting and lowering very carefully. The muscles responsible for the rotation of the forearm are good at stabilizing these movements. However, if you make a breakthrough, they may suffer. It is recommended to do this exercise at the end of the workout, as it is very stressful. shoulder joint. It is important to choose the right dumbbell weight. If 12 repetitions are given to you without problems, the weight is too small. It is necessary that on the 8th repetition there was no longer any strength.

The most important thing in any workout is technique. Therefore, if you can’t do everything right with both hands at once, try alternating hands, focusing on each of them.

Safety

This exercise is considered completely safe, but if you neglect the technique, problems may arise. The first thing to remember is that bending is done smoothly, with the help of any jerks are unacceptable. Otherwise, an unwanted load may be received by the shoulder joint, which is rather weak in many athletes.

In addition, to protect the joint, you need to work with a comfortable weight. Of course, for each athlete it can be different. But for starters, it is recommended to take dumbbells of 3 kg. Don't let the light weight fool you. It is needed in order to hone the technique and feel the work of the muscles.

The back must remain motionless throughout the movement. Do not try to lift dumbbells with back strength. There will be no sense in such a performance. Also, for those with a weak back, it can be dangerous.

Anatomy

They are small groups that can have two functions: flexion or extension of the arm. In addition to the main functions, the muscles of the hands can also pronate and supinate the hand. Since this exercise involves the performance of all of the above functions (except for extension, of course), it comprehensively develops the hands.

Conclusion

Usually, when training the arms, many athletes neglect the forearm, wanting to develop only the shoulder muscles. Exercises for biceps and triceps, of course, are useful, but if you do only them, then one day you will notice the lack and disproportion of the arms. Therefore, it is worth approaching training in a complex way and at least sometimes loading the forearm. Do not forget about safety and immediately take heavy weights. Take 3 kg dumbbells to get acquainted with the Zottman curls, and soon you will master the correct technique.

Exercise Bending (lifting) Zottman was invented back in the 19th century by the famous strongman Georg Zottmann. It immediately appealed to all athletes, as it most quickly contributed to the growth of hand strength. Secret this exercise in that it immediately loads three muscles working to flex the elbow. Zottman's lifts are especially good for pumping, which is located under the biceps. The buildup of this muscle leads not only to a noticeable increase in the volume of the biceps, but also to an almost twofold increase in its strength.

In terms of their efficiency, Zottman's arm bends are significantly superior to the classic ones.

Target muscles involved in the work:

Biceps
shoulder muscle
brachioradialis muscle

Zottman Curl Technique:

Take dumbbells in your hands and stand up straight. Use reverse grip(palms facing forward). Bend your knees slightly and straighten your back. Statically tighten the press.
Keeping your elbows in the same position, start lifting the dumbbells up at the same time.
At the highest point, change the grip to a straight line (palms turned away from you) and slowly lower your hands to their original position.
IN lowest point take a short pause, leaving your elbows slightly bent. Change the grip back to reverse and start a new repetition.

Method for performing Zottman lifts

Perform this exercise at the very end of the biceps complex. Don't put it as the first number, because it puts a strain on the muscles of the forearms. Tired forearms will seriously limit your working weights in basic biceps exercises.
Do Zottman raises in combination with other exercises that target relief and.
Do this exercise for 2-4 sets of 10-12 reps each. Rest no more than 2 minutes between sets.

As a rule, at the very end of the approach it is not always possible to perform the movement with both hands. In this case, several repetitions in turn.
If weak forearms prevent you from doing full Zottman raises, put this exercise aside and grab the . For this purpose, lifts with a barbell with a direct and reverse grip are suitable.
When the lifts are easy for you, complicate the exercise by moving on to its mirror execution. That is, start with direct grip, and at the top point, change it to the reverse. Thus, on every biceps workout, perform both types of Zottman raises - regular and mirror.
A change in grip most often leads to involuntary separation of the elbows. The farther the elbows are from the body, the lower the effectiveness of the exercise. Make sure your elbows are as close to your body as possible at all times.

Related videos: How to properly perform the exercise "Bending the arms of Zottman"?

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Professionals know that it is very difficult to work out 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 lags.

Execution technique

Take dumbbells in both hands and stand up straight.
The elbows should be pressed to the body and the arms should be straight. At the same time, make sure that the palms look at each other. This position can be called the original.
The shoulders must be completely motionless.
As you exhale, bend your arms at the elbow joint, palms should look up, and the shells should be at shoulder level.
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 arms reach hip level, the palms should return to facing each other.
Repeat as many times as planned.

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

This training can be called quite safe, but only if there are no violations associated with the execution technique. It is worth knowing that when performing the exercise there should not be sharp movements of aggressiveness in the performance. It is very important to control that when bending, 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 subsequently allow a slight progression.

What muscles work

The muscles of the forearm, which actively work when flexed, have their own characteristics, these include:

They are very resistant to any load;
Weakly amenable to size changes;
And do not hurry in the accumulation of strength;
Most often in Everyday life these muscles are under minimal stress;

The structure of the forearm has an interesting structure that helps to 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 big muscles. The most noticeable of them is the shoulder - radial. It is this muscle that is responsible for the volume of the forearm. Also of particular interest in bodybuilding are the flexors and extensors of the hands. Also in this group can be attributed the extensors of the fingers, and so on.

Nuances

It is very important to follow 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 work the biceps and triceps.
No need to experiment with weights. It is best to start with the smallest, increasing the load slowly.
Also as a warm-up, you can use the usual rotational exercises with your hands.

With severe fatigue in the hands, you can take a short pause and at this time just shake your hands, this will allow the muscles to rest.
You should not experiment with weights, it is worth starting with small ones, gradually increasing them over time.
Raising the arm or bending should take about two seconds, but lowering or extending it should take about four seconds.
The movement in execution should not have any unplanned pauses. That is, rest points are not recommended.
Shouldn't be used. Make sure that the projectiles are not thrown up when bending.
The elbow joints should be pressed against the body.
If you do the exercise with incline bench, this will help isolate the muscles, as well as stretch them well.
It is recommended to perform three sets of ten repetitions.
It is recommended to train the forearms twice a week.
The Zottman curl is most often included on training days when walking or arms.
Between trainings, it is worth observing a respite of three days, this will enable the muscles to recover.

Advantages

Zottman curls can give you the following benefits:

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

What other exercises will help to work out the forearm

The best is considered to be bending the arms with an overhand grip. Can be performed with different types shells. Features include smoothness of movement.
. You can also use different projectiles. It is best to hold them in alternation: palms up and then down.
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, it is very important to make sure that the elbow joint does not bend.
which is hung on it.

Zottman curl video

Conclusion

This is one of the main goals of an athlete - a 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 side, then in bodybuilding, undeveloped forearms are not very beautiful and do not make it possible to fight for high places in contests and competitions. Forearm training is a major part of any advanced athlete's training program. The Zottman flexion is an opportunity to make the forearms beautiful and harmonious with other parts of the body.

The Zottman Curl is one of the most unpopular exercises out there, although it is by no means ineffective. The exercise gives a load on the biceps and helps to work out brachialis and brachioradialis- muscles that will add volume to your hands and increase grip strength. But the main thing is that although the Zorttman curls are somewhat of an isolating exercise, they will allow you to work with no less working weight than in the basic ones.

A bit of history

The Zottman curl was invented by an American athlete. George Zottman long before Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped onto the podium of Mr. Olympia.

The exercise quickly fell into training programs athletes and became one of Arnie's favorites, who appreciated him no less than standing barbell lifts.

Working muscles

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

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

Developed brachioradialis will add strength to your forearms and strengthen your grip. It will help you work with a lot of weight, including during barbell lifts or biceps. After all, it is the undeveloped forearms that make many people stomp around the same shells for months.

pros

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

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

in the negative phase you turn your wrists away from you and lower the dumbbells. At this point, you are already doing an isolation exercise with a load on the brachioradialis, but already with a fairly large weight that the biceps, brachialis and brachioradialis helped you lift 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. So, you can work with a good working weight. Almost the same as in lifts with dumbbells!

Minuses

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

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

Technique

Standing Zottman Curls

Starting position:

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

Exercise "Zottman Flexions" was invented back in the 19th century by the famous strongman Georg Zottmann. This exercise immediately appealed to all athletes, as it most quickly contributed to the growth of arm strength. The secret of this exercise is that it immediately loads three muscles that work to flex the elbow. Particularly well, Zottmann's lifts pump shoulder muscle which is located under the biceps. The buildup of this muscle leads not only to a noticeable increase in the volume of the biceps, but also to an almost twofold increase in its strength.

Execution instructions:

Take dumbbells in both hands and stand up straight. The arms are extended along the torso, the elbows are pressed to the body. The palms are facing each other. This is the starting position;
As you exhale, bend your arms for biceps, while top part arms to the elbow should remain motionless, only works. Turn your hands palms up (supinated grip). Continue the movement until the biceps are fully contracted until the dumbbells are at shoulder level;
Take a short pause, straining your biceps;
Now, without changing position, turn your wrists with your palms down (pronated grip), level thumb should be above the level of the little finger;
Slowly lower the dumbbells, holding them with a pronated grip;
When the dumbbells are near your hips, turn your wrists so that your palms are facing your body (neutral grip).
Do this exercise for 2-4 sets of 10-12 reps each. Rest no more than 2 minutes between sets.

As a rule, at the very end of the approach it is not always possible to perform the movement with both hands. In this case, several repetitions in turn.
If weak forearms prevent you from doing the Zottman raises, put this exercise aside and focus on strengthening your forearms. For this purpose, lifts with a barbell with a direct and reverse grip are suitable.
When the lifts are easy for you, complicate the exercise by moving on to its mirror execution. That is, start with a direct grip, and at the top point, change it to the reverse. Thus, on every biceps workout, perform both types of Zottman raises - regular and mirror.
A change in grip most often leads to involuntary separation of the elbows. The farther the elbows are from the body, the lower the effectiveness of the exercise. Make sure your elbows are as close to your body as possible at all times.

Zottman Curls — Video

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