Zottman Curl - Bent Over Water Bottle

Recommendations: 2-3 Sets, 8-12 Reps

Beginner Biceps Forearms Shoulders Strength Water Bottle Pull Home

Purpose: This exercise works the biceps muscles but focuses also on the brachioradialis (a muscle that crosses the elbow joint and assists in rotating the forearm).

Benefits: This exercise does a good job of placing maximum tension on the biceps in the fully contracted position and also supinates the forearm..

Stand, with your feet flat on the floor. Hold water bottles with your hands about shoulder-width apart and your palms facing down (overhand grip). Bend over with your feet about shoulder width apart. Let the bottles hang with your arms straight down. This is the starting position. Curl the bottles up to your shoulders while rotating your hands to a supinated (underhand) grip. Your upper arms should remain stationary throughout the entire motion. Exhale during this movement. Slowly lower the bottles to the starting position. Inhale during this movement. Hold water bottles with your hands about shoulder-width apart and your palms facing down (overhand grip). Bend over with your feet about shoulder width apart. Let the bottles hang with your arms straight down Repeat for the required number of repetitions.


The biceps is a straight muscle which has two heads. The long head crosses both the elbow and the shoulder joints. It bends the arm at the elbow and raises the arm forward at the shoulder. The short head crosses the elbow joint and, in conjunction with the brachioradialis, supinates the hand.

Step 1

Bend over, holding water bottles with the arms straight, overhand grip.

zottman-curl-bent-over-water-bottle-step-0

Stand, with your feet flat on the floor. Hold water bottles with your hands about shoulder-width apart and your palms facing down (overhand grip). Bend over with your feet about shoulder width apart. Let the bottles hang with your arms straight down. This is the starting position.

Step 2

Curl the bottles to your chin, rotation to underhand grip.

zottman-curl-bent-over-water-bottle-step-1

Curl the bottles up to your shoulders while rotating your hands to a supinated (underhand) grip. Your upper arms should remain stationary throughout the entire motion. Exhale during this movement.

Step 3

Slowly lower the bottles to the starting position.

zottman-curl-bent-over-water-bottle-step-2

Slowly lower the bottles to the starting position. Inhale during this movement. Hold water bottles with your hands about shoulder-width apart and your palms facing down (overhand grip). Bend over with your feet about shoulder width apart. Let the bottles hang with your arms straight down.