# Zottman Curls - A Rich Piana Old School Favorite!

**By 5 Percent Nutrition** · 2025-06-19

If anybody liked to use unusual exercises once in a while, it was Rich Piana. That was especially true for his arm training. After all, he popularized the 8-hour Arm Day, preferred concentration curls done with a cable and a hammer grip, and liked Zottman Curls. Ever heard of 'em? 

# The Zottman Curl

The Zottman Curl is a unique exercise because it works both the biceps and the forearm. Legend has it that George Zottman, a professional strongman in the late 1800s, invented this exercise. He set several strength records in his time and had a powerful physique for his era.(1)

# Muscles Worked

This exercise combines a regular dumbbell curl with a reverse curl. Therefore, it works the biceps brachii and the brachioradialis of the forearm.(2,3)

# How To Do The Zottman Curl

In this exercise, you’ll bring the dumbbells up as in a regular curl, stop, and squeeze your biceps at the top. Then turn your wrists so your palms face down as in a reverse curl, and slowly lower the dumbbells. At the bottom, turn your wrists again so you’re in the start position of a regular curl, and repeat for the desired number of reps.(4)

# Variations

You can do this exercise standing, seated, on an incline bench, or using a Preacher bench. You can do both arms at the same time, alternate your arms, or do 1 arm at a time. 

# How Rich Used Zottman Curls In His Routine

**Preacher Curls - 5 sets - 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 reps**

Try this one using an EZ bar hooked up to a low cable pulley. Doing it that way creates continuous tension on your biceps.

**Lying Cable Curls - 5 sets - 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 reps**

This exercise takes any chance to cheat out of it, it’s all biceps. 

**Zottman Curls - 5 sets - 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 reps**

This old-school classic was one of Rich’s favorite exercises for the biceps and forearms. If you prefer, you can move the biceps to the end of the workout and do 2-3 direct forearm exercises after Zottman Curls for a complete triceps/biceps/forearms workout.

**Triceps Pressdowns - 5 sets - 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 reps**

Use a full range of motion, hold, and squeeze at the bottom of the movement.

**Close Grip Bench Press - 5 sets - 20, 15, 12, 10, 8 reps**

This is a compound exercise that also hits the inner chest and the shoulders. You can use an Olympic bar or an EZ bar. 

**Triceps Dips - 3 sets - 10-12 reps each set**

Here’s another compound exercise that hits the triceps, chest, and shoulders. 

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### References:

1.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George\_Zottman
2.  [https://www.physio-pedia.com/Biceps\_Brachii](https://www.physio-pedia.com/Biceps_Brachii)
3.  [https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Brachioradialis/BBReverseCurl](https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Brachioradialis/BBReverseCurl)
4.  https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/fulltext/2014/02000/exercise\_technique\_\_the\_zottman\_curl.15.aspx#O4-15-2

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> Source: [5% Nutrition](https://5percentnutrition.com/blogs/articles/zottman-curls-a-rich-piana-old-school-favorite)