A barbell curl is a two-arm lift, so this barbell curl counter reads both elbows together and counts each rep out loud. Face the phone with the bar in both hands and let the coach keep track.
Turn the phone sideways so your arms and the bar fit in the frame. Square up during the five-second countdown, then start curling.
Phone setup
Set the phone sideways (landscape) at chest height, facing you. Both arms need to be fully in view.
Face the phone square-on, with the barbell in both hands, so both arms are fully in view from shoulder to wrist.
- Start each rep with straight arms and the bar resting at your thighs, because that open position is where every rep begins and ends.
Form cues
- Elbows beside your ribs. Keep them pinned so the bar travels in an arc. Drifting elbows turn the curl into a front raise.
- Curl to the top. Closing your elbows at the top is the far position of the rep, so the bar has to travel all the way up.
- Lower to straight arms. Lowering all the way finishes the rep, so let the bar settle back at your thighs each time.
- Keep your torso still. Plant your feet and stand tall, so the biceps do the lifting instead of your lower back.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the bar up. Leaning back to heave the bar borrows effort from your back. Lighten the load and keep your upper body quiet.
- Half curls. If your elbows never close at the top, the rep doesn't reach the far position and isn't counted. Bring the bar all the way up.
- Turning away from the phone. Face it square-on so both arms stay fully in view from shoulder to wrist.
How FitnessBruh counts it
The reading comes from your elbow angle, shoulder to elbow to wrist. A rep starts with straight arms and the bar at your thighs, reaches the far position as your elbows close at the top of the curl, and finishes when you lower back to straight arms. That's when the number is spoken.
Both arms are read together. It follows your arms, not the bar, so the weight on the bar and the plates you load don't change the count.
Counting starts once the camera has a steady view of your shoulders and hips, and the five-second countdown gives you time to square up.
FAQ
Does the weight on the barbell change how reps are counted?
No. It reads your arms, not the bar, so bar weight and plates don't change the count. Load the bar however your set requires.
Which way should I face the phone for barbell curls?
Square-on, with the phone sideways (landscape) at chest height. Hold the bar in both hands so both arms stay fully in view.
What happens if I stop halfway up the curl?
A curl that never closes your elbows at the top doesn't reach the far position and isn't counted. Bring the bar all the way up, then lower to straight arms.
