Dumbbell movements allow you to more effectively isolate the muscle being worked. Conversely, most dumbbell movements also require the incorporation of various stabilizer muscles which typically makes exercises with dumbbells more difficult to perform. Standing dumbbell curls are a particular favorite of mine because not only do they allow you to really focus on the bicep of each arm and squeeze it to death, twisting the wrist through the movement also allows you to go from a neutral grip (palm facing your hip/thigh, bottom of the rep) to a supinated grip (palm facing front of your body, top of the rep). This fuller range of motion more effectively stresses every fiber of the bicep muscle.
Performance: Stand erect while holding two dumbbells at your side, palms facing inward. Keeping your wrists aligned with your forearms and your upper arm stationary, curl one (or both) weights toward your shoulder. Pause and squeeze your bicep at the top, then slowly return to the starting position, and repeat for reps.
Muscle Emphasis: primary emphasis on the bicep, secondary stress on the brachialis and forearm flexors
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