Preacher Curl
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1To perform this movement you will need a preacher bench and an E-Z bar. Grab the E-Z curl bar at the close inner handle (either have someone hand you the bar which is preferable or grab the bar from the front bar rest provided by most preacher benches). The palm of your hands should be facing forward and they should be slightly tilted inwards due to the shape of the bar.
- 2With the upper arms positioned against the preacher bench pad and the chest against it, hold the E-Z Curl Bar at shoulder length. This will be your starting position.
- 3As you breathe in, slowly lower the bar until your upper arm is extended and the biceps is fully stretched.
- 4As you exhale, use the biceps to curl the weight up until your biceps is fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder height. Squeeze the biceps hard and hold this position for a second.
- 5Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
About Preacher Curl
The EZ-bar preacher curl braces the back of the arms against an angled pad, which removes all torso swing. This position isolates the biceps, especially the short head, and puts heavy tension at the bottom of the range, where the muscle is most stretched. Always lower the bar under full control, without 'dropping' at the bottom where the elbow joint is vulnerable. It is a reference exercise for shaping the biceps and for fixing a technique that too often cheats with the torso on standing curls.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleIsolates the biceps by removing body swing and momentum
- check_circleStrongly targets the short head for a wider biceps
- check_circleThe EZ bar spares the wrists with its angled grip
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbWedge your armpits firmly against the top of the pad
- lightbulbControl the descent to near-full elbow extension
- lightbulbSqueeze the biceps for a second at the top
- lightbulbKeep the shoulders down and relaxed throughout the curl
warningCommon mistakes
- warningNot lowering fully, which limits the stretch
- warningLifting the elbows off the pad to cheat the weight up
- warningBouncing at the bottom and straining the elbow tendons
- warningLoading too heavy and losing control of the negative
helpFrequently asked questions
Is the preacher curl best for biceps peak?expand_more
It mainly develops the short head, which adds width; the peak comes more from the long head, trained by incline and hammer curls.
EZ bar or straight bar for preacher curls?expand_more
The EZ bar is usually kinder to the wrists; the straight bar increases supination but can feel uncomfortable for some lifters.
Should I fully straighten the arms at the bottom?expand_more
Lower under control but do not 'drop' the load with the elbow locked out: keep a little tension to protect the elbow. A full but braked extension, with no jerk, is ideal.
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