The EZ Bar Preacher Curl is an excellent bicep builder that stands out from other curl variations for a few unique reasons.
Preacher benches provide stable positioning and reduce the risk of cheating, which helps you to isolate the biceps more effectively.
One of the biggest advantages of using the EZ bar for a preacher curl is its angled grip, which feels more natural than a straight barbell.
A straight bar puts a lot of strain on your wrists and elbows because your wrists are fully supinated. The EZ bar’s angled handles allow for a more neutral grip, relieving pressure on your joints and making the movement feel smoother.
The ergonomic design of the EZ bar lets you maintain a strong grip while lifting heavy.
EZ Bar Preacher Curl Muscles Worked
- Primary Muscles worked: Biceps brachii (focus on short head)
- Secondary and Synergist muscles worked: Brachialis, Brachioradialis
- Stabilizer muscles: Wrist flexors and Anterior deltoid (especially at the start of the movement)
How to Do an EZ Bar Preacher Curl
- Adjust the preacher bench to fit your height, and keep the arm pads at about elbow height when your arms hang down relaxed.
- Lean forward slightly and rest your upper arms firmly against the preacher’s bench pads.
- Reach out and grasp the EZ bar with your hands in a supinated position (palms facing up).
- With your body held in place, bring the bar up by flexing your biceps.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement and squeeze your biceps as hard as you can.
- Hold for one second. Slowly lower back to the starting position, constantly controlling the load.
- Do not let the elbows lock out fully.
Tips and Form
- Adjust that preacher bench so your armpits touch the top edge when seated. Too high, and you’ll lose tension. Too low, and you’re not isolating those biceps properly.
- If you are new to this exercise, start with a light load and gradually increase.
- Keep those elbows planted firmly on the bench. This is what makes the preacher curl so effective. It eliminates that cheating swing we’re all guilty of sometimes.
- Bring the bar all the way down until your arms are fully extended but not locked out, then curl it back up.
- Keep your wrists neutral or slightly cocked back. Don’t let them lean forward – that means you’re putting your wrist at risk.
- Sometimes go wider, sometimes narrower. This slight change hits your biceps from different angles.
Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.
Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.