Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Preacher Curl
The preacher curl trains your biceps with your upper arms supported on a sloped pad, limiting body movement as you curl an EZ bar.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Adjust the seat so the pad’s top edge sits just below your armpits when seated.
- Sit with the backs of your upper arms resting fully against the pad.
- Grip the angled sections of the EZ bar evenly with your palms facing upward.
- Bring the bar off the supports into a starting position with your elbows nearly straight.
- Curl the bar toward your shoulders as far as you can without lifting your upper arms.
- Lower the bar slowly back to the starting position.
- Return the bar to the supports after your final repetition.
Form cues
- Keep your wrists in line with forearms
- Keep your shoulders relaxed
- Plant your feet firmly
Common mistakes
- Bouncing out of the bottomReverse direction smoothly rather than snapping your elbows straight to start the next rep.
- Rocking your torsoUse a lighter weight so your chest stays in the same position throughout the curl.
Safety
Heavy loads or a sudden drop near the bottom can strain the biceps or its tendon at the elbow. Fatigue makes this harder to control.
- Start with a light warm-up set before adding working weight.
- Finish the set while you can still complete another controlled repetition.
- Check that you can reach the bar supports comfortably before loading the bar.
If you have current elbow, biceps tendon, or wrist pain, use a pain-free alternative or seek guidance from a physiotherapist before loading this movement.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Equipment
- EZ-Curl Barbell
- Preacher Curl Bench
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 8–12 reps
- Rest
- 1 min
Increase weight only when you can complete every set at the top of the range with steady technique.