Close Grip EZ Bar Curl

How to Perform the Close Grip EZ Bar Curl

1. Stand upright and grasp an EZ bar on the inner angled grips with an underhand grip, hands approximately 4-6 inches apart.
2. Let the bar hang at arm's length in front of your thighs with your elbows at your sides. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the bar upward by contracting your biceps.
4. Continue curling until the bar reaches shoulder level and your biceps are fully contracted. Squeeze at the top for one second.
5. Slowly lower the bar back to the starting position under control, fully extending your arms.
6. Maintain an upright torso throughout. Do not lean back or swing the weight to generate momentum.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Muscles Worked

Benefits

• ✓The EZ bar angle reduces wrist and forearm strain, making it more comfortable than straight bar curls.
• ✓Shifts emphasis to the long head of the biceps and the brachialis for well-rounded arm development.
• ✓Easy to progressively overload, making it effective for building bicep strength and size over time.

Pro Tips

• ●The close grip emphasizes the long head (outer bicep), which contributes most to the bicep peak when viewed from the front.
• ●Pause at the bottom of each rep with arms fully extended to eliminate momentum between reps.
• ●Try performing these with your back against a wall to enforce strict form and prevent cheating.

Variations

Recommended Sets & Reps