EZ Bar Preacher Curl

How to Perform the EZ Bar Preacher Curl

Adjust the preacher bench seat height so that your upper arms rest comfortably on the angled pad with your armpits near the top edge.
Grip the EZ bar on the inner angled grips with an underhand grip and rest your upper arms flat on the pad.
Start with the bar at the top position with elbows slightly bent, not fully locked out.
Lower the bar slowly by extending your elbows until your arms are nearly fully extended, feeling a stretch in the biceps.
Curl the bar back up by contracting your biceps, keeping your upper arms pressed into the pad at all times.
Squeeze the biceps at the top of the movement, stopping just short of the point where tension is lost.
Lower the bar again under control to begin the next repetition.

Lifting the elbows off the pad during the curl

Keep your upper arms pressed firmly into the preacher pad throughout the entire movement.

Lowering the weight too fast in the stretched position

Control the eccentric phase, especially at the bottom where the bicep tendon is most vulnerable.

Curling too high, losing tension at the top

Stop the curl just before the point where your forearms are vertical and tension is lost from the biceps.

✓Eliminates all momentum and cheating for strict bicep isolation.
✓The preacher bench position emphasises the short head of the biceps for peak development.
✓The EZ bar angle reduces wrist strain during the movement.

●Use a slow 3-4 second eccentric to maximise the stretch and muscle damage on the biceps.
●Do not fully lock out the elbows at the bottom to protect the bicep tendon from excessive strain.
●Start lighter than you think on this exercise, as the strict nature of the preacher bench makes it significantly harder.

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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