Dropping the bar at the bottom
Control the last few inches; the bottom is where the biceps are most loaded and most vulnerable.
Isolation · EZ bar, Bench
Preacher Curl
A biceps curl done with the upper arms resting on an angled pad, usually with an EZ bar. The pad stops any swinging and makes the bottom of the curl the hardest part. Good for anyone who cheats on standing curls or wants strict biceps work.
- Primary
- Biceps
- Starting rep range
- 10–12 reps
- Target effort
- 1 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 2.5 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The biceps flex the elbow, with the brachialis and brachioradialis helping. The pad fixes the upper arm in front of the body, which shortens the biceps at the shoulder and puts the hardest loading near the bottom of the rep.
How to set up
- Set the seat so your armpits sit snugly at the top of the pad.
- Rest the back of your upper arms flat on the pad.
- Take a shoulder-width underhand grip on the angled parts of the EZ bar.
- Start with the arms nearly straight but not hyperextended.
How to do each rep
- Curl the bar up until your forearms are close to vertical.
- Stop before the bar comes so close that tension drops off.
- Lower slowly for 2-3 seconds to a near-straight arm.
- Keep the upper arms and shoulders pinned to the pad the whole time.
Common preacher curl mistakes
Lifting the elbows off the pad
Keep the back of the arms flat on the pad and reduce the weight if they rise.
Shrugging the shoulders forward
Sit tall, keep the chest up, and let only the forearms move.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the preacher curl at 10–12 reps with about 1 reps in reserve. As an isolation exercise it fits well after your main compound lifts.
Add reps until you hit about 12, then go up the smallest step, usually 5 lb total. Preacher curls do not tolerate big jumps; if form breaks, back off rather than bouncing out of the bottom.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Preacher Curl alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Questions
Are preacher curls better than barbell curls?
Neither is better; they load the curl differently. Preacher curls are stricter and hardest near the bottom, while standing curls allow more weight. Many people use both.
Why do preacher curls hurt my elbows?
Usually the load is too heavy or the bottom is dropped too fast. Use lighter weight, slow down the last part of the descent, and stop just short of locking the elbow.