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Exercise guide

Cable Preacher Curl

How to do the Cable Preacher Curl with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

IsolationCableBeginnerPull
Primary muscles

Biceps

Secondary

Forearms

Equipment

Cable

Step by step

How to do the Cable Preacher Curl

  1. 1

    Place a preacher bench about 2 feet in front of a pulley machine.

  2. 2

    Attach a straight bar to the low pulley.

  3. 3

    Sit at the preacher bench with your elbow and upper arms firmly on top of the bench pad and have someone hand you the bar from the low pulley.

  4. 4

    Grab the bar and fully extend your arms on top of the preacher bench pad. This will be your starting position.

  5. 5

    Now start pilling the weight up towards your shoulders and squeeze the biceps hard at the top of the movement. Exhale as you perform this motion. Also, hold for a second at the top.

  6. 6

    Now slowly lower the weight to the starting position.

  7. 7

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

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Log it, see it on your body.

Every Cable Preacher Curl set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your biceps volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More biceps exercises

FAQ

Cable Preacher Curl: common questions

What muscles does the Cable Preacher Curl work?

The Cable Preacher Curl primarily works the Biceps. It also recruits the Forearms as supporting muscles.

Is the Cable Preacher Curl suitable for beginners?

Yes. The Cable Preacher Curl is a beginner-level exercise, so it's a solid choice if you're new to training. Start light and focus on the movement pattern before adding load.

What equipment do I need for the Cable Preacher Curl?

To do the Cable Preacher Curl you'll need a cable machine.

Is the Cable Preacher Curl a compound or isolation exercise?

The Cable Preacher Curl is an isolation exercise, it targets the biceps through a single joint, which makes it useful for focused, targeted work.

How do I do the Cable Preacher Curl with correct form?

Place a preacher bench about 2 feet in front of a pulley machine. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.

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