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Exercise guide

Preacher Curl

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

IsolationBarbellBeginnerPull
Primary muscles

Biceps

Secondary

Equipment

Barbell

Step by step

How to do the Preacher Curl

  1. 1

    To perform this movement you will need a preacher bench and an E-Z bar. Grab the E-Z curl bar at the close inner handle (either have someone hand you the bar which is preferable or grab the bar from the front bar rest provided by most preacher benches). The palm of your hands should be facing forward and they should be slightly tilted inwards due to the shape of the bar.

  2. 2

    With the upper arms positioned against the preacher bench pad and the chest against it, hold the E-Z Curl Bar at shoulder length. This will be your starting position.

  3. 3

    As you breathe in, slowly lower the bar until your upper arm is extended and the biceps is fully stretched.

  4. 4

    As you exhale, use the biceps to curl the weight up until your biceps is fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder height. Squeeze the biceps hard and hold this position for a second.

  5. 5

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every 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

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