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.
Biceps
,
Barbell
How to do the Preacher Curl
- 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
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
As you breathe in, slowly lower the bar until your upper arm is extended and the biceps is fully stretched.
- 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
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
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.
More biceps exercises
Preacher Curl: common questions
What muscles does the Preacher Curl work?
The Preacher Curl primarily works the Biceps.
Is the Preacher Curl suitable for beginners?
Yes. The 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 Preacher Curl?
To do the Preacher Curl you'll need a barbell.
Is the Preacher Curl a compound or isolation exercise?
The 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 Preacher Curl with correct form?
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. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.
Log your Preacher Curl sets, free.
Waitlist members get TestFlight + Play Store internal-track invites and a founder badge on their profile.
The app is free. Club adds the coach, leagues and analytics.
Core tracking stays free forever, the climb, streaks, logging and your league tiers. Club is for when you want the full coach, worldwide competition and the depth, at about the price of one coffee a month.
14-day free trial · no card to start
| Free | Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking, the climb and streaks | ||
| Per-set logging, PR detection, wearables | ||
| Muscle-league tiers | ||
| The AI coach | nudges | Full conversation |
| Worldwide leagues and challenges | , | |
| PR projections and deep analytics | , | |
| Unlimited crews | , | |
| Themes, export and higher AI limits | , |