Learn How the Preacher Curl Can Get You Bigger Biceps
Revised by Stephanie Zaban (Registered Kinesiologist & Masters of Kinesiology)Table of Contents
What Is a Preacher Curl
The preacher curl is a variation of the biceps curl that offers more isolation of the biceps than your average curl. The isolation of the targeted muscles during this controlled movement allows for maximum hypertrophy of the biceps, as well as increased strength in the brachialis and brachioradialis. The preacher curl is different than the biceps curl because it does not allow the body to create momentum as you curl the load due to the requirement of performing the exercise on the preacher curl bench.
Why Should You Know about the Preacher Curl
If you’re a gym-goer who has their eyes set on gaining BIG and toned biceps with increased strength, then chances are you’ve probably heard of the PREACHER CURL.
But for those who are in the dark when it comes to arm muscle growing workout routines, the preacher curl is basically one of the most famous biceps-builder exercises, capable of giving you guns worthy of well, Navarone.
Of course, we’re not saying that it should replace the standard bicep curl, neither are we recommending that you should ditch your workout routine altogether and just keep on doing the preacher curl. Rather, it’s an exercise that should be implemented alongside the aforementioned arm workout, meant to provide a whole lot of variation to your upper body split days.
Before we further discuss the preacher curl...let’s establish what exactly are the benefits and what makes it so great that it warrants a whole 1,000-word article just for itself?
Preacher Curl Benefits
Preacher curls are a great exercise you can use to grow your biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis the three main elbow flexors. Unlike other curls, the preacher curl deters cheating as it provides feedback to when you swing your arms as your arms will leave the bench. The preacher curl is also the most challenging towards the end range of motion, which no other curls produce—providing a unique stimulus for biceps hypertrophy.
First off, the biggest benefit the preacher curls can give you is simply the ability of CONTROL. It may not sound like much, but when you’re in the gym for a while and you pop this sucked into your workout, you'll experience muscular fatigue like no other. Furthermore, this exercise helps to keep your arms in a set position, which means that your core biceps are strictly targeted, requiring all your mental focus and muscular force output.
Essentially, standard curls, whether they are done seated or standing, allow for a whole lot of swinging, which means you can easily “cheat” without even knowing it.
Preacher curls give you the benefit of much stronger isolation, despite potentially not letting you curl heavier weights than the standard curl. This means that your bicep muscles are targeted effectively. Quality is better than quantity after all, and this is true especially when it comes to lifting weights.
Lastly, the preacher curl requires that you are seated to do it, which makes for a more comfortable resting position for the body.
However, the preacher curl has one downside, and that’s simply the fact that you need equipment for it, like the actual load, machine, a pad, or a ledge. Basically, there’s no way to do it if you don’t have the equipment. Thankfully, most gyms have the equipment as a standard, so looking for one won’t be a chore at all.
What Muscle Does Preacher Curl Work
The preacher curls target the 3 elbow flexors of the arm:
Brachialis: A curling muscle found underneath the biceps which actually does most of the curling of the arms.
Brachioradialis: A curling muscle that resides on the forearms.
All three of these muscles perform the bending of the arm. The general curling motion we see in most bicep exercises. Since the preacher curl is mostly performed with an overhand grip...this will primarily target the largest of the elbow flexors... the biceps. The other two muscles will also grow since they contribute to the curling motion. Growing the brachialis will increase the thickness and width of the arms while growing the brachioradialis will make the forearms appear bigger.
As an exercise, the preacher curl specifically targets the brachialis muscle, which is a muscle found in the lower part of your biceps. Primarily aiding in the flexion of your elbow, this muscle is targeted regardless of performing the preacher curl standing or seated, or whether you’re using a dumbbell or barbell. Of course, we all know our muscle groups are a pulley system, often aiding one another.
This can be evident here, as the exercise pushes your brachialis muscle to seek help from the synergist muscles (muscle/s that stabilize a joint when movement is occurring), which includes the brachioradialis and biceps brachii. There’s also the stabilizer muscles, (which contract) as well as your wrist flexors. Altogether, these muscles create the push and pull to help you execute the exercise properly.
How to Preacher Curl
There are 5 main ways you can perform the preacher curl. This includes using an EZ bar, dumbbell, kettlebell, barbell and resistance band. Having multiple ways to perform the preacher curl using different types of equipment is great for when you are in the gym and you might not have access to the piece of equipment you would like. Different variations of the preacher curl will also help to keep your workouts interesting and provide variety.
Each variation of the preacher curl involves the same general movement of isolating the upper arm at the elbow and curling the load towards the shoulder.
EZ Bar Preacher Curl
Safety first! For all the benefits they give, curls are notorious for giving a wrist, hand, and finger pain. Of course, this will depend on your form and the weight you’re lifting. Still, you can limit the possibility of injury and pain by simply wearing a wrist wrap and/or armband. Or simply take longer rest periods.
Sit comfortably at a preacher bench. Next, grab an E-Z curl bar by the inner handle, with your palms facing forward.
While keeping your upper arms resting against the pad of the bench, hold the bar at shoulder length. This is your starting position.
Lower your arms slowly until it’s fully extended and biceps are stretched fully. Do this slowly while also breathing in.
Slowly exhale while “curling” your arms up until it’s at shoulder length. Hold the position for a few seconds while squeezing your biceps.
Repeat until you finish the desired or recommended amount of reps.
For variation, you can perform this exercise by using an E-Z bar attachment with a low pulley instead of the usual standard E-Z bar. Just position the pulley in front of the preacher bar to do it. You may also use bars with wide or short grips for further variation.
Dumbbell Preacher Curl
Using dumbbells is a great alternative for doing preacher curls. Using dumbbells allows for a greater range of motion which can allow for greater muscle contraction (also wrist articulation). Using dumbbells allows you to perform them unilaterally (one arm at a time) to assist in improving any muscular imbalances. Here’s how to perform them properly:
Grab a dumbbell and use a load that you are comfortable curling
Find a surface to rest your elbow and the back part of your arm on so your forearm is hanging in front of you on a decline
While keeping your wrist stable and in line with your arm and elbow, slowly curl and raise the dumbbell towards your face
Make sure you are keeping the back of your arm planted, only moving from your elbow down
Slowly lower the dumbbell back to start position and repeat
Barbell Preacher Curl
The barbell preacher curl is an isolation exercise used to grow the biceps muscles. In order to perform this exercise, you will need a bench at 45 degrees and a barbell. With the bar in your hands, palms facing up, place your armpits on top of the bench and lower the weight down to a 45 degree angle. It’s important when performing the preacher curl to maintain a straight spine to prevent your shoulders from rolling forward excessively. Keep tension on the biceps for the entire range of motion. This will help avoid injury, especially when the elbow reaches full extension.
Kettlebell Preacher Curl
An interesting variation of the preacher curl would be to use a kettlebell as a form of resistance. The set up would require having both arms over an incline bench and having a kettlebell in each hand. Keep a neutral spine and allow the bench to be under the armpit. Next, slowly curl the kettlebells up to shoulder level. Repeat this process for the programmed amount of sets and repetitions. This variation is difficult compared to the standard preacher curl using a dumbbell or barbell; as the weight of the kettlebell is distributed more towards the center, which will force more stability providing a different training stimulus.
Resistance Band Preacher Curl
If a dumbbell, barbell, or an EZ bar is not accessible, a resistance band is another great option to work the bicep muscles. Follow these steps on how to perform a preacher curl with a resistance band: Start by kneeling behind a bench with the band around your back foot and have it wrapped around (under) the bench.Grab the band and have one arm rest on the bench with your elbow fully extended.Keep your back straight as possible while performing the preacher curl.Perform the curl by contracting your arm and pulling the band towards you.When the arm is fully contracted, slowly extend the arm downwards to return to the starting position.After you have reached the required reps for the set, switch your stance and work on the opposite arm. Continue this cycle for the preferred sets and rep ranges.
Modification to the Preacher Curl
Alternatively, you can also modify the standard preacher curl by doing the exercise standing up instead of being seated. To do this, simply position yourself with one foot placed forward, while also making sure that your armpits are on top of the pad. Also, make sure that your upper arm remains on top of the padding the entire time.
Another option, substitute the preacher curl by doing barbell curls while lying against an incline bench, cable preacher curl, or a one-arm dumbbell preacher curl.
Scott Curl
The Scott curl is very similar to the preacher curl and is just another variation of the biceps curl. It also uses a preacher curl bench and was named after the bodybuilder, Larry Scott. In this variation, your upper arm is perpendicular to the ground, instead of about 45 degrees to the ground as in the preacher curl.
Behind The Back Cable Curl
The behind the back cable curl is an exercise that uses a cable machine. Set the pulley to the lowest setting and take a step forwards, facing away from the machine. Holding a handle in one hand, slowly curl the wrist forwards by bending at the elbow until the forearm is just above parallel to the ground and return to the starting position. This exercise is a variation of a biceps curl.
Preacher Hammer Curl
The preacher hammer curl involves the use of the preacher curl machine and dumbbells. Instead of performing the preacher curl with dumbbells horizontally in front of you, hold the dumbbell vertically as if you were performing a hammer curl. This variation of the preacher curl targets the forearms and the wrist more. This will help you to develop and increase your grip strength, which has many benefits in everyday life.
Biceps Preacher Curl
The Biceps preacher curl is an exercise used to train the biceps along with the brachialis and brachioradialis. Preacher curls isolate the biceps by preventing you from cheating. The preacher curl also provides a unique training stimulus due to its strength curve.
Seated Preacher Curl
Seated preacher curls are an exercise used to train the elbow flexors such as the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis. Seated preacher curls are performed on an incline bench, which helps reduce cheating. Unlike it’s standing counterpart, the seat eliminates the need for core engagement, allowing you to curl more weight when compared to the standing variation.
Standing Preacher Curl
The standing preacher curl involves the same movement as the seated preacher curl, just from a standing position. Make sure that the pad is right in the crease of your armpit, and you have one foot planted in front of the other. The standing preacher curl can involve greater recruitment of muscle fibers in the upper body as there is less stable when compared to the seated preacher curl. Whichever variation that you choose, you will still attain great improvements in strength in the Biceps, Brachialis, and Brachioradialis!
Preacher Curls Without Bench
You can still do your preacher curls without a bench. Any inclined slope can act as an implement to perform the preacher curls. If you don’t have any device that can be angled, perform them seated and hinge forward, so the back of your arms is resting on the top of your knee. Make sure your arms maintain a sloped angle before performing your curls.
Preacher Curl Bench
A preacher curl bench is a piece of equipment used to perform the preacher curl. The preacher curl bench features a large pad for you to place your arms on, that will support you as you perform the movement. There is also a rack for the EZ bar or barbell to rest in, and a seat for you to sit on. You will often find a preach curl bench in the gym, or you can purchase one for your own use at home.
Standing Preacher Curl Bench
A standing preacher curl bench does not have a seat attached to the machine. It will be taller than the seated preacher curl bench. A regular bench that has been set to an inclined position can also be used as a standing preacher curl bench.
Preacher Curls at Home
If you don't have access to a gym, You can still do preacher curls at home using everyday household items. Use any sturdy object you can rest the back of your arms on at an inclined angle. You have to be creative. I recommend using the back of sofas and chairs since they are both sturdy and place your arm at an inclined angle. If you don't have weights at home, fill up a jug or a container with either water or sand and treat it like a dumbbell.
Preacher Curl Machine Exercise
There are two machines that you can perform a preacher curl exercise on. One has a weight stack, and the other uses free weights.
Preacher Curl Machine (Weight Stack)
To perform the Preacher Curl Machine exercise (weight stack), first select the desired weight on the machine. Next, adjust the height of the seat so that your arms and chest can rest comfortably against the pad. Using an underhand grip, grasp the bar and pull it towards your shoulders. Hold for one count and then return the bar to its initial position. Repeat for 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Preacher Curl Machine (Free Weight)
To perform the Preacher Curl Machine exercise (free weight) you can use an EZ-bar. Rack your desired weight on the bar. Next, adjust the height of the machine so that your armpits are in contact with the top of the bench. Extend your arms and grasp onto the weight with your palms facing the sky (underhand grip). Curl the bar up towards your shoulders while keeping the upper arm and chest in contact with the bench. You should aim to have your forearms parallel to the upper arm. Hold for a second at the top of the curl and then slowly return to the starting position with your arms extended. Repeat for 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Reverse Preacher Curl
The reverse preacher curl is a variation of the preacher curl where your palms are facing away from the body instead of towards the body. This is known as an overhand grip. The reverse preacher curl aims to target the forearms more than the conventional preacher curl would. Perform the reverse curl in the same manner as the regular preacher curl, but with an overhand grip.
Single Arm Preacher Curl
A single-arm preacher curl is when you perform the preacher curl using only one arm. This type of preacher curl is done with dumbbells or a kettlebell and can help to correct and muscular imbalances between the arms.
Preacher Curl Attachments
A preacher curl attachment is an additional part you can purchase that can attach to various benches. The preacher curl attachment will allow you to transform certain benches by adding the pad that will support your arms and hold the EZ bar or barbell. These attachments can vary in price. Be sure to do your research to be sure that the attachment that you are purchasing is compatible with your bench!
Preacher Bar
The bar used in a preacher curl is usually an EZ bar. However, you can also use a barbell to perform the preacher curl. The bar will rest in the rack as you get into position. Once you are in the seated or standing position, you will then lift the preacher bar out of the rack and begin to curl it towards the body.
Why Preacher
Preacher curls are advantageous because they truly isolate the biceps, and do not allow for the body to ‘cheat’ and use forward momentum or swinging to curl the weight up. While you may not be able to lift as great a load in the preacher curl, its benefits and results will make it a staple in your exercise routine if you are looking for big biceps!
Preacher Curl At Home
Most people do not have a preacher curl bench at home, which has resulted in some creative ways to perform the exercise! Ultimately it is the best, and safest option to perform the preacher curl with a preacher curl bench. Some at home DIY suggestions have included performing the preacher curl with a stability ball under the arm, using a chair and even propping up pillows to create an incline bench.
While some of these suggestions can help to get the job done, you should use your discretion to determine if these are safe options for you. There are many variations of a preacher curl that do not need specific equipment or attachments to complete such as a barbell curl, hammer curl and biceps curl that can be much safer options than creating a DYI at home.
How Much Does A Preacher Curl Bar Weigh
The weight of a preacher curl bar can vary from 18-22lbs. This is equivalent to 8-10kg.
Additional Tips to the Preacher Curl
While doing this exercise, always keep your elbows stationary and in line with your shoulder joints. Ensure that the movement is all under control throughout your sets. Lastly, you may start by placing your arms on the pad, and simply ask someone to hand off the barbell to you. Don’t be shy... ask someone to spot you if the bench doesn’t have a barbell/dumbbell rack. Safe execution is everything!
Preacher Curls Are Also for the Girls!
Yes, you heard me... preacher curls should also be for the girls! Ladies, this exercise may look intimidating. But, please take into account that this type of exercise requires a little bit of trial and error with the setup. It is important to get comfortable, set yourself up and the machine or barbell with proper form. Take your time. Begin with a lighter load and allow your mind and body to understand the mechanics of this exercise.
Ladies, I know you definitely love the appearance of toned arms, so give it a go. If you’re unsure of anything, always ask a fitness professional on the floor. Once you’re comfortable with it….try a superset I.e barbell preacher curl with standing dumbbell hammer curls (same muscle group back to back) OR barbell preacher curl with an overhead tricep curl (working opposing muscles back to back).
Overall, the preacher curl is one of the most effective exercises you can do to start growing your biceps, as it allows you to place more focus on form and function due to the exercise involving a strict movement pattern.
To read this article in Spanish click here!
