EZ bar preacher curl: Build muscular biceps with this excellent isolation exercise

If bigger and more muscular biceps are your fitness goals, adding the EZ bar preacher curl exercise to your upper body workout routine can be worth it. That’s because the EZ preacher curl is an excellent exercise that isolates the biceps and helps you achieve stronger and more massive upper arms.

The best part about this bicep isolation exercise is that it doesn’t put excess strain on the wrist; it also prevents pain along the way. Ready to add the EZ bar preacher curl to your exercise routine? Follow the given instructions to perform it safely and correctly.

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EZ bar preacher curl instructions

Correct form is important. (Photo via Unsplash/Anastase Maragos)

Here’s how to do the EZ barbell preacher curl correctly:

Step 1: Start by loading an EZ bar and setting it appropriately on the bottom of the preacher bench. Sit straight on the seat, and adjust the seat, if necessary.

Step 2: Place your upper arms straight on the pad, and make sure the shoulders are directly over the biceps.

Step 3: Hold onto the EZ barbell with your wrists turned towards the other and hands at a shoulder-width distance. Keep your torso, arms and shoulders tight.

Step 4: With the arms straight and gaze forward, slowly curl the EZ barbell as high as you can. As you curl, make sure that only the elbows move. Keep the other parts of the arms and body stable. Moreover, do not forget to squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement.

Step 5: Lower the EZ barbell slowly to the starting position, and repeat the exercise.

When doing this bicep curl exercise, remember to keep each movement slow and controlled to target the right muscles, and, most importantly, to prevent muscle strain and pain. Moreover, make sure to squeeze the biceps at the top of the movement to achieve a full range of motion.

If you want to target the inner biceps, use a wide grip, but to target the outer biceps, a closer grip is beneficial.

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Muscles targeted

EZ bar preacher curl targets the biceps. (Photo via Pexels/mahmood sufiyan)

As mentioned earlier, the EZ bar preacher curl is an isolation exercise, which means that only a single muscle, i.e., the biceps brachii is worked throughout the movement.

Secondary muscles that work as stabilizers during the EZ preacher curl are the forearms, brachioradialis and brachialis. These secondary muscles work to a very small level.

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What mistakes should be avoided when doing the exercise?

The EZ bar preacher curl is a relatively simple exercise that’s suitable for all fitness levels. However, there are certain things exercisers do wrong when doing this curl variation, stopping them from attaining the benefits. Some common mistakes to look out for include:

Using too heavy weights

Do not use heavy weights. (Photo via Unsplash/Gordon Cowie)

Performing the EZ bar preacher curl with too much weight can increase the risk of injury and also decrease the effectiveness of the exercise. Additionally, it can disrupt the tension placed on the biceps and instead, causing strain and injury on the shoulders.

Hence, it's always a good idea to do the exercise with an appropriate weight that enables you to complete the desired reps without risk of injury.

Allowing the upper arms to move

This is a very common mistake most exercisers make when doing the EZ bar preacher curl. During this exercise, you need to keep the upper arms stable throughout the entire rep and only move the elbows to maximise the tension placed on the biceps.

Moving the upper arms can reduce the effectiveness of the exercise and also lead to shoulder pain.

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Overall, the EZ bar preacher curl is an amazing exercise to develop bicep size and strength while reducing strain on the shoulders and wrists. However, be careful of your form and weight, and make sure to do the exercise at least thrice a week to see results quickly.

As a beginner, always start with light weights, and work under a certified fitness trainer to be safe.