Preacher Curl: Muscles Worked and How to Do It
TL;DR
The preacher curl is a pure biceps exercise. Resting your upper arms on the angled pad removes any help from your shoulders or back, so your biceps do the entire job of bending your elbow, from a full stretch at the bottom to a hard squeeze at the top.
- Primary muscle:
- Biceps
Muscles worked
Your biceps are the only muscle this exercise trains directly. The preacher bench locks your upper arms in place, so you can't swing your shoulders or lean back to move the weight. That isolation means your biceps handle the full stretch at the bottom of the rep and the full contraction at the top, with nowhere to hide.
Log Preacher Curl in PR Streak
PR Streak's library has 873 exercises, each with photos and step-by-step instructions like this one. Log this move and see what you lifted last time right next to every set, with every PR caught automatically and a chart for every exercise.
How to do it
- 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.
- 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.
- As you breathe in, slowly lower the bar until your upper arm is extended and the biceps is fully stretched.
- 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.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Form tips
- Let the bar lower until your arms are almost fully straight before curling back up.
- Keep your chest against the pad so your upper arms don't lift off it.
- Squeeze your biceps hard for a second at the top of each rep.
- Use a lighter weight than a standing curl since you lose the help of momentum.
Exercise details
| Equipment | Barbell |
|---|---|
| Level | Beginner |
| Mechanic | Isolation |
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the preacher curl feel harder than a standing curl?
Because your upper arms are locked against the pad, you can't use your shoulders or back to help move the weight the way you can standing. All the work falls on your biceps, especially at the bottom of the rep where the muscle is most stretched.
How many reps should I do on preacher curls?
Most lifters get the best results from 6-12 reps at a weight that's genuinely challenging by the last couple of reps, which fits the range for building muscle size. Pair it with a standing bicep curl for a well rounded arm session.
More biceps exercises
Exercise instructions and photos come from the free-exercise-db library, public domain, the same library used inside the PR Streak app.
