How to do the EZ Barbell Close Grip Curl
BicepsEZ-BarIntermediate
The EZ-bar close grip curl is a precision tool for building dense bicep peaks, with the angled grip reducing wrist strain so you can train harder and longer. Master this movement and you will develop the kind of arm thickness that comes only from consistent, focused work.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
Biceps
Secondary
BrachialisForearms
Step-by-step
- Grip the inner angled bends of the EZ-bar with hands roughly four to six inches apart, supinate your wrists slightly, and stand tall with the bar at hip level.
- Pin your elbows firmly against your sides and keep them locked there throughout the entire set, treating them as fixed hinges.
- Curl the bar upward in a controlled arc until your forearms are past parallel and you feel a peak contraction in the biceps, then pause briefly.
- Lower the bar slowly over two to three seconds back to full elbow extension, resisting gravity the entire way down.
Common mistakes
- Letting elbows drift forward at the top, which shifts load to the front delts — consciously keep elbows pinned at your ribs even at peak contraction.
- Using momentum by swinging the torso, which bleeds tension off the biceps — reduce the weight and initiate every rep from a dead stop at the bottom.
- Gripping too wide on the EZ-bar, negating the close grip stimulus — always use the inner knurled bends to maximize the targeting effect on the bicep peak.
Pro tip — At the top of each rep, actively try to rotate your pinkies outward as you squeeze — this external rotation of the forearm increases peak bicep contraction beyond what a passive curl alone achieves.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
More Biceps exercises
Want this built into a full plan?2fit4u turns moves like this into your personalized weekly program — free to start.
Build my free plan →