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EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl animation

How to do the EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

BicepsEZ-BarIntermediate

The EZ barbell close grip preacher curl removes momentum entirely and places your biceps under constant tension through a precise range of motion that flat curls simply cannot match. Master this movement and you will build thicker, more defined biceps with a strength foundation that carries into every pulling pattern you train.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Biceps
Secondary
BrachialisForearms

Step-by-step

  1. Set the EZ-bar with a close, supinated grip and position your upper arms flat against the preacher pad with your armpits pressed firmly at the top edge.
  2. Lower the bar under full control until your elbows reach near-full extension without locking out, keeping constant tension on the biceps throughout the descent.
  3. Drive the bar upward by contracting through the biceps, stopping just before the forearms reach vertical to maintain tension at the top.
  4. Pause for a full count at peak contraction, then execute a slow, deliberate negative lasting at least two to three seconds back to the start position.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the upper arms lift off the pad on the way up, which shifts load to the shoulders and defeats the purpose of the preacher bench, so consciously press your arms into the pad for the entire set.
  • Using a grip that is too wide on the EZ-bar, which reduces supination and shifts stress away from the biceps peak, so always select the innermost angled grip to keep the wrists in an optimal curling position.
  • Bouncing or throwing the weight at the bottom of the rep to overcome the dead point, which risks tendon stress at the elbow, so reduce the load until you can initiate every rep from a dead stop under control.

Pro tip — At the very top of each rep, actively try to rotate your pinkies outward and upward as if pouring water from a jug, this final supination cue fully contracts the biceps and recruits the supinator function of the muscle that most lifters leave untrained.

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

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