Muscles worked
What the preacher curl trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Set the seat. Adjust the seat so the top of the pad sits snug in your armpits when you sit tall. Too low and your shoulders hunch over the pad; too high and your elbows hang off the bottom.
- 02
Arms on the pad. Lay the backs of your upper arms flat on the pad, about shoulder width apart, with your chest lightly against the top edge.
- 03
Grip. Take an underhand grip about shoulder width. On an EZ bar, use the angled grips closest to shoulder width; many people find it easier on the wrists than a straight bar.
- 04
Take the bar. Lift the bar from the hooks on the bench, or have a partner hand it to you, so you start at the top with your forearms close to vertical.
Step by step
How to do the preacher curl
- 01
Brace. Sit tall, feet flat on the floor, and keep your wrists straight in line with your forearms. Your upper arms stay glued to the pad for the whole set.
- 02
Lower. Lower the bar slowly, taking two to three seconds, until your arms are nearly straight. Keep a slight bend at the bottom rather than locking out and hanging on the joint.
- 03
Turn around smoothly. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then start the curl without bouncing or jerking. The bottom is where the stretch is greatest and where control matters most.
- 04
Curl. Bend your elbows and bring the bar up toward your shoulders. Your elbows stay where they are on the pad; only your forearms move.
- 05
Top. Stop when your forearms are close to vertical and squeeze your biceps. Going further lets the weight rest on the joint and the tension drops off.
- 06
Finish the set. After the last rep, curl the bar back to the top and set it on the hooks, or hand it to your partner.
Cues to say in your head
- Armpits snug on the pad
- Elbows stay put
- Slow on the way down
- Nearly straight, not locked
- Wrists straight
- Squeeze, then lower
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Elbows lifting off the pad
Keep the backs of your arms flat on the pad all the way up. If your elbows rise, your shoulders are helping and the load is too heavy.
Dropping fast into the bottom
Lower over two to three seconds and pause briefly with a slight bend. A fast drop to locked arms puts a sudden load on the front of the elbow.
Cutting the range short
Lower until your arms are nearly straight on every rep. Half reps near the top skip the part of the lift the pad is set up for.
Leaning back or standing up to finish
Stay seated with your chest on the pad. If you need to lean or rise to get the bar up, drop the weight.
Wrists curling in or bending back
Keep your knuckles in line with your forearms. Bent wrists move the work to the forearms and can strain them.
Seat at the wrong height
Set it so the pad sits snug in your armpits. A low seat rounds your shoulders over the pad and lets your elbows slide.
Stay safe
The bottom of the preacher curl, with your arms nearly straight under load, is where the elbow is most exposed, so lower slowly, keep a slight bend and never bounce out of it. When a rep stalls, do not throw your body into it: lower the bar under control and set it on the hooks, or have a partner take it. Start lighter than you would on a standing curl. Stop if you feel sharp pain at the front of the elbow or a sudden pop, and get it checked before training it again.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 8 to 12 | 65–75% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 15 to 20 | 50–60% 1RM | 45 to 90 sec |
| Technique | 2 to 3 | 10 to 12 | 50–60% 1RM | 1 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Endurance sets
108–129lb
2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps, 45 to 90 sec rest. Good as a finisher. Keep the full range even as the reps get hard.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Preacher Curl questions
What muscles does the preacher curl work?
Mainly the biceps, with the brachialis and brachioradialis helping bend the elbow. Your forearms and grip hold the bar, and the pad keeps your shoulders and back out of it.
Is the dumbbell preacher curl better than the barbell preacher curl?
Neither is better; they train the same muscles. Dumbbells work one arm at a time and let your wrists turn freely, while the barbell or EZ bar lets you load both arms together in smaller jumps.
How do you use a machine preacher curl?
Set the seat so the pad sits in your armpits and your elbows line up with the machine's pivot point. Then curl the handles up and lower them slowly until your arms are nearly straight, keeping your arms flat on the pad.
What is a spider curl?
A spider curl is done lying chest down on an incline bench, or on the steep side of a preacher bench, with your arms hanging straight down. You curl from there without your upper arms moving, so like the preacher curl it takes body swing out of the lift.
Should you fully straighten your arms on preacher curls?
Go nearly straight, but keep a slight bend at the bottom rather than locking out. Lower slowly and do not bounce, since that bottom position is where the elbow takes the most strain.
How many sets and reps of preacher curls should I do?
For most people, 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, taken close to failure with a slow lowering phase. It works best as a second or third arm exercise after a heavier pull or curl.
Train in Protocol
Log your preacher curl by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.