Arms
The main muscle group listed for this exercise.
Exercise guide
Preacher Curl
Preacher Curl is a beginner-friendly arm exercise performed with a barbell.
Barbell
The equipment listed for this variation.
Beginner
The recorded setup and movement complexity.
Arms
No secondary muscle group is listed for this variation.
Strength
Movement pattern: elbow flexion. This is an isolation exercise.
Beginner
This level reflects the setup and movement complexity recorded for this exercise.
Instructions
How to do Preacher Curl
- 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.
Related workouts
Workout templates that use this exercise.
If you want to see this movement inside a more complete training session, start here.
3-Day Full Body Split
A three-day split that spreads total weekly work across three full-body sessions.
View workout4-Day Upper Lower Split
A simple four-day split that gives each half of the body two quality sessions each week.
View workout5-Day Bodybuilding Split
A traditional five-day bodybuilding split for lifters who enjoy focusing on one or two regions per session.
View workoutRelated exercises
More exercises in the same lane.
Use these when you want a similar movement pattern, a different setup, or more exercise options for the same target area.
Barbell Curl
Barbell Curl is a beginner-friendly arm exercise performed with a barbell.
View exerciseBarbell Curls Lying Against An Incline
Barbell Curls Lying Against An Incline is a beginner-friendly arm exercise performed with a barbell.
View exerciseClose-Grip EZ Bar Curl
Close-Grip EZ Bar Curl is a beginner-friendly arm exercise performed with a barbell.
View exerciseClose-Grip Standing Barbell Curl
Close-Grip Standing Barbell Curl is a beginner-friendly arm exercise performed with a barbell.
View exerciseRelated tools
Related calculators for this exercise.
Use these calculators when you want to connect the exercise itself to calories, protein, strength targets, or training volume.
FAQ
Common questions about Preacher Curl.
What muscles does Preacher Curl work?
Preacher Curl primarily trains the arms.
Is Preacher Curl beginner-friendly?
Yes. It is listed as beginner-friendly.
What equipment do I need for Preacher Curl?
This variation uses a barbell.
Track this exercise for free in Logbook.
Once the movement is in your plan, use Logbook to record sets, reps, load, and progress without guessing what happened last week.