Preacher Curl

The preacher curl is an isolation strength exercise that targets your biceps. You sit at a preacher bench with your upper arms resting on a sloped pad, which stops your elbows from swinging so your biceps do most of the work.

Set up by sitting on the preacher bench and pressing your armpits snug against the top of the pad. Grab the ez-bar, dumbbells, or machine handles with an underhand grip, and let your arms hang straight down along the pad so you feel a stretch in your biceps.

From the bottom, curl the weight up by bending your elbows until your forearms come close to your shoulders. Lower the weight under control back to the start, keeping your upper arms on the pad the whole time. Do not bounce or jerk out of the stretched bottom position.

Breathe out as you curl up and breathe in as you lower. Keep your ribs down and avoid arching your lower back. To make it easier, use a lighter weight or switch to a machine for more support; to make it harder, slow down the lowering phase or pause briefly at the bottom.

Fault: Your elbows lift off the pad or your shoulders roll forward. Fix: Reset so your armpits stay snug on the pad and your upper arms stay flat against the pad throughout the rep.

Fault: You bounce the weight out of the bottom position. Fix: Pause briefly at full extension, then curl with a smooth motion so you protect your biceps tendon from stress in the deep stretch.

Fault: You swing your torso or use momentum to lift the weight. Fix: Keep your chest against the pad, brace your core, and move only at the elbows.