Preacher Curl
Removes momentum entirely and loads the stretched position of the biceps.
Setup
- Chest against the preacher pad, arms over the front, bar in both hands.
- Armpits pressed into the top of the pad.
How To Do It
- Curl the bar to the front of the shoulders.
- Lower ALL the way to a straight arm — the bottom is the point of this bench.
- Keep the armpits on the pad throughout.
Breathing
Exhale on the curl.
Common Mistakes
- Bouncing out of the bottom, which is how biceps tears happen here.
- Lifting the elbows off the pad.
Programming It
Three sets of 8-12. Never bounce the bottom.
Why This Exercise Works
The pad puts the arm in front of the body, which places the biceps at its longest and weakest at the bottom of the rep. That is precisely where growth stimulus is highest and where you must not bounce — the bottom of a preacher curl is the classic biceps-tear position.
Where You Should Feel It
The biceps in the stretched bottom position, with the pad removing all shoulder involvement. Never bounce out of the bottom — that is where elbows get hurt.
Where It Fits in a Program
Removes momentum entirely and loads the stretched position of the biceps. Put it late. Nothing here needs you fresh, and the reps are cheap to recover from.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the preacher curl: add a small increment, or pause at full stretch. To regress it: reduce the load until the bottom is controlled, not dropped into.
Who It's For
Anyone whose curls turn into a swing. The pad makes cheating impossible, which is exactly why the weight drops.
Equipment and Substitutions
What you need for this one: a preacher bench and a barbell. No bar available? A dumbbell or machine version below trains the same muscles; you will move less total weight but the pattern survives.
Related Exercises
- Drag Curl — Biceps
- Barbell Curl — Biceps
- Reverse Curl — Brachioradialis, Forearms, Biceps
- Incline Dumbbell Curl — Biceps
- Cable Curl — Biceps
- Band Curl — Biceps
- Rope Hammer Curl — Biceps, Brachialis, Forearms
- Incline Hammer Curl — Biceps, Brachialis
Common Questions
What muscles does the preacher curl work?
The preacher curl primarily trains the biceps.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three sets of 8-12. Never bounce the bottom.
What are the most common preacher curl mistakes?
Most often: bouncing out of the bottom, which is how biceps tears happen here; lifting the elbows off the pad.
Do I need a preacher bench and a barbell to do this?
This version uses a preacher bench and a barbell, and it trains the biceps. Without a barbell, load the same pattern with dumbbells or a machine from the list below and accept a smaller top-end number.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
Elbows and wrists take the brunt of the preacher curl, and both are slow to settle once irritated. If the ache lingers into the next day, reduce the load or change the grip angle before you train it again. Not medical advice.