Do you want a pair of bulging biceps? The you need to give preacher curls a go! The preacher curl is a staple in a lot of bodybuilding training programmes, but the many different preacher curl variations are often underappreciated and underused.

Why Are Preacher Curls Great?

Our 8 Best Preacher Curl Variations

1 - Cable Preacher Curl

• With a straight cable handle attached to a cable system at a low height, step around a Preacher Curl Bench to get set up with your elbows driving into the bench.

• Slowly lower the weight until the arms are fully extended.

• Pull the handle back up towards your shoulders, keeping your elbow and upper arm on the pad.

• Reverse the set up and slowly put the cable back when you’re finished.

Benefits - The cable attachment makes the movement at its hardest toward the top of the movement, in the shortened range of motion, unlike a traditional free-weight variation which puts more emphasis on the bottom portion of the movement, in the lengthen range of motion.

2 - Straight Bar Preacher Curl

• With a straight bar on the preacher bench, sit on the bench with your elbows into the pad and hands on the bar, palms facing up, approximately shoulder width.

• Pick the bar up off the rests and let the bar hang as low as possible to fully lengthen the muscle.

• Pull the bar up towards your shoulders, spreading the load evenly between your hands.

• Slowly lower the weight back down to complete the rep.

Benefits - The straight bar puts the arm into a supinated position, thus training the bicep through two of its major functions, elbow flexion and supination of the forearm.

3 - EZ Bar Preacher Curl

• With an EZ Curl Bar on the preacher bench, sit on the bench with your elbows into the pad and hands on the bar, palms facing up, approximately shoulder width.

• Pick the bar up off the pins and let the bar hang as low as possible to fully lengthen the muscle.

• Pull the bar up towards your shoulders, spreading the load evenly between your hands.

• Slowly lower the weight back down to complete the rep.

Benefits - The EZ bar puts the forearms into less supination, which can be beneficial for those managing the load experienced at the wrist if they have previous injury or weak wrists.

4 - Dumbbell Hammer Preacher Curl

• With a Urethane Dumbbell in each hand sit on the preacher bench with your elbows into the pad and the dumbbells in a hammer position, with the palms of your hands facing into each other.

• Let the dumbbells hang as low as possible to fully lengthen the muscle.

• Pull the dumbbells back up towards your shoulders, lifting the dumbbells in sync.

• Slowly lower the weight back down to complete the rep.

Benefits - The dumbbell preacher curl loads your arms individually, which is great for reducing side-to-side imbalances, stopping the stronger arm from doing more of the work, which can happen on a straight bar. This can be especially beneficial for those that play racquet or bat sports.

5 - Eccentric Overload (2 Up 1 Down) Dumbbell Preacher Curl

• With a dumbbell in one hand that’s heavier that you can lift on the way up, step into a preacher bench, sit on the bench with your elbow into the pad your palms facing up or to the side, depending on preference.

• Lower the weight as slow as possible on the way down with one hand.

• Pull the dumbbell back up with both of your hands.

Benefits - This exposes your biceps to high amounts of eccentric load, greater than you would typically lift, which is a great way to increase muscle damage, improve mobility and break through plateaus.

6 - Squatting Cable Preacher Curl

• Hold a straight cable attachment away from a cable machine pulling from a low pin height.

• Squat down as low as you can, pushing your elbows into your thighs, using them as a makeshift preacher bench.

• Slowly lower the weight until your arms are fully lengthened.

• Pull the weight back up to the shoulders, keeping your elbows against your thighs for support.

Benefits - This is a great variation if you do not have a preacher bench available, while also working on your squat mobility.

7 - Reverse Preacher Curl

• With a straight bar on the preacher bench, sit on the preacher bench with your elbows into the pad and hands on the bar, palms facing forward towards the floor, approximately shoulder width.

• Pick the bar up off the rests and let the bar hang as low as possible to fully lengthen the muscle.

• Pull the bar up towards your shoulders, spreading the load evenly between your hands.

• Slowly lower the weight back down to complete the rep.

Benefits - The Reverse grip preacher curl puts the forearms into a pronated position, working the forearms heavily, which is great for improving grip strength carrying over to movements like deadlifts, pull ups and many gymnastics exercises.

8 - Resistance Band Preacher Curl

• With a straight bar on the preacher bench and a Resistance Band attached to either a power rack or to a heavy kettlebell, pulling from a low angle.

• Sit on the bench with your elbows into the pad and hands on the bar, palms facing forward, approximately shoulder width.

• Pick the bar up off the pins and let the bar hang as low as possible to fully lengthen the muscle.

• Pull the bar up towards your shoulders, spreading the load evenly between your hands.

• Slowly lower the weight back down to complete the rep.

Benefits - The combination of the free weight load and the banded resistance, with different lines of force applied to the bicep, stresses the muscle throughout the full range of motion, instead of placing significantly more bias on the top or bottom range of the movement.

Add these preacher curl variations into your training programme to mix up your arm training and get the biceps you’ve always wanted…

Written by guest author Ewan Hammond.

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Tags: Equipment > Bars & Weight Plates ; Exercise Type > Strength