Barbell Preacher Curl

Intermediate

Biceps

Barbell

Barbell Preacher Curl is ready for real load and honest reps and fits late in an arms workout.

How to do Barbell Preacher Curl

Sit on a preacher bench with your upper arms resting on the pad and your chest against the support.
Grasp the barbell with an underhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the barbell up towards your shoulders.
Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
Inhale and slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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Barbell Preacher Curl Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.

Hypertrophy

4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.

Endurance

3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.

Common Barbell Preacher Curl Mistakes

Gripping off-centre so one side carries more load

Set both hands on matching knurl marks before each set.

Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains

Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.

Easier and Harder Than Barbell Preacher Curl

Easier progression

Biceps Leg Concentration Curl

Harder progression

Cable Hammer Curl (with Rope)

Swap Barbell Preacher Curl For

Band Concentration Curl

Dumbbell Alternate Biceps Curl

Ez Barbell Close-grip Curl

Barbell Preacher Curl — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Barbell Preacher Curl?

Sit on a preacher bench with your upper arms resting on the pad and your chest against the support. Grasp the barbell with an underhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the barbell up towards your shoulders. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Barbell Preacher Curl work?

The Barbell Preacher Curl primarily targets the biceps. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with a barbell.

How many sets and reps of the Barbell Preacher Curl should I do?

For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Barbell Preacher Curl good for beginners?

It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic arms patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.

What can I do instead of the Barbell Preacher Curl?

Try the Band Concentration Curl, Dumbbell Alternate Biceps Curl or the Ez Barbell Close-grip Curl. Each trains the biceps with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.