Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

Also known as: close grip ez barbell preacher curl, ez bar close grip preacher curl, ez-bar close grip preacher curl

Intermediate

Biceps

Ez Barbell

Skip the guesswork: Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl leans on a wrist-friendly angled bar for strength you can feel outside the gym.

How to do Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

Sit on a preacher curl bench and place your upper arms on the pad, gripping the ez barbell with an underhand grip.
Rest your triceps on the pad and fully extend your arms, keeping your back straight.
Slowly curl the barbell towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
Lower the barbell back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Keep the wrists stacked before chasing extra load.

Hypertrophy

4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Slow the eccentric before you add another plate.

Endurance

3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Small collar plates give a usable jump on this bar.

Common Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl Mistakes

Assuming the curved bar removes the need for control

The bar spares the wrists, not the elbows, so keep the tempo honest.

Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains

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

Repeating the same load and rep scheme for months

Pick one variable, load, reps, or tempo, and push it every week.

Easier and Harder Than Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

Easier progression

Dumbbell High Curl

Harder progression

Dumbbell Prone Incline Hammer Curl

Swap Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl For

Barbell Lying Preacher Curl

Resistance Band Seated Biceps Curl

Dumbbell Standing Biceps Curl

Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl?

Sit on a preacher curl bench and place your upper arms on the pad, gripping the ez barbell with an underhand grip. Rest your triceps on the pad and fully extend your arms, keeping your back straight. Slowly curl the barbell towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps. Use an EZ bar and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl work?

The Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl primarily targets the biceps. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with an EZ bar.

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

For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Slow the eccentric before you add another plate. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Ez Barbell Close Grip 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 Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl?

Try the Barbell Lying Preacher Curl, Resistance Band Seated Biceps Curl or the Dumbbell Standing Biceps Curl. Each trains the biceps with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.

Is the Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl the same as the close grip ez barbell preacher curl?

Yes. The Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl is also commonly called the close grip ez barbell preacher curl or the ez bar close grip preacher curl. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "close grip ez barbell preacher curl" and "ez bar close grip preacher curl" refer to this same movement.