Preacher Curl

With the arm in front it emphasises the short head; impossible to cheat with momentum.

• Isolation
• Machine
• Beginner

How to do it

• Armpit resting on the pad, arm stable
• Stretch out fully at the bottom under control
• Curl up squeezing without lifting your elbow off
• Do not bounce out of the stretch

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 10–15 reps · 0–1 RIR

Tempo: Lift for 1 s, squeeze at the top, lower for 2–3 s without snapping to a stop

Common mistakes

• Snapping your elbow into extension at the bottom (risky in the stretched position)
• Lifting your arms off the bench
• A partial range at the top

Muscles worked

Primary

• Biceps

Secondary

• Forearm

Alternatives

• Biceps Curl (barbell/dumbbell)
• Incline Dumbbell Curl