Preacher Curl
Muscles worked: Biceps.
How to do it
- To perform this movement you will need a preacher bench and an E-Z bar.
- With the upper arms positioned against the preacher bench pad and the chest against it, hold the E-Z Curl Bar at shoulder length.
- As you breathe in, slowly lower the bar until your upper arm is extended and the biceps is fully stretched.
- As you exhale, use the biceps to curl the weight up until your biceps is fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder height.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Coaching cues
The two cues IronPack shows on this exercise's card mid-workout:
- Armpits snug on the pad
- Stop just short of full lockout at the bottom
Logging it
IronPack suggests working in the 8 to 12 rep range, progressing in 2.5 kg jumps when you own the top of the range. Records are tracked automatically at every rep count from 1 to 12. Check your estimated 1RM from any hard set.
Related exercises
- Chin-Up - back, biceps
- Barbell Curl - biceps
- Dumbbell Curl - biceps
- Hammer Curl - biceps, forearms
Track the preacher curl properly
IronPack logs every set, tracks your records at every rep count, shows these form photos mid-workout, and turns the training into a card game you play with your mates.
Get IronPack free on the App StoreFree download, iPhone. Currently on the New Zealand App Store, wider rollout to follow.
Photos and steps: free-exercise-db (public domain). Cues, muscle weighting and logging guidance are IronPack's own app data. Last generated 2026-07-17.