- EquipmentMachine
- PatternIsolation
- Reps8 to 15 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Adjust the preacher curl machine so your armpits sit at the top of the pad and the backs of your upper arms rest flat on it. Grip the handles with your arms nearly straight.
First cueKeep your upper arms on the pad.
How to do the Preacher Curl
Set up. Adjust the preacher curl machine so your armpits sit at the top of the pad and the backs of your upper arms rest flat on it. Grip the handles with your arms nearly straight.
- Curl the handles up toward your shoulders.
- Squeeze the biceps at the top.
- Lower under control until your arms are nearly straight.
Form cues
- Keep your upper arms on the pad.
- Control the bottom of the rep.
- Keep your shoulders down.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the elbows off the pad.
- Dropping fast into the bottom.
Muscles worked
Main target: Biceps. The biceps runs down the front of the upper arm. It bends the elbow and turns the palm up, and it helps in every pull.
On the way: Forearms.
Its other side: Triceps, in the arms pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Preacher Curl, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Triceps Pushdown Superset partner: it trains the other side of the arms pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Cable Row Same pull session: it trains the upper back.
- Lat Pulldown Same pull session: it trains the lats.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Preacher Curl first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Preacher Curl 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Triceps Pushdown 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Seated Cable Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Lat Pulldown 3 × 8 to 15 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dumbbell Curl
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Cable Curl
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Barbell Curl.
Other variations of the Barbell Curl: EZ-Bar Curl, Dumbbell Curl, Reverse Curl and Cable Curl.
Its variations: Machine Biceps Curl and Spider Curl.
Do before it: Wrist Mobilisation (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Preacher Curl is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Preacher Curl?
Set up: Adjust the preacher curl machine so your armpits sit at the top of the pad and the backs of your upper arms rest flat on it. Grip the handles with your arms nearly straight. Steps: 1. Curl the handles up toward your shoulders. 2. Squeeze the biceps at the top. 3. Lower under control until your arms are nearly straight. Form cues: Keep your upper arms on the pad. Control the bottom of the rep. Keep your shoulders down. Common mistakes: Lifting the elbows off the pad. Dropping fast into the bottom.
What muscles does the Preacher Curl work?
It trains the biceps as its main target and works the forearms on the way.
What can I do instead of the Preacher Curl?
At home: Dumbbell Curl. In a gym: Cable Curl. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Preacher Curl with?
Good partners in the same workout are Triceps Pushdown, Seated Cable Row and Lat Pulldown.
How heavy should the Preacher Curl be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.