Liftworthy
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Liftworthy

Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

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Explore/Biceps

Preacher Curl

BarbellIsolationEasy to learn
Front
Back
Primary Secondary

Works

Biceps

Also forearms

You need

EZ bar, Bench

Also works on the preacher curl

How to do itPictures · 3 steps
1Start
2Top
Main musclesAlso working
  1. 1Armpits snug over the pad
  2. 2Lower until arms are almost straight
  3. 3Don’t lift your elbows off the pad

Most common mistake

Bouncing out of the bottom, which strains the elbow.

Watch a demo

Good for

  • Top 10 for biceps
  • Keeps the work on the target muscle

Compare with

vs Rope Hammer Curlvs EZ-Bar Curlvs Dumbbell Curl
A
For biceps
#6 of 19
See the full list →
Research
79
Scored by hand
Results
Soon
From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 79
Target tensionExcellent
Loaded stretchStrong
ProgressionStrong
Low costGood

Big stretch, but bouncing out of the bottom is where elbows get tweaked.

Research behind these criteria

  • Target tension: Zabaleta-Korta et al., 2021 · Kinoshita et al., 2023
  • Loaded stretch: Maeo et al., 2021 · Maeo et al., 2023 · Pedrosa et al., 2022 · Kassiano et al., 2023
  • Progression: Plotkin et al., 2022 · Pelland et al., 2026
  • Low cost: Schoenfeld et al., 2021 · Refalo et al., 2023
How scores work

Machine taken? Swap to

  • SBayesian Cable CurlCable
  • SMachine Preacher CurlMachine
  • SIncline Dumbbell CurlDumbbell
  • AEZ-Bar CurlBarbell

Takes

None yet
needed to post
280