EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl vs EZ Barbell Curl

Compare target muscles, equipment, difficulty, movement type, and secondary muscles for EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl and EZ Barbell Curl.

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Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl vs Ez Barbell Curl — if you want clearer biceps progress, you need to pick the right movement. I’ll walk you through how each exercise loads the biceps, which secondary muscles assist, required equipment, and specific technique cues (elbow angle, grip width, and tempo). You’ll get rep-range recommendations (6–12 for hypertrophy, 4–6 for strength emphasis), safety notes, and simple progressions so you can choose the one that matches your goals and training setup.

Exercise A

EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

Target Biceps

Equipment Ez-barbell

Body Part Upper-arms

Difficulty Beginner

Movement Isolation

Secondary Muscles

Forearms

Exercise B

EZ Barbell Curl

Target Biceps

Equipment Ez-barbell

Body Part Upper-arms

Difficulty Intermediate

Movement Isolation

Secondary Muscles

Forearms

Muscles used

Listed target and secondary muscles, shown on the body. Locations, not activation or strength scores.

Target
Secondary
Not highlighted

EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

Front

Back

Target: Biceps
Secondary: Forearms

EZ Barbell Curl

Front

Back

Target: Biceps
Secondary: Forearms

Grey does not mean a muscle is unused. The diagrams show only the mapped catalogue labels.

Attribute	EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl	EZ Barbell Curl
Target Muscle	Biceps	Biceps
Body Part	Upper-arms	Upper-arms
Equipment	Ez-barbell	Ez-barbell
Difficulty Different	Beginner	Intermediate
Movement Type	Isolation	Isolation
Secondary Muscles	Forearms	Forearms

Visual Comparison

An illustrative 1–10 profile derived from catalog difficulty, equipment, and listed-muscle fields—not measured performance or muscle activation.

Key Differences

Difficulty levels differ: EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl is beginner, while EZ Barbell Curl is intermediate.
Both exercises target the Biceps using Ez-barbell. The catalogue does not establish which exercise is better for an individual goal.

Muscle comparison

Shared target muscles

Both moves target the biceps brachii as the prime mover, producing elbow flexion. They share peak activation during mid-to-high elbow flexion (roughly 30°–90°). Both load the biceps concentrically and eccentrically, but the standing Ez Barbell Curl allows a slightly greater stretch of the long head because the shoulder can extend up to ~10°–20°, whereas the preacher position fixes the shoulder and reduces long-head lengthening.

Secondary muscle differences

The Close Grip Preacher Curl reduces shoulder and torso involvement, shifting more load to the brachialis and short head at peak contraction. The standing Ez Barbell Curl engages more stabilizers (anterior deltoid, rotator cuff, and core) and allows more forearm/wrist involvement due to slight torso lean and grip variations, so you’ll see higher recruitment of forearms and shoulder stabilizers during heavy sets.

Muscle involvement analysis

In the preacher curl the pad fixes the humerus, forcing most torque into elbow flexors; concentric force is highest from ~90° down to ~30° of elbow angle with minimal momentum. In the standing curl you get a broader torque curve: initial stretch (0°–30°) can load the long head more, and lifters often use slight hip drive, which alters the force vector and reduces pure biceps activation by ~10%–20% when cheating occurs.

Equipment and setup

EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl: setup

Ez-barbell, weight plates, and a preacher bench with an adjustable pad to set arm angle. Pad height must place the armpit against the top of the pad so the humerus is supported.

EZ Barbell Curl: setup

Ez-barbell and plates and at minimum a small clear floor space. Optional: squat rack for racking the bar, or an incline/standing setup for variations.

Access and practicality

Ez Barbell Curl — it requires less equipment (no preacher bench) and can be done nearly anywhere you have an Ez-bar and space, making it more accessible for home gyms.

Learning and progression

Learning the movements

Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl is easier to learn because the pad stabilizes the upper arm and limits compensatory movement, so beginners can focus on elbow flexion without managing posture. Ez Barbell Curl requires more coordination to prevent torso sway and maintain strict form.

Progression considerations

Ez Barbell Curl offers greater progression options: heavier loads, pause reps, tempo changes, and incline/decline variations. You can safely increase load in 2.5–5 lb increments and use sets in the 4–12 rep range to develop both strength and muscle growth.

Limitations and precautions

Standing Ez Barbell Curl has a higher risk of lower back strain and tendon overload if you cheat with hip drive or swing. Preacher curls reduce momentum but can increase stress at end-range extension on the distal biceps tendon and elbow joint if overloaded; keep loads conservative on full lockout.

Pros & Cons

EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

+ Pros

Strict isolation of elbow flexors, limiting shoulder involvement
Beginner-friendly fixed arm position for learning pure elbow flexion
Better peak contraction at the top of the movement (30°–0° elbow)
Lower tendency to use momentum, improving eccentric control

− Cons

Requires a preacher bench (less accessible at home)
Fixed position can place high stress on distal biceps/elbow at full extension
Narrow close grip can reduce long-head stretch and limit overall load potential

EZ Barbell Curl

+ Pros

Greater loading potential for progressive overload (heavier sets)
More versatile with grip and body-position variations
Improves long-head stretch and overall biceps development
No special bench required — easy to program into many workouts

− Cons

Easier to cheat with torso swing, reducing pure biceps tension
Requires more core and shoulder stabilization (higher technical demand)
Higher risk of back strain or tendon overload if form breaks under heavy loads

When Each Exercise Wins

For muscle hypertrophy: Ez Barbell Curl

It allows heavier loads and fuller long-head stretch, which supports progressive overload and a broader tension curve. Use 6–12 reps with slow eccentrics (2–4 s) to maximize muscle growth.

For strength gains: Ez Barbell Curl

Standing curls accommodate heavier plates and incremental loading; you can safely train in lower rep ranges (4–6) and overload over time. The exercise also transfers better to compound pulling strength due to increased stabilizer recruitment.

For beginners: Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

The preacher pad stabilizes the humerus and teaches strict elbow flexion, reducing compensation and helping you learn tempo and full-range control in 8–12 rep sets.

For home workouts: Ez Barbell Curl

No preacher bench is required, so you can perform standing EZ-bar curls with minimal equipment. Variations like seated or incline curls can be added if you have a bench.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do both Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl and Ez Barbell Curl in the same workout?

Yes — use the preacher curl as a strict primer or finisher and the standing curl as the heavier main movement. For example, perform 3 sets of Ez Barbell Curls (6–8 reps) then 2–3 sets of preacher curls (10–12 reps) to target both overload and strict isolation.

Which exercise is better for beginners?

Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl is better for beginners because the pad stabilizes the arm and limits compensatory movement, helping you learn elbow flexion mechanics and tempo before adding heavy load.

How do the muscle activation patterns differ?

Preacher curls concentrate torque at the elbow with minimal shoulder involvement, increasing short-head and brachialis emphasis during the concentric phase. Standing Ez Barbell Curls allow slight shoulder extension and more stabilizer recruitment, increasing long-head stimulus and overall loading capacity.

Can Ez Barbell Curl replace Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl?

Yes, functionally it can replace it for general biceps work, especially if you lack a preacher bench; however, you’ll lose some strict isolation and peak-contraction control. If isolation or technique training is your goal, keep the preacher curl in the program.

Comparison Summary

Use the Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl when you want strict isolation, teach proper elbow flexion, or finish a biceps session with controlled peak contractions — aim for 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with a 2–3 second eccentric. Choose the Ez Barbell Curl when your priority is progressive overload, overall biceps thickness, or strength; train in the 4–12 rep range, maintain a vertical torso and 0°–10° elbow flare, and avoid hip drive. Program both intelligently: start with the version that matches your skill level and use the other as a variation to address weak ranges or add volume.

Exercise instructions

Steps from the exercise catalogue. Read the full sequence before starting.

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.

Read remaining steps for EZ Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

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.

EZ Barbell Curl

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
Exhale as you curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.

Read remaining steps for EZ Barbell Curl

Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale as you slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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