10 Best Close-grip Ez-bar Curl With Band Alternatives for Limited Equipment

Original Exercise: Close-grip Ez-bar Curl With Band

Primary Muscle

Biceps

Equipment

Ez-barbell

Difficulty

Beginner

Type

Isolation

Secondary Muscles: Forearms

How to Perform Close-grip Ez-bar Curl With Band

1. Attach a band to each end of the bar. Take the bar, placing a foot on the middle of the band. Stand upright with a narrow, supinated grip on the EZ bar. The elbows should be close to the torso. This will be your starting position.
2. While keeping the upper arms in place, flex the elbows to execute the curl. Exhale as the weight is lifted.
3. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second and squeeze the biceps hard.
4. Slowly begin to bring the bar back to starting position as your breathe in.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Pro Tips

• Category: Strength
• Force: Pull
• Movement type: Isolation

Best Close-grip Ez-bar Curl With Band Alternatives

Best Match

1. Barbell Curl

99.9% Match

Biceps Barbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing forward.
2. Keep your elbows close to your torso and exhale as you curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
3. Continue to raise the bar until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
5. Inhale as you slowly begin to lower the bar back to the starting position.

2. Close-Grip Standing Barbell Curl

99.9% Match

Biceps Barbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Hold a barbell with both hands, palms up and a few inches apart.
2. Stand with your torso straight and your head up. Your feet should be about shoulder width and your elbows close to your torso. This will be your starting position. Tip: You will keep your upper arms and elbows stationary throughout the movement.
3. Curl the bar up in a semicircular motion until the forearms touch your biceps. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement and contract your biceps hard for a second at the top. Tip: Avoid bending the back or using swinging motions as you lift the weight. Only the forearms should move.
4. Slowly go back down to the starting position as you inhale.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

3. Dumbbell Bicep Curl

99.9% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand at arm's length. Keep your elbows close to your torso and rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing forward. This will be your starting position.
2. Now, keeping the upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
3. Then, inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

4. Drag Curl

99.9% Match

Biceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Grab a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing forward) and get your elbows close to your torso and back. This will be your starting position.
2. As you exhale, curl the bar up while keeping the elbows to the back as you "Drag" the bar up by keeping it in contact with your torso. Tip: As you can see, you will not be keeping the elbows pinned to your sides, but instead you will be bringing them back. Also, do not lift your shoulders.
3. Slowly go back to the starting position as you keep the bar in contact with the torso at all times.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

5. Close-Grip EZ Bar Curl

99.9% Match

Biceps Barbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand up with your torso upright while holding an E-Z Curl Bar at the closer inner handle. The palm of your hands should be facing forward and they should be slightly tilted inwards due to the shape of the bar. The elbows should be close to the torso. This will be your starting position.
2. While holding the upper arms stationary, curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Tip: Only the forearms should move.
3. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second and squeeze the biceps hard.
4. Slowly begin to bring the bar back to starting position as your breathe in.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

6. Barbell Drag Curl

99.4% Match

Biceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
2. Let the barbell hang at arm's length in front of your thighs.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the barbell up towards your chest by contracting your biceps.
4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

7. Dumbbell Biceps Curl

99.2% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward and arms fully extended.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
3. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

8. Ez Barbell Curl

99.2% Match

Biceps Ez-barbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
2. Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
3. Exhale as you curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale as you slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

9. Dumbbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)

99.2% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
2. Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary.
3. Exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
4. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.

10. Ez-bar Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)

99.2% Match

Biceps Ez-barbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
2. Place your upper arms against the arm blaster, keeping them stationary throughout the exercise.
3. Keeping your elbows close to your body, exhale and curl the barbell up towards your shoulders.
4. Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.

Why You Might Need a Close-grip Ez-bar Curl With Band Alternative

You might substitute this exercise for three common reasons: no access to bands, elbow or wrist irritation from the band tension angle, or a need for a different tension curve for progressive overload. Close-grip setups bias the biceps short head by reducing shoulder abduction; any substitute should similarly fix the elbow and allow full supination. Use a cable or EZ-bar to keep constant tension, choose a preacher or concentration curl to reduce cheating, and cue a firm scapular set and minimal torso sway to protect the lower back and keep biceps activation high.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Pick a substitute based on equipment, pain history, and desired tension profile. For constant tension through ROM choose a cable rope close-grip curl and cue slow eccentric control to maximize time under tension. If you need strict isolation without external tension variability, use a preacher or concentration curl and lock your elbow against the pad to isolate the biceps. Bands are portable but change the loading curve; if your goal is peak contraction, prioritize full supination and a controlled squeeze at the top of each rep.

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