10 Best EZ Barbell Close-grip Curl Alternatives for Home or Gym

If you can’t perform the EZ bar close-grip curl, use dumbbell close-grip curls, hammer curls, cable rope curls, resistance-band curls, or close-grip chin-ups to hit the biceps. Keep elbows pinned to your sides and supinate the forearm at the top to maximize biceps brachii activation and maintain strict elbow mechanics.

Original Exercise: EZ Barbell Close-grip Curl

EZ Barbell Close-grip Curl
Primary Muscle
Biceps
Equipment
Ez-barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Forearms
How to Perform EZ Barbell Close-grip Curl
  1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  2. Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
  3. Curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, 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.

Best EZ Barbell Close-grip Curl Alternatives

Best Match
Barbell Standing Close Grip Curl

1. Barbell Standing Close Grip Curl

98.4% 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, hands close together.
  2. Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
  3. Exhale as you curl the weights while contracting your biceps. 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 bring the barbell back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Biceps Curl

2. Dumbbell Biceps Curl

98% 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.
Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)

3. Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)

98% 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 up.
  2. Place your upper arms against the arm blaster, keeping your elbows close to your torso.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  4. Continue to raise the barbell until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level.
  5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
Ez Barbell Curl

4. Ez Barbell Curl

98% 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.
Ez-bar Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)

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

98% 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.
Dumbbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)

6. Dumbbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)

98% 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.
EZ-Bar Curl

7. EZ-Bar Curl

97.4% Match
Biceps Ez-barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight while holding an EZ curl bar at the wide outer handle. The palms of your hands should be facing forward and slightly tilted inward due to the shape of the bar. Keep your elbows close to your torso. This will be your starting position.
  2. Now, while keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps. Focus on only moving your forearms.
  3. Continue to raise the weight until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the top contracted position for a moment and squeeze the biceps.
  4. Then inhale and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell High Curl

8. Dumbbell High Curl

97.4% 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 upper arms stationary and curl the dumbbells as high as possible while contracting your biceps.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Standing Biceps Curl

9. Dumbbell Standing Biceps Curl

97.4% 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 dumbbells 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.
Close-Grip EZ-Bar Curl With Band

10. Close-Grip EZ-Bar Curl With Band

97.2% Match
Biceps Ez-barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.

Why You Might Need a EZ Barbell Close-grip Curl Alternative

You might substitute the EZ bar close-grip curl for several reasons: wrist or elbow pain from a narrow bar grip, lack of EZ-bar equipment, or the need for unilateral work to correct strength imbalances. Some lifters prefer neutral grips to shift load from the biceps short head to the brachialis and reduce forearm torque. Alternatives also let you vary tension profile—dumbbells give independent limb control, cables provide constant tension, and bands alter loading through range. When rehabbing, choose neutral-grip or reduced-load options and focus on pain-free range of motion while maintaining a controlled eccentric.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on equipment, pain tolerance, and the muscle emphasis you want. For max biceps peak and supination work, choose dumbbell close-grip or cable rope curls and cue full wrist supination at lockout. If wrists hurt, pick hammer curls or neutral-grip dumbbell curls to bias the brachialis and lower forearm torque. Want constant tension through range? Use a cable with a short bar or rope and keep forearms vertical. Need unilateral correction? Use single-arm dumbbell curls and limit shoulder swing to isolate the elbow flexors.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does EZ Barbell Close-grip Curl work?

The exercise mainly targets the biceps brachii (both heads) with strong emphasis on elbow flexion; a close grip and supination emphasize the short-head contribution. The brachialis and brachioradialis assist, especially during neutral or hammer-style variants.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to EZ Barbell Close-grip Curl?

A close-grip chin-up (supinated grip shoulder-width or slightly narrower) is the top bodyweight substitute because it loads elbow flexion under full-body resistance. Cue pulling with the elbows and finishing with the chest toward the bar to maximize biceps engagement.

Can I build muscle without doing EZ Barbell Close-grip Curl?

Yes. You can stimulate biceps hypertrophy with alternatives like dumbbell curls, cable rope curls, hammer curls, and chin-ups by using progressive overload, full range of motion, and controlled eccentrics. Prioritize consistent volume and wrist- and elbow-friendly cueing to keep training pain-free.

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