10 Best EZ Barbell Seated Curls Alternatives for Limited Equipment

If you can’t perform EZ barbell seated curls, use other curl variations that preserve elbow flexion and forearm supination to load the biceps. Effective substitutes include dumbbell seated curls, incline dumbbell curls, hammer curls, cable curls, and concentration curls. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides and fully supinate the wrist to maximize biceps recruitment.

Original Exercise: EZ Barbell Seated Curls

EZ Barbell Seated Curls
Primary Muscle
Biceps
Equipment
Ez-barbell
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Forearms
How to Perform EZ Barbell Seated Curls
  1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
  2. Hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and your hands shoulder-width apart.
  3. Rest your upper arms on your thighs, allowing the ez barbell to hang down in front of you.
  4. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the ez barbell upwards towards your shoulders.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
  6. Inhale and slowly lower the ez barbell back to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Ranked EZ Barbell Seated Curls Alternatives

Best Match
Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

1. Ez Barbell Close Grip Preacher Curl

99.9% Match
Biceps Ez-barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a preacher curl bench and place your upper arms on the pad, gripping the ez barbell with an underhand grip.
  2. Rest your triceps on the pad and fully extend your arms, keeping your back straight.
  3. Slowly curl the barbell towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
  5. Lower the barbell back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
Barbell Curls Lying Against An Incline

2. Barbell Curls Lying Against An Incline

99.9% Match
Biceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie against an incline bench, with your arms holding a barbell and hanging down in a horizontal line. This will be your starting position.
  2. While keeping the upper arms stationary, curl the weight up as high as you can while squeezing the biceps. Breathe out as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Only the forearms should move. Do not swing the arms.
  3. After a second contraction, slowly go back to the starting position as you inhale. Tip: Make sure that you go all of the way down.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Barbell Lying Preacher Curl

3. Barbell Lying Preacher Curl

99.9% Match
Biceps Barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a preacher bench with your chest against the pad and your arms extended over the edge, holding a barbell with an underhand grip.
  2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and 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 and slowly begin to lower the barbell back to the starting position.
Barbell Preacher Curl

4. Barbell Preacher Curl

99.9% Match
Biceps Barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a preacher bench with your upper arms resting on the pad and your chest against the support.
  2. Grasp the barbell with an underhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, 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 down to the starting position.
Dumbbell Seated Bicep Curl

5. Dumbbell Seated Bicep Curl

99.9% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing up.
  2. Keep your back straight and your elbows close to your torso.
  3. Exhale and curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Seated Curl

6. Dumbbell Seated Curl

99.9% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
  2. Keep your back straight and your elbows close to your torso.
  3. Exhale and curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Seated Inner Biceps Curl

7. Dumbbell Seated Inner Biceps Curl

99.9% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing up.
  2. Rest your upper arms on your thighs, allowing the dumbbells to hang down.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders by contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Seated Preacher Curl

8. Dumbbell Seated Preacher Curl

99.9% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a preacher curl bench with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in one hand with an underhand grip, resting your upper arm against the preacher pad.
  3. Keeping your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.
Two-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

9. Two-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

99.9% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Grab a dumbbell with each arm and place the upper arms on top of the preacher bench or the incline bench. The dumbbell should be held at shoulder length. This will be your starting position.
  2. As you breathe in, slowly lower the dumbbells until your upper arm is extended and the biceps is fully stretched.
  3. As you exhale, use the biceps to curl the weights up until your biceps is fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder height.
  4. Squeeze the biceps hard for a second at the contracted position and repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Preacher Curl

10. Dumbbell Preacher Curl

98.7% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a preacher curl bench with your upper arms resting on the pad and your chest against it.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up and your arms fully extended.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  4. Continue to raise the dumbbells 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.

Why You Might Need a EZ Barbell Seated Curls Alternative

You might substitute EZ barbell seated curls for several reasons: wrist pain from the bar angle, limited access to an EZ bar, elbow tendon issues, or the need for unilateral work to fix strength gaps. Changing the implement or grip alters the moment arm and shifts load between the biceps long head, short head, brachialis, and brachioradialis. For example, a neutral-grip hammer curl increases brachialis involvement while reducing wrist supination stress. Use cues such as keeping the torso upright and elbows fixed to preserve elbow flexion torque and avoid shoulder compensation when you choose a replacement.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Pick a substitute based on equipment, target muscle emphasis, and load progression. If you want identical biceps peak activation, choose dumbbell curls and supinate at the top, keep elbows pinned and wrists relaxed to focus load on the biceps brachii. If you need to protect the wrist, use neutral-grip hammer curls to bias the brachialis and reduce supination torque. For constant tension and easy microloading, choose cable curls with a short eccentric tempo. Prioritize exercises that let you maintain proper elbow position and progressive overload.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does EZ Barbell Seated Curls work?

EZ barbell seated curls primarily load the biceps brachii (long and short heads) through elbow flexion and forearm supination. They also recruit the brachialis and brachioradialis, especially during heavier sets or partial supination.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to EZ Barbell Seated Curls?

A close bodyweight substitute is the underhand (supinated) chin-up because it combines elbow flexion and strong biceps activation. Cue a vertical torso and lead the pull with your elbows to maximize biceps involvement and avoid excessive lat dominance.

Can I build muscle without doing EZ Barbell Seated Curls?

Yes. You can achieve biceps hypertrophy with other curl variations, chin-ups, and progressive overload applied via reps, tempo, or resistance. Emphasize full range of motion, controlled eccentrics (about 2–4 seconds), and consistent loading to drive growth.

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