Thread: Are Preacher Curls any good?

The preacher is just another exercise that provides another movement for the bicep. It has always been great for helping to build a nice peak. If using the proper form, it helps you to get a good isolated bicep workout.

If you feel your elbows are going to break, maybe you need to drop the weight. Make sure the preacher bench is adjusted properly for you, and don't use your body when lifting. Just focus on your arm movement. Also like for any muscle group you need to rotate your exercises frequently.. I change mine every 6 weeks.

Preacher curls kick a$$ in my opinion! I've been using them for about 4-5 months I think and have found them to be one of (if not the most) effective exercises for the biceps... especially the lower part, just above the elbow... i'v seen that it can really widen this area... and it's not just my opinion. Two of my mates have used it with even better results.

If you feel your elbows are going to break, maybe you need to drop the weight. Make sure the preacher bench is adjusted properly for you, and don't use your body when lifting. Just focus on your arm movement. Also like for any muscle group you need to rotate your exercises frequently.. I change mine every 6 weeks.

If I drop the weight, then I won't be maximizing my workout. I do feel like I am working way too much upper body trying to balance myself.

I don't think my body will ever get used to exercise. I don't think I have repeated a workout back to back yet. I usually wake up and say, I am going to do this this and this. It is always different. Is it bad to change up that often?

Some may lift to heavy of weight in exchange for improper form. In this case, by lowering the weight and maintaining proper form you are maximizing your potential and avoiding injury. I'm not saying you are doing this...Only you can answer that question. But when you said that you feel that your elbows are going to break it sounded like you may be overdoing it a bit.

It is advised to change your routine frequently, but IMO you shouldn't change sooner than say 6 weeks. If your changing every day, your not working the muscle enough and giving it a chance to benefit from the exercise. How is it going to get any bigger if you only work it for one day? You want to define a series of exercises and a program that you can stick with for 6 weeks. Work them for that period, then rotate them every 6 weeks.

Originally posted by Michael D
If I drop the weight, then I won't be maximizing my workout. I do feel like I am working way too much upper body trying to balance myself.

I don't think my body will ever get used to exercise. I don't think I have repeated a workout back to back yet. I usually wake up and say, I am going to do this this and this. It is always different. Is it bad to change up that often?

I see what you are saying about form. I could have bad form but I am lowering the weight under control, short pause at bottom and then lifting it back up. I felt like it was good form. Just when the weight is at the very bottom, it puts alot of pressure on my elbows if I lock them out.

How can changing keep you from benefitting from the exercise. I will give you an example. Say I do concentration curls, then barbell curls, then incline bench curls. My next workout that week for the bis I do, preachers, alt. dumbell curls and hammer curls. Will I not get as much by varying it like that?

If you feel your form is correct and are still feeling pain then try changing your grip. Sometimes people have problems with a close grip. Try widening your grip to see if that feels more comfortable.

Again as far as your exercise rotation... Stick with the same for 6 weeks. Do 3 bi exercises you defined for this period continuously.
After 6 weeks, then change to another 3 exercises. While it is advised to rotate, you don't want to do it to prematurely either.

Originally posted by Michael D
I see what you are saying about form. I could have bad form but I am lowering the weight under control, short pause at bottom and then lifting it back up. I felt like it was good form. Just when the weight is at the very bottom, it puts alot of pressure on my elbows if I lock them out.

How can changing keep you from benefitting from the exercise. I will give you an example. Say I do concentration curls, then barbell curls, then incline bench curls. My next workout that week for the bis I do, preachers, alt. dumbell curls and hammer curls. Will I not get as much by varying it like that?

It is good to rotate your exercises as often as you would like... The more the better. If you change your lifts often, then you don't let your muscles adapt to the lift. The only reason it's good to maintain the same lifts for a little bit is to help you track progress...

i was skimming, so someone else may have mentioned it already, but i'm gonna throw it out real quick. there is nothing wrong with preacher curls, if that's not all you rely on for your biceps, and i wouldn't even train with them at every bicep workout. i work in my own private place now, but i used to train for a big commercial club and saw plenty of guys who used to do nothing but preachers. the only negative with that is it doesn't allow the shoulders to do their natural job of stabalization, and i believe that even though your isolating the biceps and making them stronger, you're possibly taking something away from the shoulders. and just doing other shoulder work is not a sub for allowing stabalizing muscles to do their work naturally also.

I have done preacher curls with a machine for the past 6 months. Still experiencing small gains. The advantage of the machine is that the cable pulls the weight all the time, so even when you're at the top of the movement, you're still fighting gravity, unlike doing preacher curls with weights alone.

Also, they're an exercise done to "isolate" the bicep. I've also found that making sure your pinky finger is higher than all the others works the muscle better(That is, your palms face somewhat outward) for me at least. My other bicep exercise right now is a front close grip cable pulldown (usually an exercise that targets the back) with palms facing me. When you bring the bar down to your nipple level, you can definitely feel your biceps.

I use that to segue into my back exercises, I think it's pretty good.

Originally posted by Michael D
I know it gives a good stretch but once you do half a curl there doesn't seem to be any resistance. Plus, it almost feels like me elbows are going to break when I go all the way down.

Holdamayo is the only person qualified to anser this question.

He's a preacher's son.

Originally posted by Randy
It has always been great for helping to build a nice peak.

If your biceps have the genetic shape of a "peak" it does not matter what exercises you use, if you build your bicep it will eventually peak if that is how it's shaped.

Prince, your destroying my hope

I still believe mine are on the way to forming.

Excerpt from a good bicep article from Prince >

(Sorry Mayo)

Don't Preach. The preacher curl is a favorite among many bodybuilders but it, too, is more of a brachialis exercise. Think it builds the lower bicep? Can't happen. The entire bicep is either activated or not. There is no "lower" bicep. What the preacher bench does is alleviate stress at the top of the motion making it essentially a "half" curl. So why is it that many champion bodybuilders exalt its effectiveness? It comes down to anatomy. In a fortunate few, such as the phenomenal Larry Scott, the brachi will develop under the bicep resulting in a higher "peak." We should all be so lucky.

I've been reading these forums for a year, and I see supporters both of preacher curls, and those who see them as more or less useless.

Personally, I've switched from the former froup to the latter. Even with proper form, my forearms got a good chunk of a workout from doing preachers. If you truly want to isolate biceps, I say go for seated incline curls.

The first time I did those, I had to start off with a 30 pound dumbbell in each hand. The exercise seems, to me at any rate, to do nothing but tear your bicep to shreds, and as a result, you may find your biceps aren't nearly as strong as you thought. You can't "swing" your arms really, or lift with your back/body movements.

As such, I don't touch preachers at all anymore, and I find I actually have a better bicep workout as a result.

Originally posted by BlueCorsair
The first time I did those, I had to start off with a 30 pound dumbbell in each hand. The exercise seems, to me at any rate, to do nothing but tear your bicep to shreds, and as a result, you may find your biceps aren't nearly as strong as you thought. You can't "swing" your arms really, or lift with your back/body movements.

No joke. I put the same amount of weight I would use with a standing dumbell curl on the bars and couldn't lift them once. They really hit the bis nicely.

For sure. Hence, incline curls have convinced me they are now the ultimate bicep exercise. heh.

My opinion only, the jack squat that that counts for

I've incorporated incline wide grip curls, standing dual handle lower pulley cable curls, and some dumbell concentration curls into my latest routine. All of these are awsome bicep exercises .
Thanks again to Prince for his article tips.

Originally posted by Randy
I've incorporated incline wide grip curls,

How can you you do wide grip incline curls??
My only experience with incline curls is with dumbells.

Yeah that sounds weird...

My Favorites:

Standing Curls ( straight bar )
Incline DB Curls

hammers rule..but then again, i'm a powerlifter and i've always had the opinion that curls are for girls...haha. to do or look at. just kidding.

Actually the wide grip incline curl exercise is something new that I have added based on an article that I received from Prince...
The article basically recommends to toss out the preacher and try the incline and dual handle standing cable curls. I've tried them and they seem to really place a major focus on the biceps.. I definately get a great pump after. I am going to leave them in my program for the next 6 weeks so I can see the results.

Originally posted by SJ69
How can you you do wide grip incline curls??
My only experience with incline curls is with dumbells.

hey randy or prince got a link to that article wouldn't mind reading it. thanks

Gladly Larva...

Here it is > CLICK HERE

Originally posted by Larva
hey randy or prince got a link to that article wouldn't mind reading it. thanks

boy am i dumb.
is that a sticky?
its no wonder i wear glasses.

thanks Randy