Bicep curls using EZ or straight barbell?

[Nick+]

For many months I've been doing bicep curls using the EZ bar. I then read somewhere (maybe even on these forums) that a lot more of the bicep muscle is involved when curling with the straight bar......

So I changed back to the straight bar (not because I slavishly follow advice, I decided a change would be interesting.) All that happened is that I ended up with very painful wrists indeed...... (because of the different angle of the hands no doubt)

Three weeks of bicep curls with a straight barbell, seemed to have decreased bicep involvement- partly because my wrists were struggling(maybe?).....AND I've actually lost 2/8" of width in the upper arm, since changing to the straight bar......... (though other factors are involved as well)

This is my first post about training-- and I'm not to good about writing this sort of thing.........Any comments on this would be appreciated.

I've decided to stick to EZ bicep curls, because they work my biceps more.........that is my opinion.Any other advice would be welcomed.....

Nick

 

[LAM]

use which ever bar is the most comfortable to you that will allow you to use the most weight. I hardly ever do straight bar curls and have managed to get my arms to a very decent size

 

[kicka19]

ya, i find straight bar curls put to much stress on my elbows and wrists, its not a fluid movement with sticking points it seems

 

[Randy]

I like using both straight bar and ez curl bar.
The straight bar works great for ultra wide grip curls.
I used to feel a bit more of a strain on my wrists with the straight bar.
But I seemed to overcome most of my wrist problems by strengthening them.

 

[drew.haynes]

I feel, on the contrary, that straight bar hits my biceps better. EZ bar also hurts my wrists.

 

[Tough Old Man]

I agree. I use both. One week I'll use an EZ curl bar and the next a straight bar. I do find that I can use more weight with the EZ curl bar

use which ever bar is the most comfortable to you that will allow you to use the most weight. I hardly ever do straight bar curls and have managed to get my arms to a very decent size

 

[Nick+]

I like using both straight bar and ez curl bar.
The straight bar works great for ultra wide grip curls.
I used to feel a bit more of a strain on my wrists with the straight bar.
But I seemed to overcome most of my wrist problems by strengthening them.

You say the straight bar works well with ultra wide grip. Maybe my mistake is using continously a shoulder width grip........(another bad habit , that I have seem to have caught from some damned book or website....)

Nick (hell it's 24 minutes past midnight I'd better hit the pillow)

 

[MyK]

listen to Randy, he is well known for his biceps on this message board!!!lol (sorry couldnt resist)

I use the straight bar for standing curls, my grip is slightly wider than shoulders
I use the EZ bar for preacher curls

 

[Randy]

You say the straight bar works well with ultra wide grip. Maybe my mistake is using continously a shoulder width grip........(another bad habit , that I have seem to have caught from some damned book or website....)

Nick (hell it's 24 minutes past midnight I'd better hit the pillow)

My straight bar wide consists of a 36" grip.

 

[Randy]

listen to Randy, he is well known for his biceps on this message board!!!lol (sorry couldnt resist)

I use the straight bar for standing curls, my grip is slightly wider than shoulders
I use the EZ bar for preacher curls

Starting from a 14", I have developed quit extensive biceps for being natural.
I do have some bodyfat as most dicks would try to push on me, but I can guarantee my biceps do not contain much fat. And if my biceps were 8 inches, would that mean that I could not post my suggestions and opinions here ... <Prick head> .

p.s. Post of picture of yourself before putting others down.
At least I have the balls to post my pictures to show my progress.

 

[GFR]

I like using both straight bar and ez curl bar.
The straight bar works great for ultra wide grip curls.
I used to feel a bit more of a strain on my wrists with the straight bar.
But I seemed to overcome most of my wrist problems by strengthening them.

Randy I really want to make an offensive comment at the expense of your last sentence but I fear I will be banned.....so just use your imagination...

 

[MyK]

Starting from a 14", I have developed quit extensive biceps for being natural.
I do have some bodyfat as most dicks would try to push on me, but I can guarantee my biceps do not contain much fat. And if my biceps were 8 inches, would that mean that I could not post my suggestions and opinions here ... <Prick head> .

p.s. Post of picture of yourself before putting others down.
At least I have the balls to post my pictures to show my progress.

relax dude, I forgot how sensitive you were about your biceps. and don't call me a prick head, I guarantee you wouldn't call me one to my face!!

I have the balls to post a pic and I would, I just don't know how!!

 

[Tough Old Man]

Wow i just read all the reply's back and I'm not sure that the guy in questioned was trying to be negative. I read it as a compliment I think. Sorry Randy but I'm not sure whether you were right or wrong bro on the reply back to him. Lets all re group here and start over. I see Randy that you use a 36" wide grip and will myself give that i try during my next bicep workout

PT

Starting from a 14", I have developed quit extensive biceps for being natural.
I do have some bodyfat as most dicks would try to push on me, but I can guarantee my biceps do not contain much fat. And if my biceps were 8 inches, would that mean that I could not post my suggestions and opinions here ... <Prick head> .

p.s. Post of picture of yourself before putting others down.
At least I have the balls to post my pictures to show my progress.

 

[VipeR]

Hmm.. I like using the straight barbell because it works out my wrist/forearm also..
Bur for preacher curls I tend to use the EZ bar

 

[Randy]

relax dude, I forgot how sensitive you were about your biceps. and don't call me a prick head, I guarantee you wouldn't call me one to my face!!

I have the balls to post a pic and I would, I just don't know how!!

If you don't want to be called a prick head or any other name for that matter then don't insult me.

As for being sensitive, I think anyone that is here in a bodybuilding forum looking for motivation to advance, and then receiving insulting comments about their physique would take offense to that. But I guess you are to stupid to realize it.

You can insult people, but don't have the brains to know how to post your own picture within your gallery. Then you brag that I wouldn't say it to your face... Well if you were insulting me to my face, then I guarantee I wouldn't stand down.

 

[Randy]

Wow i just read all the reply's back and I'm not sure that the guy in questioned was trying to be negative. I read it as a compliment I think. Sorry Randy but I'm not sure whether you were right or wrong bro on the reply back to him. Lets all re group here and start over. I see Randy that you use a 36" wide grip and will myself give that i try during my next bicep workout

PT

I remember a recent debate that was discussed regarding biceps.
Many of the veterens here had stated that the bicep has one insertion point. Because of that they believe that it doesn't matter which type of grip (close or wide) will affect any one part of the bicep.

Now I always believed that you could place emphasis on specific parts of the bicep based upon the type of grip or exercise. In other words the wide grip straight bar curls would place more emphasis on the inner bicep, where the close grip would affect the outer.

I still believe this to be true where others will dissagree. I don't want to open up this can of worms again, but thought I would mention it since we are talking about various grips. Now if indeed they are correct about that theory then at least by changing the grip will make your routing more interesting. I try to change my routines at minimum every 6 weeks.

 

[ChrisROCK]

Straight bar puts extreme stress on my wrists and forearms....hence i avoid them in my routines with any regularity. I'll do them occassionally for a change of pace. Do whatever feels good to you. If it hurts, don't do it...it's sure to cause problems from repeated use.

 

[Randy]

Hey Chris,

I see you have my girl posted in your sig

 

[MyK]

If you don't want to be called a prick head or any other name for that matter then don't insult me.

As for being sensitive, I think anyone that is here in a bodybuilding forum looking for motivation to advance, and then receiving insulting comments about their physique would take offense to that. But I guess you are to stupid to realize it.

You can insult people, but don't have the brains to know how to post your own picture within your gallery. Then you brag that I wouldn't say it to your face... Well if you were insulting me to my face, then I guarantee I wouldn't stand down.

sure dude. I didn't insult you!!! I simply alluded to when you got your bicep called a butter ball!!! I thought you'd be over it by now, but I guess not.

I said I didn't know how to post my pic. the fact is, I've never tried. so how could I not have the brains too? was i suppose to be born with some innate ability to know how to post pics on the Internet.

let me help you out here, your comparing a learned skill to an innate ability which is pretty ufcking stupid!! now go do some curls!

 

[drew.haynes]

pretty ufcking stupid!!

I'm filled with a strange tingling sensation of irony when I read this..

 

[SJ69]

I was doing heavy straight bar curls for a while, and they felt great, problem was after a while I had a pretty bad, nagging pain at my biceps insertion (biceps tendon). The pain wouldn't go away for months, I had to stop curling, now I just use the EZ Curl and dumbells and don't have any problems. I still do go heavy, sometimes 3-4 reps till failure.

 

[Randy]

I'm filled with a strange tingling sensation of irony when I read this..

Drew, it's funny you say that, it fills me with something too.

Oh and Myk, you're not even worth a reply.

 

[TrojanMan60563]

I like to alternate from EZ-Curl bar and straight bar each workout...like EZ curl this time and nex bi day use the straight bar......if I don't do that then I will do like 3 sets of each....or if I only do one or the other I will do 5 sets. I think looking at it I prefer 3 sets of each...it hits the bis differently....my big issue with the straight bar is the painful wrists...I don't think its lack of knowing how to do them..its just my arms are not meant to bed like that.

 

[Nick+]

Thanks for the advice. Will stick with EZ for the minute , as it lets me curl with more weight-and seems to involve the biceps -as much as the straight bar(in my case anyway). Might try the straight at some point with a wider grip....... And then there's all the dumbell curls possible, which I've also hardly ever done...........

I've got to get out of this habit of always doing 'shoulder width grip', I seem to be hypnotised by it, time to break away..........

 

[KentDog]

I like to do a couple of light sets of standing straight bar curls to start a bicep workout. When doing preacher curls, I always use the EZ-bar.

 

[LAM]

its just my arms are not meant to bed like that.

lol. that's exactly how I feel. I can do the exact same weight with EZ bar vs straight bar so why not do the one that causes no pain to the wrists...

 

[Randy]

lol. that's exactly how I feel. I can do the exact same weight with EZ bar vs straight bar so why not do the one that causes no pain to the wrists...

You don't even use the straight bar to warmup lam....
I always start my warmups with the wide grip straight bar and do 25 light reps.
Can't get that stretch and the wide stance with the ez curl bar. And there is no pain since it is warmup .

 

[Nick+]

Warmups? Never bothered

 

[LAM]

You don't even use the straight bar to warmup lam....
I always start my warmups with the wide grip straight bar and do 25 light reps.
Can't get that stretch and the wide stance with the ez curl bar. And there is no pain since it is warmup .

nope. I honestly don't like the feeling. I did them for a couple of months about 6 months ago but that was probably the first time in 3 years. I would rather warm up with db's and go to the EZ bar. I hate bicep training, such a stupid, useless little muscle...

 

[HardTrainer]

I would say comming from a simple view point that the angle the EZ grip places your wrists turns its somewhat towards a hammer grip if you keep your elbows in.