How to do a Cable Preacher Curl
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
Preacher Curl Bench
Workouts with Cable Preacher Curl
Instructions for Proper Form
Similar to other curls, this isolation exercise targets the biceps. By using a preacher curl bench, you ensure that your elbows are locked in place, which prevents any swinging to assist in moving the weight. Using a cable machine allows you to adjust the direction your resistance is coming from, and gives you more freedom than relying on gravity and free weights. This can help you maintain tension in your biceps, especially at the top of the movement.
- Place pulley to the lowest position with a bar attachment and a preacher bench facing the pulley 2-3’ away.
- Sit upright on the bench while pressing your chest against the pad.
- Extend your arms over the pad to grab ahold the bar.
- With your arms parallel and in front of your shoulders, flex your elbows to raise the bar keeping your upper arms in contact with the pad.
- Once your forearms have come into contact with your biceps, lower the bar back to the starting position.
Common Form Mistakes
Limit Range of Motion at the Bottom
There should always be tension on your biceps. It’s very common to lose tension at the bottom of the movement when your arms are fully extended. Limit your range of motion and keep your arm slightly bent to maintain tension in your biceps between reps.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Cable Preacher Curl standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
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Alternatives & Variations to Cable Preacher Curl
1. Preacher Curl
95.9 mSCORESWAPPED 3,849 TIMESSimilar to other curls, this isolation exercise targets the biceps. By using a preacher curl bench, you ensure that your elbows are locked in place, which prevents any swinging of your arm to assist in moving the weight. The use of an EZ-bar adds some stability to the movement, allowing you to focus more on exertion that stabilizing the movement. The combination of these two variations makes this an excellent exercise for developing strength in your biceps with minimal risk of cheating.
2. Cable Bicep Curl
94.9 mSCORESWAPPED 3,835 TIMESSimilar to other curls, this isolation exercise targets the biceps. The use of cables allows you to apply tension to your biceps at a different angle than with free weights. This is especially helpful for applying tension at the top of your range of motion. Because you can maintain more tension on your biceps throughout the movement, this is especially helpful for building muscle mass in your biceps.
3. Machine Bicep Curl
93.1 mSCORESWAPPED 2,814 TIMESSimilar to other curls, this isolation exercise targets the biceps. The use of a machine adds stability to the movement by forcing you to use a fixed range of motion. This added stability means you can focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement. Since your range of motion is fixed, this is a great exercise for learning, or to push the limits of this movement.
4. Machine Preacher Curl
82.4 mSCORESWAPPED 2,173 TIMESMachine Preacher Curl is an isolation exercise that targets the biceps. By using a preacher curl machine, you ensure your elbows are locked in place, preventing any swinging to assist in moving the weight. The machine adds stability to the movement, allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilization, making it excellent for bicep development.
5. Dumbbell Preacher Curls
71.9 mSCORESWAPPED 1,892 TIMESIsolation movement on a preacher bench, targeting the biceps with controlled motion. Provides muscle engagement and stability, reducing the chance of cheating, perfect for those seeking intense focus on bicep growth and form improvement.
6. Hammer Curls
99.2 mSCORESWAPPED 1,346 TIMESSimilar to other curls, this isolation exercise targets the biceps. Unlike the standard Dumbbell Bicep Curl, this variation rotates your wrist into a more natural position. This rotation also help to emphasize the long head of the bicep. This is a great exercise for adding some variety to your curls as well as developing functional strength and building muscle mass.
7. Cross Body Hammer Curls
95.4 mSCORESWAPPED 1,328 TIMESCross Body Hammer Curls are a variation on the more standard Hammer Curl. Like other variations this is an isolation exercise that targets the biceps. Unlike many other Hammer Curl variations, this exercises has you bring the weight across your body instead of straight up and down.
8. Seated Dumbbell Curl
98 mSCORESWAPPED 1,189 TIMESSimilar to other curls, this isolation exercise targets the biceps. The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for strength discrepancies between sides, as well as not restricting range of motion. Performing curls from a seated position also helps to prevent cheating by swaying your body to assist in raising the weight.
9. Concentration Curl
91.3 mSCORESWAPPED 1,100 TIMESConcentration Curl is an isolation exercise that targets the biceps with a high degree of focus. Seated with legs spread, you rest one arm against the same-side thigh and curl a dumbbell from a fully extended arm position to full contraction, keeping the elbow stationary. This position minimizes the involvement of other muscles, ensuring the bicep is fully engaged throughout the movement. Concentration Curls are effective for increasing bicep strength and enhancing muscle definition. They allow for precise form control and can help identify and correct imbalances between arms.
10. Incline Dumbbell Curl
95 mSCORESWAPPED 1,075 TIMESSimilar to other curls, this isolation exercise targets the biceps. The use of dumbbells helps to prevent compensating for discrepancies in strength between sides, while also giving you more freedom in your range of motion compared to equipment like barbells. By using an incline, you can also keep more tension on your biceps at the bottom of your range of motion which can help develop strength during that portion of the movement, as well as help you build muscle mass.