How to do an Incline EZ-Bar Curl
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About this exercise
- Sets Logged
- 559,660
- Popularity Rank
- 228th
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Biceps Strength
- 89 mSCORE 14th
- Equipment Required
EZ Bar
Incline Bench
Workouts with Incline EZ-Bar Curl
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Similar to other curls, this isolation exercise targets the biceps. The use of an EZ-Bar adds some stability to the movement, and can give you a more comfortable grip. Leaning forward into the incline bench can help you maintain tension in your biceps at the top of the movement as well as prevent you from swaying in order to assist in raising the weight.
- Adjust the angle and position yourself face down on an incline bench such that the middle of our chest is in line or just above the top of the padding.
- Grasp the EZ-bar in both hands with your palms facing up. The bench should be between you and the weight.
- Slowly allow the weight to descend into the starting position such that your arms are directly beneath your shoulders.
- Contract your biceps to raise the weight while keeping your elbows under the shoulder.
- Tense your biceps and hold this position for a moment at the top of the movement.
- Maintain good posture by keeping your elbows locked in place beneath your shoulders and the balls of your feet firmly planted on the ground for support.
- You should feel this exercise in your biceps.
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 Incline EZ-Bar 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.
- beginner8reps25lbs1 Rep Max30lbs
- intermediate8reps30lbs40lbs
- advanced8reps35lbs45lbs
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Alternatives & Variations to Incline EZ-Bar Curl
1. Hammer Curls
99.2 mSCORESWAPPED 9,457 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.
2. EZ-Bar Curl
98.1 mSCORESWAPPED 9,358 TIMESSimilar to other curls, this isolation exercise targets the biceps. The use of an EZ-Bar adds some stability to the movement when compared to equipment like dumbbells. This added stability means you can focus more on exertion than stability, and is a great way to develop strength. Additionally, the EZ-Bar allows for a more comfortable grip than a barbell, as well as allows your wrist to rotate slightly which can lead to better activation of the biceps.
3. Preacher Curl
95.9 mSCORESWAPPED 7,620 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.
4. Dumbbell Bicep Curl
99.6 mSCORESWAPPED 6,206 TIMESThis exercise is one of the most common isolation, biceps exercises out there. Dumbbells help prevent compensating for strength imbalances, as well as allows plenty of freedom in your range of motion. This is a staple exercise in most workouts, and is a great way to build strength and muscle mass in your biceps.
5. Cross Body Hammer Curls
95.4 mSCORESWAPPED 5,981 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.
6. Barbell Curl
98.5 mSCORESWAPPED 5,662 TIMESAs with other curls, this isolation exercise targets the biceps. The use of a barbell adds more stability to this movement, and somewhat restricts your range of motion. This added stability means you can focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement. This is a great variation for helping you build strength in your biceps.
7. Cable Bicep Curl
94.9 mSCORESWAPPED 5,402 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.
8. Incline Dumbbell Curl
95 mSCORESWAPPED 4,581 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.
9. Machine Bicep Curl
93.1 mSCORESWAPPED 4,423 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.
10. Seated Dumbbell Curl
98 mSCORESWAPPED 4,266 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.