The Close Grip EZ Bar Curl is a highly effective exercise that specifically targets the arms, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to tone.
They should try this out. One of the most common modifications to the conventional Ez bar exercise that the populace of fitness gurus and bodybuilders has embraced.
Close grip curl exercise employs a specially carved-out EZ bar, and better hand placement makes this exercise effective in enhancing arm mass and general upper body strength.
It’s time you learned why the Close Grip EZ Bar Curl has been a popular addition to most workouts.
Benefits
Three key benefits of the close grip Ez bar curl you should know.
Enhanced Inner Bicep Focus
The Close Grip EZ Bar Curl thus has several advantages that make it a wise inclusion whenever one aspires to engage in an arm-baring exercise.
First, the close grip puts more stress on the inner area of the biceps, which is good for achieving the peak and general muscle texture.
Such a technique may provide better bicep-symmetrical participation than regular curls.
Wrist-Friendly
The exercise using the EZ bar in the Close Grip EZ Bar Curl involves less strain on the wrist, which is normally felt when using straight bar curls.
This design of the handles makes it possible to achieve a more natural position of the wrist relative to the rest of the forearm; thus, the exercise is more comfortable and safer for the wrist than conventional handles.
It is especially helpful for people with wrist pain or anyone wishing to protect their wrists as their muscles move forward.
Improves Grip Strength
Close Grip EZ Bar Curl is great for building the grip strength of your barbell.
Some of the musculature closeness of the hand position works out your forearm and fingers’ muscles to give improved grip strength that can be applied to similar exercises or even other daily activities.
The grip strength used in rock climbing to hold on to the wall’s surface can come in handy for climbers and anyone who has to open a stubborn jar.
Muscles Worked
The Close Grip EZ Bar Curl focuses on the biceps brachii, the part of the arms that many people exercise to achieve more defined muscles.
But this exercise continues. It also pins the brachialis, a muscle in the arm that is situated under the biceps, and assists in making the arm thicker, though not longer.
Also, the brachioradialis in the forearm is heavily engaged during the close grip EZ bar curl.
These muscles are directly involved in day-to-day activities, including sports, games, and other activities.
Cubital muscles help pick and lift objects, and well-developed biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis muscles help develop the strength required in our arms and the stability of the arm joints.
Even though the Close Grip EZ Bar Curl isolates these muscles and lets you build more eye-catching muscles, you can also strengthen the muscles you use in your everyday life.
How to Do Close Grip Ez Bar Curl
Equipment: Ez Bar
Grip: Supinated Grip w/ 6 inches apart
Primary Muscle Work: Biceps Brachii (long head)
How to Do
- The starting position is with the feet parallel and shoulder width apart, and the EZ bar is gripped closely, underhand.
- Do not let your elbows move out; your upper arms will flail during the dance.
- You bend at the elbow, bringing the bar down to the shoulders and emphasizing the biceps.
- It is recommended that one stop momentarily at the peak of the movement.
- After you touch the ground, gradually bring the bar back to its original position.
Common Mistakes
Although the Close Grip EZ Bar Curl is quite an effective exercise, several errors can be made, limiting the potential for development and possibly causing some injury.
Let’s examine three of these errors and how to avoid them:
Using Momentum
Attributable to swinging is one of the most common errors: sweeping the body to lift the weight.
This decreases the pressure on the biceps, and the wrong spine positioning might cause acute lower back pain.
To prevent this, trying to pin your upper arms while performing the movement and tightening your abdominal muscles is recommended.
Swinging shows that the weight could be a problem; it is time to lower the weight if you are swinging.
Remember that perfect form is better than the number of pounds on barbells in muscle building and preventing muscle injuries.
Incorrect Grip Width
Some people must correct when they perform close grip, leading to unwanted wrist stress.
Conversely, a grip that’s too wide cancels out the advantages of the close grip version of the exercise.
In proper grip positioning, your hands should be inside your shoulder width, and during the curl, the bar should be touching your arms.
This position ensures that the bicep is put to work, but the joints, which can be easily overworked, are left out of the equation.
Incomplete Range of Motion
The third mistake that needs to be avoided in the Close Grip EZ Bar Curl is partial reps.
Some lifters perform the lift and do not lower the bar to the required position or lift the bar to chest level only.
This robs you of the gains that are associated with the particular exercise.
To make every rep optimal, take the bar to a point when the arms are fully straight and then curl the bar to the point where the biceps are fully contracted.
Manage to return to the initial/beginning position, starting with a descent.
Its full range of motion will enable all the muscle fibers to be contracted or recruited to their full potential for growth.
Variations
- Seated Close Grip EZ Bar Curl
- Close Grip EZ Bar Preacher Curl
Seated Close Grip EZ Bar Curl
The seated close grip curl is a great option to grow your biceps.
During the movement, the biceps engage more than any other muscle.
Removing the component where the body’s momentum is employed further restricts the biceps.
Specifically, it is very helpful to those performing strict formwork or returning from a lower-body ailment.
Close Grip EZ Bar Preacher Curl
You should use a preacher bench to support your arms during the curl.
Using the preacher bench helps place extra stress on the biceps in the lowest position during the lift and ensures proper form.
It is particularly good for the extending part of the biceps and the general circumference of the arms.
Absorbing these variations into your schedule will ensure that you do not hit a point of hibernation and boredom when it comes to your biceps.
To prevent muscle adaptation, use the standard Close Grip EZ Bar Preacher Curl and these variations one after the other every few weeks.
Alternatives
Dumbbell Hammer Curl
The hammer curl means that you bend your elbow and bring the weights towards your shoulders while keeping your upper arms fixed.
Unlike ordinary curls, the hammer curl concentrates on the brachialis and brachioradialis more effectively than the Close Grip EZ Bar Curl.
The exercise can benefit you with balanced muscle growth as you use dumbbells and move your arms accordingly.
Ez Bar Concentration Curl
Concentration curls are similar to the Close Grip EZ Bar Curl in that they also help build biceps while providing diversity to your exercise regimen.
They can be especially effective if you can’t use the EZ bar or wish to concentrate on unilateral arm training.
Hold a dumbbell with one hand and sit on a bench; place your elbow on your inner thigh and flex your forearm.
This isolation exercise for the upper appendage enables the beefing up of the biceps separately to harmonize them and enable peak contraction.
Conclusion
The Close Grip EZ Bar Curl is another reliable and quite versatile biceps exerciser that improves general forearm bulk and strength.
Thus, knowing the right way of performing the exercise, the mistakes to avoid, and the available variations and alternatives, this exercise will bring out the best results when included in the workout regime.
Remember that to achieve visible progress, it is necessary to be as consistent as possible and follow the correct technique.
It is a great exercise for everyone, from first-timers to lifting gurus, and should form an important part of your arm day.
Before you go for the Close Grip EZ Bar Curl workout routine, take protein-rich foods, such as chicken breast, lean beef, eggs, and Greek yogurt, to build muscles or aid muscle recovery.
Also, remember that you should consume enough water and give your muscles some time to recover if you have set several fitness sessions during the day.
Thus, the Close Grip EZ Bar Curl exercise should be included in every routine to get big arms and a stronger upper body.
So pick up that EZ bar, concentrate on that all-important form, and goodbye, non-bicep-peaked arms!
FAQs
How does the close grip ez bar curl differ from the traditional barbell curls exercise?
Close Grip EZ Bar Curls can also focus more on the inner part of the biceps since the handlebars of the EZ bar are angled; these exercises do not strain the wrist as much.
Can Close Grip EZ Bar Curls work out the forearms?
Though primarily a bicep exercise, Close Grip EZ Bar Curls work the forearms to some extent, specifically the brachioradialis, which will also thicken your forearms.
Featured image by iStock edited by SA
