To achieve a sharp biceps peak, the traditional exercises may not be enough.
You need exercises like the dumbbell preacher curl, which targets your biceps in unique ways.
This exercise offers several benefits for your arm muscles and is particularly effective for isolating your biceps.
Adding it to your routine can help you develop a more defined upper body.
What Muscles Does Dumbbell Preacher Curl Work
The preacher curl is a standout exercise for building impressive arm muscles.
With the support of the preacher bench, it hones in on your biceps and other essential muscle groups.
This exercise primarily targets two key muscles: the biceps brachii and the brachialis, both located on the inner side of your arm.
These muscles play a significant role in adding size to your upper arm.
Additionally, as you perform the movement, you engage the brachioradialis, which is located on the outer forearm.
Strengthening this muscle not only boosts grip strength but also enhances arm flexibility.
How to Do Dumbbell Preacher Curl
Equipment: Pair of Dumbbells
Grip: Supinated Grip
Primary Muscle Work: Biceps Brachii, Brachialis
Instructions
- Adjust the preacher bench so that its pad is at the level of your armpits.
- Sit on the bench with your legs shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your back straight.
- Lift the dumbbells upwards, ensuring your arms stay shoulder-width apart until they reach the top.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
Benefits of the Dumbbell Preacher Curl
The dumbbell preacher curl offers numerous benefits, but here are the important ones you should know.
Bicep Isolation
The more you squeeze, the more your biceps grow.
The growth of your biceps depends on more than just lifting weights; it also depends on how effectively you contract your muscles.
Biceps exercises are tailored to engage and contract these muscles.
Some studies suggest that focusing on the contraction during each repetition can lead to muscle hypertrophy or growth. In simpler terms, continuously squeezing your muscles throughout each repetition can give your biceps a boost in growth. [1]
With the dumbbell preacher curl, you can work each arm separately, which means you have more control over how hard you squeeze your biceps. This squeezing action is crucial for maximizing the growth of your biceps.
Reduced Risk of Cheating
The seated position and preacher pad prevent you from swinging the weight or using momentum throughout the movement. This encourages a sticker form and neutral position, which forces your biceps to do most of the work and minimizes the involvement of other muscle groups.
Reduced Stress on Lower Back
The use of dumbbells for preacher curls minimizes strain on your lower back compared to using a barbell, which can sometimes strain your back slightly. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with pre-existing back issues or for those who want to prioritize a lower-back-friendly bicep exercise.
By minimizing back strain, you can focus more on the exercise itself rather than worrying about discomfort in your back. This can help you stay more engaged and active throughout your workout without getting tired easily.
Common Mistakes
Errors are frequent in the world of exercise, but they can be avoided if you know the correct techniques.
Improper Bench Set Up
The main objective of the preacher curl is the bench set up; without the proper set up, your exercise won’t be effective.
It’s crucial to adjust the pad so that your arms can comfortably rest on it.
If you’re forced to bend your body or if your entire arm doesn’t rest on the pad, it could lead to strain on your shoulders and back.
By getting the setup just right, you can maximize the effectiveness of the preacher curl and target your biceps more effectively.
Reducing Range of Motion
Performing the preacher curl through its full range of motion offers several valuable benefits.
By completing the entire movement, you can maximize tension on your biceps, which promotes muscle growth.
Additionally, engaging in a full range of motion also helps strengthen your elbow joint, enhancing its stability and durability over time.
To reap these advantages, it’s essential not to lift the dumbbells without ensuring they touch the pad at the bottom of each repetition.
Using Too Much Weight
Since each of your arms works independently during the preacher curl, unlike with a barbell, heavy weights aren’t suitable for this exercise.
The preacher bench is positioned in a specific way, and using heavy weights can make lifting challenging. This can lead to strain on your biceps muscles and cause your body to move improperly, which shouldn’t happen while you’re seated.
However, there’s a solution for those who love heavy lifting: progressive overload with mindfulness. This means gradually increasing the weight you lift while being attentive to your form and technique, allowing you to challenge your muscles safely and effectively over time.
Dumbbell Preacher Curl Pro Tips
- Peak Performance: Pause for a second at the top of the curl when your biceps are fully contracted. This emphasizes the peak contraction and maximizes muscle engagement.
- Controlled Lowering: Don’t let the weight drop down after the curl. Slowly lower the dumbbells with control, maintaining tension on the biceps throughout the entire rep.
Alternatives and Variations
- Single-arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl
- Zottman Preacher Curl
- Dumbbell Curl
- Barbell Preacher Curl
Single-arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl
When it comes to dumbbell preacher curls, one standout variation is the single-arm preacher curl. This exercise is done standing with one hand, which intensifies your focus on the movement since you’re using just one hand at a time.
Unlike the seated preacher curl, this variation primarily targets your biceps, with secondary muscle engagement from the brachialis and brachioradialis.
Despite its seemingly straightforward nature, many lifters struggle to perform this exercise correctly.
Common mistakes include placing the hand on the bench, failing to touch the armpits to the pad, having loose shoulders, resting too heavily on the bench, and curling all the way up.
Ignoring these mistakes while performing the exercise may result in some bicep activation, but it won’t yield the desired results.
Zottman Preacher Curl
The Zottman preacher curl is a variation of the dumbbell preacher curl that offers good muscle activation for bicep growth.
It involves a twist at the top and an underhand grip, which target various arm muscles like the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis. This exercise is great for overall arm development.
However, it requires careful attention to hand movement to ensure proper execution.
With practice and consistency, the Zottman preacher curl can become a valuable addition to your arm-day routine.
Dumbbell Curl
The dumbbell curl is a classic and effective exercise for building strong biceps.
It’s a simple movement that only requires a pair of dumbbells and proper form to activate your biceps effectively.
This exercise primarily targets the biceps brachii, including both heads, while also engaging muscles like the brachialis and brachioradialis.
By squeezing your biceps as hard as possible during the movement, you can increase muscle activation and promote muscle growth.
Barbell Preacher Curl
The barbell preacher curl has been a staple in the fitness world for a long time, and for good reason.
Many lifters prefer this variation because it offers numerous benefits for your muscles.
It’s an exercise that isolates your biceps brachii and other arm muscles like the brachialis and brachioradialis.
Give this effective exercise a try, and you’ll see the results for yourself.
Reference
- Schoenfeld BJ, Vigotsky A, Contreras B, Golden S, Alto A, Larson R, Winkelman N, Paoli A. Differential effects of attentional focus strategies during long-term resistance training. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018 Jun;18(5):705-712. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2018.1447020. Epub 2018 Mar 13. PMID: 29533715.
