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Barbell Lying Preacher Curl
A biceps curl performed lying prone on a high bench so the hanging arms are fully braced, removing all body english from the curl.
ArmsBarbellElbow flexion
GoLightWeight mediabarbell-lying-preacher-curl
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Biceps brachii
Secondary
BrachialisBrachioradialisForearm flexors
Equipment
Barbell
Pattern
Elbow flexion
Setup
- 01Set a flat bench high enough that your arms hang straight without the bar touching the floor, or lie prone on an incline bench set near flat.
- 02Lie face down with the chest supported and head neutral.
- 03Grip the bar underhand at shoulder width.
- 04Let the arms hang vertically with elbows fully extended.
Execution
- 01Curl the bar up by bending the elbows while the upper arms stay vertical.
- 02Squeeze the biceps hard at the top of the curl.
- 03Lower the bar under control back to a full hang.
- 04Reset the elbows to full extension before the next rep.
Checkpoints
- -Chest stays glued to the bench pad throughout.
- -Upper arms hang vertical without swinging forward.
- -Elbows reach full extension at the bottom of every rep.
- -The bar moves only from elbow flexion, not shoulder movement.
Common mistakes
- -Swinging the upper arms to start the rep.
- -Lifting the chest off the bench to help the weight up.
- -Stopping short of full extension at the bottom.
- -Loading so heavy that the wrists bend back.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps; the strict position punishes heavy loads.
- -Slot it late in an arm session when cheating tendencies are highest.
- -A 2 to 3 second lowering phase increases the training effect at light loads.
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