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Dumbbell Zottman Preacher Curl
A preacher curl that rotates from palms-up on the lift to palms-down on the descent, training biceps and forearms strictly.
ArmsDumbbellElbow flexion
Primary
Biceps brachiiBrachioradialis
Secondary
BrachialisWrist extensors
Equipment
Dumbbell
Pattern
Elbow flexion
Setup
- 01Sit at a preacher bench holding two dumbbells.
- 02Rest the upper arms flat on the pad.
- 03Start with arms extended, palms facing up.
- 04Set the chest against the pad.
Execution
- 01Curl the dumbbells up with palms facing up.
- 02Rotate the palms down at the top.
- 03Lower slowly with the palms-down grip.
- 04Rotate back to palms-up at the bottom.
Checkpoints
- -Upper arms stay glued to the pad all rep.
- -The rotation happens only at the top and bottom.
- -The lowering phase takes 3 or more seconds.
- -Arms reach near-full extension without lifting off the pad.
Common mistakes
- -Lifting the elbows off the pad at the top.
- -Rotating mid-range instead of at the endpoints.
- -Dropping the palms-down phase too fast.
- -Going too heavy for the reverse-grip lowering.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps with light dumbbells.
- -The pad removes cheating, so expect less load than standing Zottmans.
- -Progress by lengthening the eccentric before adding weight.
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