12 Preacher Curl Alternatives (+2 preacher curl variations)
Preacher Curls are so popular that we give up valuable gym space to a big piece of equipment that is literally used for one thing and one thing only… to do Preacher Curls.
However, what if you don’t have a preacher curl bench in your gym? You might need to find an alternative to Preacher Curls.
Well, you’re in the right place. First, I’m going to give you a couple of variations that might still allow you to do Preacher Curls or at least a very close modification.
Then I’ll give you 11 of my favorite biceps exercises that can replace Preacher Curls in a workout. I have exercises using all kinds of different equipment – barbell, dumbbells and even resistance bands.
No matter what you have to work with, you’ll be able to find an alternative to Preacher Curls that works for you.
Preacher Curl Variations
Use an Adjustable Bench
If you don’t have a preacher curl bench, there is a way to still do Preacher Curls with an adjustable bench. Simply incline your adjustable bench up, stand behind it, grab your bar and place your triceps on the bench.
If the bench isn’t wide enough to be able to fit both your arms on it, you can also switch to dumbbells and lift with one arm at a time.
Finally, if your bench doesn’t adjust, try just placing your elbows toward one side of a flat bench. This doesn’t work quite as well, but it will keep your elbows in a fixed position while you curl.
Back Against the Wall
Another option you can try out is to put your back against the wall. You can use a barbell, curl bar or even dumbbells.
Putting your back against the wall will prevent you from being able to slide your elbows back while you curl. This will give you a very similar effect to a preacher curl bench.
Preacher Curl Alternatives
Barbell Curls
Equipment Needed
- Barbell
How To
- Stand tall, back straight, head up, feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the barbell with both hands, palms up (supinated grip).
- Start with the bar at arm’s length against the upper thighs.
- Curl the bar up towards the shoulders until the forearms touch the biceps.
- Keep upper elbows close to the side.
- Lower the bar back to starting position using the same path.
- Continue until all reps are completed.
Coaching Points
By far the most common mistake with any curl exercise, but perhaps even more so with Barbell Curls is swinging and rocking in an attempt to lift more weight. If you need to swing the bar, use momentum or generally contort your body to move the weight, it’s too heavy. Lower the weight and use proper form.
21s
Equipment Needed
- Barbell (Curl Bar will also work great if you have one)
How To
- Grab a bar – either a barbell or a curl bar – with a supinated (palms up) grip.
- Have a partner place their hand at the bottom of your sternum.
- Now curl the bar up to your partner’s palm, lightly tapping it each rep. This should equate to about half a full rep.
- Once you’ve completed seven reps, curl the bar all the way to the shoulders.
- Your partner should now flip their hand over, palm facing up.
- Now lower the bar down, lightly tap your partner’s palm again, and curl back up. This should equate to about half (the top half now) a full rep.
- Once you’ve completed seven reps, have your partner remove their hand and lower the bar back to your thighs.
- Finish the set of 21s with seven full reps – all the way up and down.
Coaching Points
First, a word of advice to the “partner”. Always have your palm facing the bar because if the lifter loses control of the rep and whacks the back of your hand it hurts. Trust me on that one.
If you don’t have a partner for 21s, use a mirror. If you don’t have a partner or a mirror, just make your best estimation of ‘halfway’. At the end of the day, you’re still going to be doing 21 reps. It’s going to burn.
Band Curls
Equipment Needed
- Resistance Band – Advanced athletes will generally use a Green Band. Beginner-level athletes might use a blue or even a red band.
Instructions
- Grab a resistance band, place one foot ‘inside’ the band and stand on it.
- Now, slide your hands ‘inside’ the band on the opposite end.
- Grip the resistance band shoulder-width apart with your palms facing up (supinated).
- Curl up by flexing the biceps, keeping the elbows tucked close to the sides.
- Squeeze hard at the top of the rep and then slowly lower back to the starting position.
- Once you start the set, try to maintain constant tension on the band. Don’t let the resistance band go slack at the bottom of the rep.
Coaching Points
There are two easy ways you can adjust the tension of the band to make Band Curls harder or easier.
First, stand on the band with two feet instead of one. The wider your stance, the more difficult the curls will be.
The other is to grip lower on the band. Instead of gripping all the way at the end of the band, choke up on the band similar to a baseball player choking up on a bat.
Buddy Curls
Equipment Needed
- Barbell
- Weight Plates
How To
- Grab a partner and a barbell.
- Stand facing your partner, barbell in hand.
- Perform 1 Barbell Curl and then hand the bar to your partner.
- Have your partner do 1 curl and hand the bar back to you.
- Now, do 2 Barbell Curls and hand the bar back to your partner.
- Continue adding one rep to each set, handing the bar back and forth.
- Once you both do a set of 8 reps, begin working your way back down to 1 rep.
- Do not set the bar down until every rep of every set has been completed.
Coaching Points
Just to be clear, the reps of each set should look like: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 for a total of 64 reps each.
You will not need very much weight at all on the bar (or even any weight at all).
The key is to not set the bar down until all reps are complete. Yes, your forearms will be on absolute fire along the way. Expect it. Enjoy it.
Don’t have a partner for Buddy Curls? No worries. Sit the bar down between every set and count 1 second for each rep.
Concentration Curls
Equipment Needed
- Flat Bench (although almost any kind of chair or box that you can sit on will work)
- Dumbbells
Instructions
- Start in a seated position on the edge of a bench, knees bent with feet flat on the ground slightly wider than shoulder width.
- Hold a dumbbell in the right hand, lean slightly forward and rest the right elbow on the inside of the right thigh.
- Now, curl the dumbbell up to shoulder level by flexing the biceps. Palm should finish up, facing the shoulder.
- Squeeze the biceps at the top of the rep and then lower back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps and then switch to the other side.
Coaching Points
The biggest mistake I see with Concentration Curls is bad technique stemming from trying to use too much weight. If you need to swing the dumbbells or contort and twist your body to curl the weight up – it’s too heavy. Lower the weight and use proper form.
Spider Curls
Spider Curls are a unique curl exercise that, like Preacher Curls, do a great job at isolating the biceps and removing momentum from the movement.
Equipment Needed
- Barbell (EZ Curl Bar will also work)
- Adjustable Bench
Muscles Worked
- Biceps
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Load a barbell with your desired weight and place it in front of the bench. (Make sure you’ll be able to reach it)
- Lay on the bench facing down and reach forward to grab it with an underhand grip, keeping your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Position yourself with your head hanging off the edge of the bench, arms hanging straight down.
- Engage your core, keep your back straight, and curl the barbell up.
- Keep your elbows stationary (don’t swing) as you lift the bar. Your upper arms should remain perpendicular to the floor.
- Pause for a second at the top, then slowly lower the bar back down to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Coaching Points
Make sure to keep your elbows stationary throughout the movement, with your upper arms perpendicular to the floor. Avoid any swinging or jerking motions and maintain control throughout the exercise. Use a weight that allows you to maintain proper form, even as you fatigue (except maybe that last 1 or 2 reps).
Hammer Curls
Hammer Curls are one of the best exercises you can do to focus on the brachioradialis. They’re a great alternative for any biceps curls including Preacher Curls.
Equipment Needed
- Dumbbells
Instructions
- Start standing with feet flat on the ground about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand and stand tall with good posture.
- Start with palms facing in toward the body.
- Now, curl both dumbbells up to shoulder level by flexing the biceps. Palms should finish still facing one another. Do not rotate the palm up.
- Squeeze the biceps at the top of the rep and then lower back down to the starting position.
Coaching Points
The biggest mistake I see with Hammer Curls is swinging the dumbbells at the bottom of the rep. Lower the weights down under control and do not swing them at the bottom.
The other mistake I see usually comes when an athlete is trying to use too much weight. Instead of keeping the elbow in place at their side, they allow the elbow to drift back behind the torso which turns the movement into more of a row than a curl.
Cable Curls
I don’t know if I’ve ever done a hotel workout that didn’t involve Cable Curls. If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have much more than a universal machine to work with, Cable Curls are a great option.
Equipment Needed
- Pulley Machine
Muscles Worked
- Biceps (Biceps Brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Slide the pin to the bottom of the cable machine.
- Hook your favorite curl attachment – the short straight bar and the rope are both great options.
- Grab the attachment and stand about a half step away from the machine – just enough room where you won’t hit it as you curl.
- Stand tall with good posture and a slight bend in the knee.
- Flex the biceps and curl the attachment up towards the shoulders, squeezing the biceps at the top of the movement.
- Lower back to the starting position under control.
- Continue until all reps are completed and then gently lower the attachment back down to the floor.
Coaching Points
Don’t just let the attachment go at the end of your set and allow the attachment to go flying and slam back into the machine. This will obviously tear the machine up. It astonishes me that people would disrespect equipment like that, but unfortunately, I see it happen all the time.
As for the actual technique of Cable Curls, the biggest mistake I see (as with almost all curls) is lifters using too much weight and then swinging and rocking the weight up. If you need to contort your upper body to curl the weight, it’s too heavy. Lower the weight and go back to using proper form.
Seated Dumbbell Curl
Sometimes the simplest answer is best. Seated Dumbbell Curls probably aren’t an exercise that’s new to you, but they’re definitely effective.
Equipment Needed
- Flat Bench (although almost any kind of chair or box that you can sit on will work)
- Dumbbells
Instructions
- Start in a seated position on the edge of a bench, knees bent with feet flat on the ground about hip-width apart.
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand and sit tall with good posture. (Raising an adjustable bench to 90 degrees can help with this)
- You can start with palms facing forward or facing in toward the body.
- Now, curl both dumbbells up to shoulder level by flexing the biceps hard. Palms should finish up, facing the shoulder.
- Squeeze the biceps at the top of the rep and then lower back down to the starting position.
Coaching Points
The biggest mistake I see with Seated Dumbbell Curls is swinging the dumbbells at the bottom of the rep. Lower the weights down under control and do not swing them at the bottom.
The other mistake I see usually comes when an athlete is trying to use too much weight. Instead of keeping the elbow, they allow the elbow to drift back which turns the movement into more of a row than a curl.
Reverse Curl
Want a Preacher Curl alternative that emphasizes the forearms as well as the biceps? Check out Barbell Reverse Curls.
Equipment Needed
- Barbell
- Weight Plates
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Stand tall, back straight, head up, feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the barbell with both hands, palms down (pronated grip).
- Start with the bar at arm’s length against the upper thighs.
- Curl the bar up towards the shoulders until the forearms touch the biceps.
- Keep upper elbows close to the side.
- Lower the bar back to starting position using the same path.
- Continue until all reps are completed.
Coaching Points
You’ll most likely need to use less weight for Reverse Curls than you would normally use for barbell curls. The wrist extensors will be the limiting factor here that will dictate how much weight you’re able to use.
By far the most common mistake with any curl exercise, but perhaps even more so with barbell curls is swinging and rocking in an attempt to lift more weight. If you need to swing the bar, use momentum or generally contort your body to move the weight, it’s too heavy. Lower the weight and use proper form.
Zottman Curls
Equipment Needed
- Dumbbells
How To
- Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand.
- Curl both dumbbells up to shoulder height with palms up.
- Now, rotate the forearms so that palms face down and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Rotate the forearms again, back to palms up, and curl up again.
- Continue this pattern until all reps are completed.
Coaching Points
Zottman Curls are an excellent curl variation that heavily incorporates the forearms. Curling the concentric portion with palms up allows for more weight to be able to be used to then overly stress the forearms on the eccentric.
Focus on the eccentric portion of the lift. The tempo of Zottman Curls should include at least a 3-second eccentric (on the way down).
Chin-Ups
Chin-Ups aren’t the typical curl exercise you would probably expect as a Preacher Curl alternative, but perhaps you should be. The supinated grip brings the biceps into play much more than a regular Pull-up. If you’re wanting to grow your biceps I’d highly recommend incorporating some Chin-ups into your training.
Equipment Needed
- Pull Up Bar (Either as part of a rack or a wall-mounted bar)
Optional Equipment for Modifications
- Weight belt (For weighted variations)
- Resistance Band (To assist in completing the pull-up or doing more repetitions with full range of motion).
- Partner (To assist in getting your chin over the bar)
Step-by-Step Instruction
- Approach the pull-up bar and grab the bar with a supinated grip (palms facing toward you).
- Use a bench to get to the bar if it is too high.
- Squeeze the bar and engage the core muscles and do not cross your legs.
- Engage the upper back and pull up until your chin is over the bar.
- Pause for 1 second with your chin over the bar.
- Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.
- Repeat until all reps are completed.
Coaching Points
By far the biggest mistake I see in the Chin-Up is lifters not using a full range of motion. Hang all the way down and maintain great tension through the shoulders and abdomen (DO NOT JUST HANG IN THE BOTTOM). Pull all the way up and do not whip your head so that your chin barely makes it over the bar.
Final Thoughts
You should never have to worry about not being able to get a workout in because of a lack of equipment. There are always alternatives out there for any exercise, including Preacher Curls.
I hope one of these Preacher Curl alternatives ends up being a perfect fit to use in your workout. If I’m lucky, maybe I even introduced you to a new biceps exercise that ends up being one of your favorites.
At least, of course, until the next time you’ve got access to a preacher curl bench. Then it’s time to enjoy some glorious Preacher Curls.
