Preacher curls dumbbell

Here we look at the benefits of perfoming Preacher Curls with a dumbbell

I am a big fan of preacher curls BTW. To me they are probably the best isolation exercise for building strenght in the arms and developing the overal arm (not just biceps, but forearms and grip strength as well)

The preacher curl bench is named after the exercise's resemblance to a preacher delivering a sermon from a pulpit, with the user's arms positioned on the angled pad like a preacher's forearms resting on the base. The exercise is popular among bodybuilders, gym bros and weightlifters alike for building strong and well defined biceps.

Lets look at a step-by-step guide on how to perform preacher curls:

1. Begin by adjusting the preacher curl bench to the appropriate height for your body. I cannot stress how critical this is. As a complete isolation exercise, performing the preacher curl with icoorect posture could royally muck up your arms. The bench should be set up so that your armpits are comfortably resting on the top of the bench while your feet are firmly planted on the ground.
2. Select a dumbbells of a weight that you can comfortably lift for the desired number of repetitions.Do not ego lift with this exercise. Again, I stres that this is an isolation exercise and hence you dont need heavy weights at the beginning and even at an intermediary level. Concentrate on reps performed and slowly increase the weight over a few weeks.
3. Grab the dumbbells with an underhand grip, meaning your palms should be facing upwards.
4. Position your upper arms against the sloping pad of the preacher curl bench so that your elbows are fully extended and your armpits are resting on the pad.
5. Slowly lift the weight towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows and upper arms stationary. Your forearms should be the only part of your arms moving during this exercise. This is the movement that leads to the isolation of the biceps. Another tip here would be to curl the wrists at the top part of the lift. This increases tension at the biceps.
6. Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the weight back down to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

What are the benefits?

1. Isolation of the biceps: Preacher curls with dumbbells allow for greater isolation of the biceps because they require you to stabilize the weight throughout the exercise, which can lead to a more intense contraction of the muscle. This is beneficial for anyone looking to build bigger, more defined biceps.
2. Greater range of motion: The preacher curl bench allows you to stabilize your arms while performing the curl, and using dumbbells can increase the range of motion compared to using a barbell or machine. A larger range of motion means more stress on the biceps, which can help you to develop better muscle mass and strength.
3. Better grip strength: When performing preacher curls with dumbbells, you must stabilize the weight in your hand throughout the exercise. This can help to improve grip strength, which is important for many other exercises and daily activities.
4. Reduced strain on wrists: Using dumbbells for preacher curls can help reduce strain on the wrists because the weight is distributed more evenly across your hand. Additionally, a neutral grip on the dumbbells can be more comfortable than a pronated grip on a straight bar, which can cause wrist pain in some people. Also, people dont realise that the bar itself adds a lot of weight while doing the exercise with a barbell.
5. Versatility: Dumbbells are a versatile piece of equipment, and using them for preacher curls allows you to easily adjust the weight used for the exercise. This makes it a great option for people of all fitness levels, from beginners to advanced athletes. Theoritically, you can do this in any kind of gym.

Here are a couple of links to further resources on preacher curls with dumbbells:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vngli9UR6Hw
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoCWeUBA0Gs