Preacher Curls - How to do them??

[Gladiola]

Ok, I know the preacher curl pad & all... in theory I know how to do them, but I HATE them!

Now that I have a training partner, I'm trying more new things & I did them last night. He & I both felt like the bicep was working only at a one small point through the range of motion. It was difficult intitally to get the bar up the first few inches, then the rest of the way was nothing. We both felt standing ez-bar curls worked the muscle more.

I also always feel like they painfully SQUASH my triceps.

Is this normal? Any tips for how I can do this exercise effectively?

This post is what prompted me to try them again after probably a year:
http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49962&highlight=biceps

 

[PlateheadJim]

PREACHER CURLS ARE AWESOME

Believe me, don't buy the BS about standing curls - EMG studies show they are not even close to Pcurls. I've upped my guns to 16 1/2" (I'm only 197 pounds/5'8" so that's not bad at all) via intense preachers.

How to do a preacher correctly:

- Lean forward putting your body into the pad, move your feet back - behind you (most people don't do this). This takes your front deltoids mostly out of this and makes it much more intense.

- Do drop sets

- Try alternating grips between each set - I do this - close grip (as most people do) and wide grip - awesome results

- Make sure you're drooling when you finish

- consider verying the weight - no pyramid/reverse pyramid but go high - med - low back & forth between low reps (about 4) to high reps (about 10)

Also my wife started these thanks to my annoying pestering 3 months ago and she's already made significant progress.

Usually I almost feel (almost) like crying and asking for my mommy when doing them.

 

[Gladiola]

Thanks! That's helpful!

One question... do you or your wife ever feel like your tris are squashed & it hurts?

Hey, I the pain where it's supposed to be - but something hurting that I'm not working & isn't supposed to hurt annoys me!

 

[PlateheadJim]

Tri's Squashed

Probably crushing your Tri's because your leaning back when curling vs forward. Most people lean back on Preacher Curls which isn't correct form. If you lean forward you'll put more weight against your chest (pressing into the pad) and your arms will be better positioned to reduce tricep stress. Also try keeping your elbows in when curling - don't let them spread out.

See if this helps!

 

[Temple]

just started doing these and I love them other than the crying part and the next day part. The DH has me get the weight up off the rack a bit before settleing into position, keep the elbows in and lean forward like he said.

 

[Gladiola]

Temple - what's "DH"?

OK - so If I'm leaning forward - is my butt sitting on the seat or am I either only resting (only some weight on the seat) or totally off the seat?

I really want to be sure to get this right, thanks!

 

[Temple]

DH = dear husband or damn husband depending on the day.
Somebody else needs to do the form description because I don't want to not describe it right and mess you up.

 

[PlateheadJim]

OK - so If I'm leaning forward - is my butt sitting on the seat or am I either only resting (only some weight on the seat) or totally off the seat?

Hopefully the Pcurl will have a seat that can adjust enough so your still sitting - I've used some where I have to lean over with my butt up in the air - works, just not as comfortable.

 

[hookdup]

Perfect post for me and just in time.
I have found exercises for all my body parts that give me a good workout (read good burn) except biceps.
I've been doing incline curls, but I can't get the weight up and I feel like every time I try to go heavier, I start using momentum to move the weight, which I know is wrong so I go to the lower weight for good form ... but then there's no burn.
Tomorrow morning I'm working my arms so:
Preacher curls here I come!!!

 

[NY Muscle]

if you really want to work the biceps and get a wicked pump, take the preacher bench and lean against the side that you normally hang your arms over, the little incline pad, so that you are facing the opposite way....your chest will be resting on the pad and you hang over and curl where you would normally sit. i only do these type of preacher curls, they wrok great/