Exercise · Arms · One side at a time

Dumbbell preacher curl

The dumbbell preacher curl isolates your biceps with the back of your arm resting on the preacher bench. It’s a solid way to feel your biceps work without swinging your back. It works for most levels, as long as you control the lowering phase and respect your own range of motion.

Biceps
Forearms

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The essentials

Back of your arm flat on the pad.
Do all reps on one side, then switch.

Muscles worked

Front

Back

Primary: Biceps
Secondary: Forearms

How to do it

Set up on the preacher bench with your feet flat on the floor, chest against the pad, and a dumbbell in one hand, palm facing up.
Place the back of your arm flat on the pad, from just below the shoulder down to the elbow, without letting the arm float.
Start with your arm almost straight, without aggressively locking the elbow, the dumbbell under the pad in line with your shoulder.
Breathe in, then bend your elbow to curl the dumbbell toward your shoulder, keeping the back of your arm glued to the pad, taking about 1 to 2 seconds to come up.
Squeeze your biceps at the top without lifting your shoulder or letting your elbow drift, then lower the dumbbell in 2 to 3 seconds until you’re almost back at the starting position.
Do all your reps on one side, then switch arms and repeat with the same position and control cues.

Common mistakes

Letting the arm lift off the pad
Instead : Keep the back of your arm flat on the pad the whole time. If it starts lifting, drop the weight and focus on pressing your arm into the pad from start to finish.
Dropping too fast at the bottom
Instead : Control the way down for 2 to 3 seconds and stop just before your elbow fully locks to avoid slamming at the bottom or stressing the joint too much.
Using your back and shoulders to help
Instead : Keep your chest glued to the pad and your shoulders steady. If you need to swing your body to finish the set, the weight is likely too heavy.
Over-bending the wrist
Instead : Hold your wrist fairly straight, in line with your forearm. Avoid bending it too far forward or backward to reduce extra strain on your forearms.

Coach tips

Think about pushing the back of your arm into the pad the whole time, it helps you feel the biceps more.
Breathe out as you curl up and in as you lower, keeping a calm, steady rhythm.
Start lighter than you would for standing curls, since the preacher position cuts out momentum and makes the biceps work harder.
If you feel too much in your forearms, reduce the range a bit at the bottom and make sure your wrist stays neutral.

Variations

Neutral grip (holding the dumbbell like a hammer) to involve the forearms a bit more and change how the biceps feels.
Partial reps in the top half of the movement to focus on the squeeze without going all the way down.
One-second pause at the bottom before curling up again to control the elbow and remove momentum.

Sets and reps

You’ll often see 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per arm, with a weight that lets you control the movement from start to finish. This exercise is often used after a bigger biceps or rowing movement.

Equipment

Alternatives for the same muscles

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Common questions

Should I fully straighten my arm at the bottom?

You can get close to straight to get a good stretch on the biceps, but avoid hard locking at the elbow. Keep a slight bend and slow down the lowering so you don’t slam at the bottom.

Where should I look during the dumbbell preacher curl?

Look toward the pad or slightly ahead. That helps keep your head and back quiet, and lets you focus on your elbow bending and your biceps doing the work.

What if I feel pain in my elbow?

Stop the exercise and talk to a health professional before you keep going. For now, you can pick another biceps variation that doesn’t cause that pain, like a regular dumbbell curl with a more neutral position.

Can I alternate arms?

This one is usually done one arm at a time, which makes it easier to stay set on the pad. You can still alternate left and right between sets to balance out rest time.