Machine
Preacher curl machine (neutral grip)
The preacher curl machine (neutral grip) locks in your upper body so you can focus on the front of your arms. The pad supports you and limits cheating with your back. It’s a solid option if you want a clear, controlled path for each rep.
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The essentials
- Adjust the seat so your armpits touch the pad.
- Place your arms on the pad, palms facing each other on the handles.
- Curl the handles up by squeezing your biceps, keeping arms on the pad.
Muscles worked
- Primary
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Setup
- Adjust the seat height so the top of the pad sits just under your armpits when you’re seated.
- Press your chest and upper belly firmly against the pad, with your hips back on the seat.
- Place your arms on the pad with your armpits slightly over the edge and your elbows resting comfortably on the support.
- Grab the handles with a neutral grip (palms facing each other), wrists in line with your forearms.
- Load the machine with the same number of plates on each side, starting light to test the range of motion and comfort.
How to do it
- Sit stable with your feet flat on the floor and your chest glued to the pad the whole time.
- Let the handles lower under control until your arms are almost straight, without locking your elbows hard.
- Take a breath, then curl the handles up by bending your elbows, keeping your armpits and chest in contact with the pad.
- Bring the handles up until you feel a strong squeeze in the front of your arms, without breaking your wrists or shrugging your shoulders.
- Lower the handles slowly for about 2 to 3 seconds, breathing out and keeping control all the way down.
- Repeat with the same range of motion and body position, avoiding momentum or bouncing at the bottom.
Common mistakes
Lifting the chest or armpits off the pad
Instead : Set the seat so you can stay glued to the pad. If you need to lift your torso to finish a rep, the weight is too heavy; drop the load and keep your chest pressed into the pad.
Swinging the weight
Instead : Add a short 1‑second pause at the bottom before you curl up. Focus on a smooth start to each rep, especially for the first 3 to 4 reps of the set.
Bending or folding the wrists
Instead : Keep your wrists in line with your forearms. Hold the handles firmly but avoid curling them toward you or letting them drop toward the floor.
Stopping halfway down
Instead : Go lighter so you can almost straighten your arms on each rep, as long as it stays comfortable. The machine should move through its full intended range, not just the top half.
Coach tips
- Use a smooth tempo: roughly 1 second up, 2 to 3 seconds down, with no bounce at the bottom.
- Breathe with the motion: inhale at the bottom or on the way down, exhale as you curl up through the hardest part.
- To feel your arms more, keep your shoulders low and relaxed, as if you were trying to move them away from your ears.
- You can slowly add weight from workout to workout, as long as you keep the same control and full range of motion.
Sets and reps
People often do this movement for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps, depending on the load and their level. It’s usually placed in the middle or toward the end of an arm or upper‑body workout.
Exercises on this machine
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Common questions
Where should my elbows go on the preacher curl machine?
Keep your elbows resting on the pad, slightly above the edge, not floating in the air. Line them up with the handles and avoid letting them flare out or cave in as you curl.
Do I need to fully straighten my arms?
You can almost straighten your arms to get a good range of motion as long as it feels comfortable. Avoid locking your elbows hard or letting the weight yank your arms at the bottom. If you lose control, lower the weight.
I feel sharp pain in my elbow, what should I do?
Stop the set right away and don’t push through sharp pain. Talk with a health professional before bringing this exercise or similar moves back into your training.
Why use a neutral grip on the preacher curl machine?
With a neutral grip, your palms face each other, and many people find this more natural for their wrists and elbows. It makes it easier to focus on tension in your arms instead of worrying about shoulder position.