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Dumbbell Preacher Curl 7s · no sound

Dumbbell Preacher Curl

A single-arm curl with the upper arm fixed against a preacher pad — the strict isolation that builds the lower biceps.

Primary muscle
Biceps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Beginner
Movement
Isolation
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How to do it

  1. Set up at a preacher bench with a single dumbbell ready and the seat adjusted so the armpit sits at the top of the pad.
  2. Sit down and press the back of the upper arm flat against the angled pad, gripping the dumbbell with the palm up.
  3. Let the arm extend almost fully at the bottom but stop just shy of full lockout to keep tension on the biceps.
  4. Curl the dumbbell up by bending only at the elbow, keeping the upper arm glued to the pad.
  5. Squeeze the biceps hard at the top with the dumbbell near shoulder height, pausing briefly.
  6. Lower the dumbbell under control over 2 to 3 seconds back to the near-extended start position.

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the upper arm off the pad mid-rep, which kills the strict isolation the bench enforces.
  • Locking the elbow fully at the bottom under load, which strains the joint and removes muscle tension.
  • Dropping the dumbbell back down quickly, missing the lower-biceps stretch where most of the growth lives.
  • Loading too heavy, which forces the pad-arm to lift and turns the curl into a swinging cheat rep.

Muscles worked

Primary
Biceps

Same movement, other equipment

Backpack Curls Beginner Backpack Curls Biceps Bodyweight Cable Bar Curl Beginner Cable Bar Curl Biceps Cable Machine Cable Rope Hammer Curl Beginner Cable Rope Hammer Curl Biceps Cable Machine Close-Grip Barbell Curl Beginner Close-Grip Barbell Curl Biceps Barbell

Similar exercises

Alternate Hammer Curl Beginner Alternate Hammer Curl Biceps Dumbbell Cross-Body Hammer Curl Beginner Cross-Body Hammer Curl Biceps Dumbbell Dumbbell Concentration Curl Beginner Dumbbell Concentration Curl Biceps Dumbbell Dumbbell Curl Beginner Dumbbell Curl Biceps Dumbbell Dumbbell Hammer Curl Beginner Dumbbell Hammer Curl Biceps Dumbbell

Good to know

What muscles does the Dumbbell Preacher Curl work?
Mainly the biceps.
What equipment do you need for the Dumbbell Preacher Curl?
It uses dumbbells. Without it, the Backpack Curls and the Cable Bar Curl train the same muscles the same way.
Is the Dumbbell Preacher Curl good for beginners?
GymVim rates it beginner.

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