straight bar preachers

any of you guys use straight bar for preacher curls? what kind of results have you seen?

i'm debating on switching from standing straight bar curls and ez bar preachers to straight bar preachers and standing ez bar curls....any input?

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Originally Posted by GunTotingHipGangster

any of you guys use straight bar for preacher curls? what kind of results have you seen?

i'm debating on switching from standing straight bar curls and ez bar preachers to straight bar preachers and standing ez bar curls....any input?

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It depends what you are aiming for. Preacher curls are not designed to target the biceps, they target the brachialis. This is because your shoulders are flexed, which causes the biceps and particularly the short head, to enter active insufficiency. That means the biceps cannot contract enough to complete elbow flexion because they have already contracted partially to flex the shoulder. This puts the load onto the brachialis and causes an insane pump.

EZ-bar preachers will reduce the involvement of the biceps even further, again particularly the short head. Standing EZ bar curls will target the long head of the biceps and the brachialis, but will also target the medial head if you take a wide grip. This is because the wide grip does cause some degree of wrist supination, and the medial bicep head is the most important supinator muscle.

If you want the brachialis, do reverse grip EZ preachers. If you want the biceps, do standing straight bar curls or EZ curls if your wrists hurt. Any wide grip, straight bar or not, will help to involve the medial head more, but the wide grip stress the wrists unduly.

I have a feeling you know most of what I said, but maybe it will help. I've never personally seen the need to do preachers because the brachialis has grown well from chinups and my biceps from standing straight curls, and now from incline supinating curls.

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Originally Posted by Flexor

It depends what you are aiming for. Preacher curls are not designed to target the biceps, they target the brachialis. This is because your shoulders are flexed, which causes the biceps and particularly the short head, to enter active insufficiency. That means the biceps cannot contract enough to complete elbow flexion because they have already contracted partially to flex the shoulder. This puts the load onto the brachialis and causes an insane pump.

EZ-bar preachers will reduce the involvement of the biceps even further, again particularly the short head. Standing EZ bar curls will target the long head of the biceps and the brachialis, but will also target the medial head if you take a wide grip. This is because the wide grip does cause some degree of wrist supination, and the medial bicep head is the most important supinator muscle.

If you want the brachialis, do reverse grip EZ preachers. If you want the biceps, do standing straight bar curls or EZ curls if your wrists hurt. Any wide grip, straight bar or not, will help to involve the medial head more, but the wide grip stress the wrists unduly.

I have a feeling you know most of what I said, but maybe it will help. I've never personally seen the need to do preachers because the brachialis has grown well from chinups and my biceps from standing straight curls, and now from incline supinating curls.

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well i knew reverse grip worked the brachials, but i didn't know preachers were concentrated on brachials too. I guess i should have known this, it makes perfect sense...i guess i'm going to change some things up with my bicep workout, not real sure what yet, but i appreciate the info...this place is great

I do both..and have been getting good results....i usually do them after standing straight bar curls..kind of like a touch up..maybe 1-2 sets.