Reverse Preacher Curl: What is it, How to do, Muscles Worked

What is a Reverse Preacher Curl

The reverse preacher curl is a variation of the standard preacher curl targeting your brachialis muscle, which lies deeper than your biceps brachii in the upper arm. The brachialis muscle helps the flexion of elbows while the wrist flexors act as stabilizer muscles, undergoing contraction.

Benefits

• The Reverse Preacher Curl isolates and works your biceps only. By keeping the upper arms placed against the preacher bench pad, you prevent the momentum of your body from getting the curl started.
• Correctly doing the exercise develops your brachialis muscle and pushes the peak of your biceps up higher, giving your arm an overall bigger

How to do Reverse Preacher Curls with Barbell

• Hold a barbell using a pronated (palms down) grip and your hands spaced at shoulder width.
• Keeping the upper parts of both your arms rested on top of the bench, have the arms extended. It is your initial position.
• As you breathe out, use your biceps to pull the barbell until there is a full contraction in your biceps and the weight is at the shoulder height. At this position, squeeze your biceps hard for one second.
• While you breathe in, lower the weight gradually until the biceps is completely stretched and the upper arms extended.
• Repeat the abovementioned steps for the required number of reps.

Reverse Preacher Curl with Dumbbells

It is performed in the same manner as the Reverse Barbell Preacher Curl except that you need to hold a pair of dumbbells with a pronated grip.

Reverse Preacher Curl with EZ-Bar

It is another variation of the Reverse Preacher Curl done by holding an EZ-bar with your palms down.

Tips

• Make sure that you perform the movement slowly with controlled rep timing.
• Do not lift the barbell up too far and ensure the forearms are perpendicular to the floor.

Video: Reverse Preacher Curl Proper Form