Arms · Isolation
EZ Bar Curls
The EZ bar curl is a biceps curl performed with a cambered EZ bar, whose angled grips let your hands sit partly turned in rather than fully palms up. It trains the biceps, brachialis and brachioradialis almost as heavily as a straight barbell curl, while sparing the wrists and elbows the strain a straight bar can cause.
Also known as: EZ curl, EZ bar bicep curl, Cambered bar curl, EZ-bar curl
- Muscle group
- Arms
- Movement pattern
- Isolation
- Type
- Isolation
- Equipment
- EZ curl bar
- Difficulty
- Beginner
What muscles does the ez bar curls work?
Primary movers
- Biceps brachii
Assisting muscles
- Brachialis
- Brachioradialis
- Forearm flexors
The biceps bend the elbow and turn the palm upward. A straight barbell locks the palms fully up, which loads the biceps hard but forces the forearms to twist to their limit. The EZ bar's angled grips set the hands a little short of that, which most wrists find far more comfortable.
That small turn costs a little biceps involvement and shifts slightly more work to the brachialis and brachioradialis. In practice the difference is modest, and the EZ bar curl remains a primary biceps exercise rather than a hammer curl substitute.
Grip position on the bar changes the emphasis further. The narrower inner grips tend to bias the long head of the biceps, the outer peak. The wider outer grips bias the short head, the inner part of the arm.
Because both arms share a single bar, the EZ curl is easy to load heavily and progress in small steps, which is its main advantage over dumbbells.
How to do the ez bar curls
Setup
- 1
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding the EZ bar with an underhand grip on the angled sections.
- 2
Choose the outer grips for a shoulder-width hold or the inner grips for a narrower one.
- 3
Let the bar hang at arm's length in front of your thighs.
- 4
Pin your elbows at your sides, brace your core and stand tall.
Execution
- 1
Curl the bar up by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms still.
- 2
Bring the bar to around upper chest height, where the forearms are close to vertical.
- 3
Squeeze the biceps for a beat at the top.
- 4
Lower over two to three seconds until your arms are straight.
- 5
Keep your wrists neutral, not curled inward or bent back.
- 6
Keep your torso still throughout. No leaning back to start the next rep.
Common ez bar curls mistakes
Leaning back to lift the bar
Using hip drive and a backward lean to swing the bar up once the biceps tire, which shifts stress onto the lower back.
The fix: Stand tall and choose a load you can curl without the torso moving. If you want extra reps, finish with controlled partials rather than swinging.
Elbows travelling forward
Letting the elbows drift in front of the body at the top so the front delts take over and the biceps lose tension.
The fix: Keep the elbows at your sides. Stop the rep when the forearms reach vertical.
Short range at the bottom
Starting each rep with the elbows already bent and never reaching full extension.
The fix: Straighten the arms fully between reps. The stretched position at the bottom is valuable for growth.
Gripping the straight sections
Holding the bar on its straight parts, which removes the wrist-friendly angle that is the point of using an EZ bar.
The fix: Place your hands on the angled sections, using either the inner or outer bends.
How many sets and reps?
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 | Moderate, 1–2 RIR | 60–90 s |
| Strength | 4 | 6–8 | Heavy | 2 min |
| Controlled volume | 3 | 12–15 | Light to moderate, 3 s lowering | 60 s |
EZ bar curls make a good primary biceps exercise because they combine heavy, progressive loading with a joint-friendly grip. Six to twelve direct biceps sets a week suits most people, and chin-ups and rows already contribute. Put curls after your pulling work, so tired biceps do not limit your back training. Alternate grip positions across training blocks if you want to vary the emphasis.
Running the ez bar curls in your next block? Hercules logs every set, shows last session's numbers before you lift, and suggests when to add weight.
Get it on Google PlayEZ Bar Curls variations and alternatives
Barbell Bicep Curl
AlternativeFully supinated grip for maximum biceps involvement, at the cost of more wrist and elbow strain.
Preacher Curl Machine
AlternativeA fixed upper-arm position removes any swing and loads the stretched bottom of the curl.
Reverse EZ Bar Curl
AlternativeAn overhand grip shifts the work to the brachioradialis and forearm extensors.
EZ Bar Preacher Curl
HarderThe EZ bar on a preacher bench combines the comfortable grip with strict, swing-free reps.
Dumbbell Bicep Curls
EasierEach arm works independently, which exposes imbalances and lets the wrist rotate freely.
Frequently asked questions
Is the EZ bar curl better than a straight bar curl?
For most people it is the better default, because it keeps almost all the biceps work while being much easier on the wrists and elbows. A straight bar loads the biceps slightly more, so it is worth using if your joints tolerate it.
What muscles do EZ bar curls work?
Mainly the biceps brachii, with the brachialis and brachioradialis assisting. The partly turned grip gives these supporting muscles slightly more work than a straight bar, but the biceps remain the main target.
Should I use the inner or outer grip?
The outer, wider grip biases the short head of the biceps, the inner part of the arm. The inner, narrower grip biases the long head, the outer peak. Both train the whole muscle, so either is fine as a default.
How much does an EZ bar weigh?
Most EZ bars weigh between 7 and 12 kg (15 to 25 lb), but it varies widely by manufacturer. Olympic EZ bars are usually at the heavier end. Check the bar or ask the gym, and always count it in your total.
Why do straight bar curls hurt my wrists but EZ bar curls don't?
A straight bar forces your forearms to rotate fully palms up, which some people's wrists and elbows cannot do comfortably under load. The EZ bar's angled grips stop short of that position, which removes most of the strain.
Hercules tracks every ez bar curls you log, shows you last session's numbers before you lift, and flags when your progress stalls.
Get it on Google Play