What Is an EZ Bar Curl?

An EZ bar curl is a weight lifting exercise for the biceps muscles performed with an EZ bar. The EZ bar differs from a straight bar in its shape. The EZ bar is strategically bent so it can be held in a more comfortable position while performing biceps curls. Your wrists are angled inward taking pressure off of the wrists. This allows you to lift more weight and focus effort on the biceps muscles.

Features

Add weight plates to the EZ bar. You will need to experiment to determine your ideal weight. It should be roughly twice what you can lift with a dumbbell in one hand. Always use weight clamps to hold the plates on the EZ bar. Grab the bar with an underhand grip with your hands about shoulder-width apart. The EZ bar is shaped so that your hands are angled slightly inward for comfort. Stand up with your knees keeping your back straight. Rest the EZ bar in front of you below your hips. This is your starting position. Bend both arms at the elbows, and bring the weight up to your chest. Reverse the motion and lower the weight. This is one repetition.

Function

It is important to keep your back straight throughout the EZ bar curl. If you have to arch your back to jerk the weight up, you are lifting too much. Cheating in this way takes the pressure off of your biceps and defeats the purpose of doing the exercise. Do the EZ bar curl in a controlled way focusing on squeezing your biceps. Do three to five sets of EZ bar curls of 8 to 12 repetitions each set. They should burn by the time you finish each set. If they don't burn, increase the weight or the reps.

Effects

The EZ bar curl specifically targets the biceps muscles. The shape of the EZ bar allows you to lift more weight. EZ bar curls can be even more effective if you do them on a preacher bench. This is an angled platform that you rest your upper arms on while you perform an EZ bar curl. It makes your biceps do all the work. You may not be able to lift as much weight on the EZ bar when using it with a preacher bench, but you will work your biceps harder. Be sure to lower the weight all the way. If you can't do this, decrease the amount of weight you are lifting.

Considerations

Your arms will be sore a day or two after doing the EZ bar curl. This is because weight resistance exercise creates tiny tears in your muscle fibers. When those tears heal, the muscles are stronger and bigger than before. It is important to rest sore muscles before lifting weights again. Always rest your biceps a day or two after performing the EZ bar curl. Eat more protein like the kind found in lean meat, milk products and beans. Protein helps repair muscles. Get at least 8 hours of sleep per night. This is important for muscle recovery.

Warning

Lift a reasonable amount of weight when performing the EZ bar curl. Many people make the mistake of using too much weight and jerking it up. This does nothing to exercise your biceps and could injure you. If you ever feel pain while performing the EZ bar curl, stop immediately. You should feel a burn in your biceps, but never pain.