http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd1zqoqq_yg
It might be the most underused biceps blasting isolation exercise known to man -The Standing Reverse Preacher Curl.
We’ve all done the seated preacher curl. In fact, it’s become a staple in many arm protocols and with good reason – it’s a great way to hammer those biceps when done properly.
But what if there was a preacher curl “hack” that could make the preacher curl even more effective?
What if we told you all you had to do was stand up and turn around and suddenly you’d have a new biceps blasting exercise that you could utilize on your path to bigger arms?
Would you be excited? Of course you would!
Well, let us be the bearer of good news – here’s how to perform the Standing Reverse Preacher Curl.
There are two sides of a preacher bench, a completely vertical flat side that your chest and stomach touch when performing the standard seated preacher curl and the slanted side that your elbows rest on.
Standing, approach the bench and have your chest and arms tough the slanted side, not the flat vertical side. You will be using the bench in the opposite direction you are used to using. Adjust the bench so that your arms can hang over comfortably and not touch the seat when fully extended and standing. This is important to allow for full range of motion when performing the curl. The bottom portion of the curl is critical for maximum biceps muscle recruitment and stimulation.
Now, using a straight barbell or EZ-curl bar, perform a set of biceps curls focusing on full extension at the bottom and maximum contraction at the top. Because of the position of the bench being buried in your armpits, this minimizes deltoid recruitment and shifts all of the emphasis onto the biceps!
Also, due to the positioning of the arms, gravitational force is increased and your biceps will be tested in a very unique and effective manner. This is the type of variation in stimuli that’s needed to take your training and results to the next level.
Don’t be a hero and use weight that’s too heavy. Sure, challenge yourself and go heavy, but do so within proper technique that focuses on biceps recruitment.
Special thank you to Arthur Gonzales for demonstrating this great biceps curl variation.
