Biceps · Resistance bands

Band Kneeling Preacher Curl

The band kneeling preacher curl is an isolation exercise designed to target the biceps while eliminating body sway through a fixed arm support. It suits lifters of all experience levels and fits best toward the end of an arm or upper-body pulling session.

Muscles: Biceps
Equipment: Resistance bands
Type: Strength
Animation: Men and women

How to do it

Anchor the middle of the band under the far side of a flat bench and take a handle in each hand.
Kneel behind the bench and rest the backs of your upper arms on the bench pad, arms extended forward, palms facing up.
Keep your back straight and core braced, then inhale.
As you exhale, curl the handles up toward your shoulders, keeping your upper arms pressed into the bench.
Squeeze your biceps at the top for a moment.
Inhale and slowly lower the handles back until your arms are extended.

Common mistakes

Lifting the elbows off the bench during the curl, which shifts the tension from the biceps onto the anterior deltoids.
Allowing the bands to snap the arms straight quickly, which eliminates the muscle-building benefit of the eccentric phase.
Bending the wrists backward under load, which exposes the wrist joints and forearm tendons to unnecessary strain.

Tips

Keep the backs of the upper arms glued to the bench pad throughout the entire range of motion.
Position your knees far enough from the bench so the band retains baseline tension even with arms fully extended.
Pause briefly at peak contraction to capitalize on the maximum resistance provided by the stretched band.

Sets and reps

Perform 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 controlled repetitions with 45 to 60 seconds of rest between sets to target hypertrophy and muscular endurance.

Muscles worked

Your coach guides every set

Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.

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On a computer? Point your phone's camera here to get the app.

Questions

Can this exercise be done at home without a gym bench?

You can rest your upper arms against a stability ball, a couch edge, or a sturdy chair, provided the band is anchored securely underneath.

How does using a band compare to using dumbbells on a preacher bench?

Bands create accommodating resistance, meaning the tension peaks at the top of the curl where free weights typically lose leverage and feel lightest.

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