At a glance
- Main muscle
- Biceps
- Equipment
- Machine
- Rep range in Mitta
- 8 to 15 reps
- Skill level
- Beginner
- How tiring
- Low
- Weight step in Mitta
- 2.5 kg
How to do it
- Armpits against the pad.
- Fully extend at the bottom.
- Lower slowly.
Pick a weight you can lift for 8 to 15 reps with good form, and stop each set with a few reps left in the tank.
Why rating A
Stable with tension in the stretch; preacher curls gave more distal growth, incline curls more proximal growth. Easy to load.1
Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.
Alternatives
These train the same muscle. Use one if you lack the equipment, if this exercise does not feel right, or for some variety.
- Dumbbell Preacher Curl · Dumbbell · rating A
- EZ-Bar Preacher Curl · Barbell · rating A
- Bayesian Cable Curl · Cable · rating A
Keep learning
- What is progressive overload, and how do you do it?
- How many sets per muscle per week?
- What is RIR, and how do you estimate it?
- One-rep max calculator: your max from any hard set of the machine preacher curl.
Let Mitta set the weight.
Mitta plans the machine preacher curl with a weight and rep target for every set, worked out from your last sessions.
Questions about the
machine preacher curl
What muscles does the machine preacher curl work?
The machine preacher curl mainly trains your biceps.
How many reps of the machine preacher curl should I do?
Mitta plans the machine preacher curl at 8 to 15 reps per set. Most sets should end with only a few reps left in the tank.
What can I do instead of the machine preacher curl?
Good alternatives that train the same muscle are the dumbbell preacher curl, EZ-bar preacher curl and Bayesian cable curl.
Is the machine preacher curl good for beginners?
Yes. It is easy to learn, so it suits people who are new to lifting.
Why does the machine preacher curl have rating A?
Stable with tension in the stretch; preacher curls gave more distal growth, incline curls more proximal growth. Easy to load.
Sources
- Kassiano et al. 2025, Int J Sports Med (preacher vs incline curl: regionaal verschil, totaal vergelijkbaar) doi.org/10.1055/a-2517-0509