An E-Z curl bar is a piece of exercise equipment that some people find more comfortable to use for arm exercises. It is curved up and down instead of straight like a barbell. You can use them to do bicep curls and reverse curls to build bigger muscles or increase strength. These exercises can be done with an E-Z bar curl or a regular barbell. An advantage of curl bars is that you can easily adjust the weight by adding or removing weighted plates, or simply lift the bar itself if it is heavy enough for you. Dumbbells have the advantage of working your arms individually so one arm cannot dominate the other during curls. A complete set of dumbbells takes up more room and costs more than one a bar and plates.
Step 1
Do a bicep curl with an E-Z curl bar or a standard barbell to work your biceps by using the following instructions. Hold the bar with your palms facing up at shoulder-width apart. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Straighten your arms in front of your thighs and abdomen. Bend your elbows and raise the bar toward your chest. Slowly lower the bar back toward your legs to finish one bicep curl. Turn your palms to face downwards to do a reverse curl to target your forearms.
Step 2
Do spider curls over preacher curls to increase your range of motion and provide more stability than bicep curls do for the lift, which will allow you to use more weight. Place your elbows against the back of a preacher curl bench and lean over it. Straighten your arms as you would when standing and then curl your arms upwards using the bench to brace your arms.
Step 3
Concentrate on one to five reps if you wish to increase the strength of your biceps or forearms, as advised by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Do four to six sets. Use a weight that will fatigue your muscles on your last repetition. This may be your one rep maximum weight if you are doing sets of one, or as little as 85 percent of your one rep max if you are doing up to five reps. Have a personal trainer or fitness professional assist you in determining your one rep max if you do not already know it.
Step 4
Concentrate on 8 to 12 reps if you wish to increase the size of the muscles of your biceps or forearms, as advised by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Do three to four sets. Use a weight that will fatigue your muscles on your last repetition, like 70 to 85 percent of your one rep max.
Things You'll Need
- Bar
- Plates
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