All Exercises

Dumbbell Standing Zottman Preacher Curl

Perform the Dumbbell Standing Zottman Preacher Curl to build peak biceps and powerful forearms. This variation uses a preacher bench for stability.

Intermediate
Isolation
Pull
1 min per set2 min rest

Description

A variation of the bicep curl that targets the forearm muscles in addition to the biceps. The exercise involves a rotation of the wrist at the top of the movement.

How to Do Dumbbell Standing Zottman Preacher Curl

  1. 1
    Setup

    Position yourself standing at a preacher bench, ensuring your upper arms rest firmly against the pad and your armpits are at the top edge.

  2. 2
    Setup

    Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an underhand (supinated) grip, palms facing up, allowing your arms to fully extend down the pad.

  3. 3

    Exhale and curl the dumbbells upwards towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps until they are fully flexed.

  4. 4

    At the top of the movement, rotate your wrists so your palms face down (pronated grip).

  5. 5

    Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position with your palms still facing down, controlling the eccentric phase.

  6. 6

    At the bottom, rotate your wrists back to the underhand (supinated) grip before beginning the next repetition.

Tips

  • Maintain constant tension on your biceps and forearms by not fully locking out your elbows at the bottom of the movement, stopping just short of full extension.
  • Focus on the wrist rotation at the peak of the curl to maximally engage your brachialis and brachioradialis during the eccentric phase.
  • Keep your elbows pressed firmly into the preacher pad throughout the entire movement to prevent momentum and isolate the target muscles effectively.
  • Control the lowering phase with the pronated grip; this eccentric contraction is crucial for building forearm strength and muscle.

Common Mistakes

  • ×Swinging the weight or lifting your elbows off the pad reduces bicep isolation; instead, keep your upper arms glued to the pad and use strict, controlled form.
  • ×Rushing the eccentric (lowering) phase with the pronated grip diminishes forearm engagement; consciously control the descent to maximize muscle stimulus.
  • ×Not fully rotating the wrist into a pronated grip at the top of the curl will reduce the targeted forearm activation; ensure palms face completely down before lowering.

Variations

Related Exercises

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