Build Bigger Biceps with This Preacher Curl Workout Plan

If you're looking to grow bigger, stronger biceps, preacher curls should be a core part of your routine.

The best preacher curl workout combines strict form, controlled tempo, and strategic variations across a 4-week cycle to maximize isolation and muscle growth—keep reading for the full plan and how to do it right.

Why Preacher Curls Deserve a Spot in Your Arm Day

While there are plenty of bicep exercises to choose from, few isolate the muscle as cleanly as preacher curls.

Their design forces strict form, making them a valuable tool for targeting biceps without the usual distractions from momentum or poor mechanics.

The main reason preacher curls are so effective is the fixed-arm positioning.

Because your upper arms stay pressed against the angled pad, you physically can’t swing or shift your torso to lift the weight.

This takes momentum out of the equation and puts your biceps under full control, rep after rep.

That alone makes preacher curls a smarter choice than many free-form movements, especially if your goal is growth over ego-lifting.

Another standout benefit is how preacher curls load the biceps when they’re in a stretched position—right at the bottom of the curl.

That’s where the biceps are biomechanically weakest, and targeting that portion of the range helps strengthen and grow the muscle more completely.

With proper execution, you’ll feel strong tension at the very start of each rep, not just at the peak contraction.

On top of that, preacher curls hit more than just the biceps brachii.

You’re also training the brachialis—the muscle underneath the biceps that adds thickness—and the brachioradialis, which connects into the forearm.

This broader activation helps develop both arm size and a more balanced look, especially if you rotate grips and curl variations.

Compared to standing curls, which often invite torso sway or drifting elbows, preacher curls keep everything locked in.

That fixed position makes it much easier to identify and correct form breakdowns, track progress accurately, and ensure you’re actually training the biceps instead of just moving weight.

If you’ve struggled to feel your biceps working during curls, or you’ve hit a plateau in growth, incorporating preacher curls can make a noticeable difference.

With the right technique and workout structure, they offer consistent, focused tension where it matters most.

Perfecting Your Preacher Curl Technique

Even a great exercise like the preacher curl won’t deliver results if your technique is off.

To get the most out of every rep, you need to pay attention to setup, execution, and consistency—and avoid the common habits that sabotage your progress.

Start by adjusting the bench angle.

The pad should support your upper arms fully without forcing your shoulders into an awkward position.

If the angle is too steep or too flat, you’ll either strain your joints or compromise muscle tension.

Aim for a setup where your armpits rest just over the top of the pad and your elbows sit flush, not hanging or floating off the edge.

That elbow position is key.

When your elbows stay anchored to the pad throughout the movement, your biceps are forced to do the work from start to finish.

The moment your elbows lift, you’re shifting load away from the muscle and reducing the quality of the contraction.

Think of the pad as a stabilizer—it’s there to keep your arms fixed so all the tension stays in the right place.

Grip choice also plays a role. An EZ-curl bar is often preferred because it reduces wrist strain while still allowing for a strong bicep contraction.

Dumbbells, on the other hand, give you more freedom to rotate your wrists and control imbalances between arms.

A supinated (palms-up) grip targets the biceps brachii more directly, while a neutral grip slightly shifts tension toward the brachialis and forearms.

You don’t need to pick just one—rotate them across sessions to get full development.

As for execution, it’s all about tempo. Start each rep with a slight bend in your elbows—don’t lock out fully at the bottom.

From there:

Curl the weight in a smooth, controlled motion—avoid jerking it up.
Pause briefly (1–2 seconds) at the top to squeeze the biceps.
Lower the weight slowly—this eccentric phase is where much of the growth happens.

One of the biggest mistakes is rushing the lift or letting momentum take over.

You also want to avoid cutting the range of motion short just to move heavier weight.

Let the biceps stretch at the bottom and contract fully at the top.

Controlled, full-range reps will always beat sloppy ones when it comes to long-term growth.

Another common pitfall is leaning back or letting your torso shift during the lift.

Even on a preacher bench, it's possible to compensate if you're not mindful.

Keep your chest down, core engaged, and shoulders stable.

Finally, consistency in form is what makes the difference over time.

You don’t need to go heavy right away. In fact, lighter weights with strict control often deliver better results than pushing loads you can’t handle properly.

Lock in your form early, and you’ll build both strength and size more efficiently.

The 4-Week Preacher Curl Program for Mass

To build noticeable size in your biceps, you need more than just good form—you need a structured plan that applies progressive overload, variation, and recovery.

This 4-week preacher curl-focused program is built to do exactly that, giving your arms consistent stimulus without overtraining.

Start with a training frequency of twice per week, spacing the sessions at least 48 hours apart.

This recovery window is critical since your biceps are a relatively small muscle group and can be easily overworked.

Spreading the sessions across, say, Monday and Thursday keeps intensity high while allowing time to rebuild.

Each session begins with a quick warm-up.

Two light sets of standing or incline curls (around 12 reps each) will activate the arms and prep the elbows and tendons for heavier work.

You’re not trying to fatigue the muscle here—just get blood flowing and joints moving smoothly.

The core of the workout is your primary preacher curl lift using either a barbell or EZ-curl bar.

In weeks 1 and 2, you’ll focus on 4 sets of 8 reps using 70–75% of your estimated one-rep max.

The key during these two weeks is the slow eccentric: take about three seconds to lower each rep.

This not only builds control but also emphasizes the phase of the lift where muscle damage (and growth) is most stimulated.

In weeks 3 and 4, the goal shifts slightly toward heavier loading with more controlled tempo throughout.

Drop the reps to 6 and increase the weight to 75–80%.

Now, instead of just a slow negative, you’ll focus on a 2-second concentric and 2-second eccentric.

This rhythm keeps the muscle under tension without rushing through the work.

To add variety and ensure balanced development, you’ll include a secondary preacher curl movement in every session.

Alternate between single-arm dumbbell preacher curls and narrow-grip preacher curls.

These are done for 3 sets of 10–12 reps with deliberately slow negatives.

The idea here is to isolate weak points and emphasize time under tension, which complements the heavier bar work nicely.

Each workout ends with a drop-set finisher.

Immediately after your last secondary set, reduce the load by about 30% and perform one set to failure.

Aim for somewhere in the 15–20 rep range, pushing through as much fatigue as you can while maintaining decent form.

This final set is designed to flood the muscle with blood, spike metabolic stress, and leave your arms with a serious pump.

Progression is simple but important.

If you can complete your target reps on all sets with solid form and control, increase the load by 5–10% the following week.

The increase doesn’t need to be dramatic—just enough to keep challenging the muscle as you adapt.

This 4-week plan is all about repeatable, high-quality training.

If you stick to the tempos, avoid ego-lifting, and allow your arms time to recover between sessions, you’ll not only feel stronger by the end of the month—you’ll start seeing the size gains you’ve been after.

Sample Weekly Layout and Session Flow

Having a solid program is one thing, but putting it into a consistent weekly routine is what makes it sustainable—and effective.

This layout keeps preacher curls at the center while allowing enough recovery and strategic variation to help you avoid plateaus.

Your week is split into two sessions, ideally spaced with at least two full days in between.

This not only gives your arms time to recover, but also allows you to come into each session with enough energy and focus to execute each lift with proper intensity and control.

Monday’s session kicks things off with a general warm-up of 2 light sets of standing or incline dumbbell curls.

After that, move straight into your primary movement: EZ-bar preacher curls.

During weeks 1 and 2, stick to 4 sets of 8 reps at a moderate weight (around 70–75% of your 1-rep max), focusing on a 3-second lowering phase.

Once that’s done, transition into dumbbell preacher curls—3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per arm, using slow negatives to really challenge the muscle through its full range.

Finish with a drop set using either dumbbells or a lighter barbell, aiming for 15–20 reps with clean form to failure.

Thursday’s session follows a similar structure, but introduces variation.

After your warm-up sets, go back to EZ-bar preacher curls—this time shifting the focus to either the same 4×8 or the 4×6 rep scheme used in weeks 3 and 4.

Keep an eye on your tempo here as well; whether it’s a 3-second negative or a 2-up/2-down approach, your control is what matters.

Then swap in narrow-grip preacher curls as your secondary movement.

This grip changes the angle of tension and puts slightly more focus on the long head of the biceps, giving you balanced development.

Wrap the session with another drop set to failure, using a lighter version of your last lift.

If you want to extend the program into weeks 5 and 6 or simply keep things fresh, consider replacing the barbell preacher curls in either session with cable preacher curls.

Cables offer consistent resistance throughout the movement, especially at the top where dumbbells can lose tension.

This change introduces a new stimulus without changing the overall structure or intent of the workout.

The trick to progressing without overtraining is controlling the total volume and making sure you're recovering between sessions.

Avoid stacking too many other bicep-heavy lifts on your non-preacher days.

Instead, reserve those days for different curl variations like incline curls or hammer curls that complement this program without overlapping too much.

This approach keeps your arms growing while giving your joints and tendons a break from repeated stress.

Ultimately, a smart weekly layout isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing enough of the right things at the right time.

With this structure in place, you’ll keep the intensity up, the technique sharp, and the progress steady.

Smart Variations to Keep Progressing

Even the most effective exercises can stop delivering results if you never change how you use them.

That’s why smart variation—changing grip, equipment, or curl style—isn’t just about avoiding boredom; it’s a way to challenge your muscles from new angles, fix imbalances, and stimulate growth in areas you might be neglecting without realizing it.

One of the simplest and most effective ways to add variation is by alternating grips and equipment.

For instance, switching from a barbell to dumbbells allows each arm to work independently, which helps correct strength or size imbalances.

A supinated grip (palms up) hits the biceps brachii directly, while a neutral grip (palms facing in) engages the brachialis more.

Both are worth rotating into your plan, especially if you're trying to build full bicep thickness, not just peak.

Single-arm dumbbell preacher curls are especially useful when it comes to symmetry and control.

Because each arm works on its own, you can focus more on stabilizing, hitting the full range of motion, and matching reps and tempo from one side to the other.

This is ideal if you’ve noticed one bicep lagging behind or if you tend to “lean into” your stronger side during bilateral curls.

Cables are another tool worth integrating—especially during weeks where joint stress feels high or when you're extending your program beyond four weeks.

Cable preacher curls maintain tension through the entire range, including at the top of the movement where dumbbells often lose resistance.

This constant load helps improve the peak contraction and provides a smoother, more joint-friendly curl.

Using a narrow grip changes how the biceps are engaged.

While a standard grip distributes the load across both biceps heads fairly evenly, a closer grip slightly shifts the emphasis to the long head—the part that contributes most to the width and outer shape of the bicep.

Including this variation in your secondary work helps round out the muscle visually and functionally.

Beyond preacher curl variations themselves, you can add even more value by pairing preacher work with other curl types strategically.

Incline dumbbell curls, for example, stretch the long head of the biceps under load, which complements the more mid-range focus of preacher curls.

Alternating between the two across your training week helps cover all portions of the biceps’ range and structure.

And don’t forget the supporting muscles.

Adding in reverse curls or hammer curls—either at the end of your workout or on alternate arm days—builds the brachialis and brachioradialis.

These muscles not only add visible thickness to your arms but also support elbow stability and overall pulling strength.

Hammer curls in particular are a strong companion to preacher curls, as they hit what preacher curls often miss.

If you’re serious about long-term gains, rotating these smart variations in and out of your plan will keep progress steady and help avoid common weak points.

You don’t need to change everything at once—just introduce new elements gradually and monitor how your arms respond.

Key Takeaways for Bigger Biceps with Preacher Curls

If you're serious about building bigger, stronger biceps, preacher curls can absolutely help you get there—but only if you approach them with purpose.

Everything from how you perform each rep to how you structure your workouts affects the results you’ll see in the mirror.

Form and tempo aren’t optional—they’re the foundation.

Preacher curls are most effective when your movement is clean, slow, and controlled.

That means no bouncing at the bottom, no swinging at the top, and no rushing through reps.

Every part of the lift—from the curl to the squeeze to the lowering phase—should be intentional.

This level of control is what makes the exercise so powerful for isolation.

You’ll also get more out of preacher curls when you combine them with other bicep-focused exercises that cover different angles and functions.

Movements like incline curls, hammer curls, or even reverse curls hit parts of the biceps and forearms that preacher curls don’t fully target.

When paired well, these exercises round out your arm development and help prevent muscular imbalances that can slow your progress or lead to injury.

Adding variation isn’t just about keeping things fresh.

Small changes—like switching from a barbell to dumbbells, adjusting grip width, or using cables—challenge your muscles in new ways and promote ongoing adaptation.

These subtle shifts in mechanics can help break plateaus and lead to better overall muscle growth.

Progressive overload is still the driver behind all of it—but it has to be applied with control.

Just adding weight for the sake of numbers will backfire if your form suffers.

Instead, focus on moving heavier weight only when you’ve mastered the current load with perfect tempo.

That’s how you build real strength and size.

The drop-set finisher isn’t a gimmick—it’s a strategic tool.

Ending your session with one high-rep, low-weight set to failure helps push your biceps past their usual limits, increases blood flow to the area, and ramps up muscle fatigue in a way that stimulates growth.

It’s a simple move with a big payoff when used correctly.