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Exercises

EZ-bar curl: how to do it, which grip to use, and how it compares to a straight bar

Published October 19, 2026

The EZ-bar curl is a standing biceps curl with the zigzag bar, holding the angled parts so your palms tilt slightly inward. That angle takes some strain off the wrists and elbows compared with a straight bar, while you can still load it heavier than dumbbells. Keep your upper arms still at your sides, curl the bar to your upper chest, and lower it all the way down every rep.

Your last ez-bar curl set

How to do the ez-bar curl

Both arms lift one bar, so it is the curl where you can add weight in the smallest jumps and see progress week to week. The bends in the bar put your hands between palms-up and thumbs-up, which most people find kinder to the wrists than a straight bar.

Steps

  1. Load the bar, stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, and take the inner angled grips with your palms facing up and slightly in.
  2. Let the bar hang against your thighs with your arms straight and your elbows tucked by your ribs.
  3. Bend at the elbows to bring the bar up in an arc until your forearms point roughly at the ceiling and the bar sits near your upper chest.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top without letting your elbows drift forward.
  5. Lower the bar under control for about two seconds until your arms are fully straight, then start the next rep.

Cues

  • Elbows glued to your sides
  • Ribs down, no lean back
  • All the way down every rep

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the hips to get the bar moving: if the first inch needs a hip snap, the weight is too heavy for the rep target.
  • Letting the elbows travel forward at the top: that turns the end of the curl into a front raise and takes tension off the biceps.
  • Cutting the bottom short: half reps let you lift more but skip the stretched part of the curl. Straighten your arms fully before each rep.

Swap for: Barbell Curl, Dumbbell Curl, Cable Curl

Muscles the ez-bar curl works

The EZ-bar curl works the biceps first, with the brachialis under them and the brachioradialis in the forearm helping. Because the grip turns your palms in a little, the brachialis and forearm do slightly more than in a straight-bar curl. Your shoulders, abs and lower back only hold you still.

Sets, reps and reps in reserve for the ez-bar curl

GoalSets × repsRIRRest
Build muscle 3–4 × 8–12 1–2 90 s
Take the last set to 1 RIR and add weight once every set reaches 12.
Heavier arm work 3 × 6–8 2 2 min
Stay strict; a heavier bar is only progress if your elbows stay put.
Finisher 2 × 12–20 0–1 60 s
Use a lighter bar at the end of the session and chase a clean rep or two more each week.

Ez-bar curl variations

  • Preacher Curl start position

    Preacher Curl

    Curl the EZ bar over a preacher bench when you want your arms locked in place and more work at the bottom of the curl.

    Build a session with it
  • Reverse Curl start position

    Reverse Curl

    Hold the bar palms down when you want more forearm and brachialis and less biceps.

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  • EZ-Bar Skullcrusher start position

    EZ-Bar Skullcrusher

    Use the same bar lying on a bench to pair your curls with a triceps exercise in a superset.

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Ez-bar curl alternatives

Straight bar and dumbbells

  • Barbell Curl start position

    Barbell Curl

    Use a straight bar when your wrists are fine with fully turned-up palms and you want the most biceps.

    Build a session with it
  • Dumbbell Curl start position

    Dumbbell Curl

    Curl dumbbells when you want each arm to work on its own and to rotate your palms up as you lift.

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Cables

  • Cable Curl start position

    Cable Curl

    Use a cable when you want steady tension from bottom to top and easy weight changes in a drop set.

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  • Overhead Cable Curl start position

    Overhead Cable Curl

    Curl from a high cable with your arms raised when you want a different angle for the biceps.

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Forearm-friendly

  • Hammer Curl start position

    Hammer Curl

    Hold dumbbells thumbs up when even the EZ angle bothers your wrists or you want thicker forearms.

    Build a session with it

EZ bar vs straight bar for curls

A straight bar forces your palms fully up, which puts the biceps in its strongest pulling position and gives it a little more of the work. The EZ bar tilts your palms inward, which moves a bit of the load to the brachialis and forearm and takes stress off the wrists and inner elbows.

Neither one is better for arm size. Pick the bar you can curl without wrist or elbow pain, since that is the one you will keep progressing on. Many people use the EZ bar for heavy sets and a straight bar or dumbbells for the rest.

Which grip to use on the EZ bar

Most people curl on the inner bends, with hands a little narrower than shoulder width. The outer bends put your hands wider, which some people feel more on the short, inner head of the biceps. Both are fine; choose the one where your elbows stay comfortably by your sides.

How heavy should an EZ-bar curl be?

There is no number that counts as good. A good weight is one you can curl for your rep target with your elbows still and a full range of motion, finishing the set with one or two reps left. Write down the bar weight and how many reps were left after each set; when every set hits the top of the range at that RIR, add the smallest jump you have.

Questions

Is an EZ bar better for curls?

It is better for your wrists and elbows if a straight bar bothers them. For building the biceps both work; the straight bar puts a little more load on the biceps and the EZ bar a little more on the brachialis and forearm.

How do you do a proper EZ-bar curl?

Hold the inner angles with your palms up and slightly in, keep your elbows pinned to your sides, curl to your upper chest without leaning back, and lower all the way until your arms are straight.

Do EZ-bar curls build big arms?

Yes, as long as you add weight or reps over time and take your sets close to failure. Pair them with a triceps exercise, since the triceps make up more of the upper arm than the biceps.

Is a 70 or 100 lb EZ-bar curl good?

Either can be, depending on your size and how long you have trained. Strict reps with a full range matter more than the number, and the useful comparison is with your own log from a month ago.

How many sets and reps of EZ-bar curls should I do?

Three or four sets of 8 to 12 reps, stopping one or two reps short of failure, suit most people. Do them once or twice a week alongside your other biceps work.

Should I curl the EZ bar with a wide or narrow grip?

Use the inner grip as a default. Try the outer grip if you want a slightly different feel; keep whichever lets your elbows stay at your sides without discomfort.