Preacher Curls and biceps?

According to exrx the Preacher Curl doesn't hit the bicep directly but hits the Brachialis instead. I'm thinking of adding the preacher curl and/or the prone incline curl to my arm routine, but only if they hit the bicep sufficiently.  Here is the prone incline curl.
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Brachialis/DBProneInclineCurl.html

 What are your experiences with bicep curl exercises that have the elbows away from the body? Do they gave the main bicep muscle a good hit?

Thanks.

curls are curls at this level

pick one or two you that you like, and hit them consistently

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the prone incline curl and the preacher curl are not the same exercise.
as r3261 says, pick a couple of exercises you fancy and try `em for a couple of months.

Any curl using a flat palm will build the main belly of the bicep the Brachii, once you turn the palms outward  the brachiallis will then come into play i.e e/z curls!!

Micky McKay Personal Trainer Healthy Action www.fitness121.co.uk

Getting technical about this, the Prone Curl would be as effective as the Preacher Curl due to the same reduced ROM as the arm at the shoulder joint is in a flexed position (i.e. the muscle is already shortened)

What this means in a real world environment - not a lot really. A curl with the palm up (supinated) is as much the same as any other cur with the hand in the same positionl.

A Preacher Curl means you'll have to rely on the strength of the biceps rather than any 'body english'.
A Prone Curl the same.
A Barbell Curl would enable more weight to be shifted but at the detriment of some loss in form.
An Incline Dumbbell Curl, now that's one to consider

Lord Monkcheese


Getting technical about this, the Prone Curl would be as effective as the Preacher Curl due to the same reduced ROM as the arm at the shoulder joint is in a flexed position (i.e. the muscle is already shortened)

What this means in a real world environment - not a lot really. A curl with the palm up (supinated) is as much the same as any other cur with the hand in the same positionl.

A Preacher Curl means you'll have to rely on the strength of the biceps rather than any 'body english'.
A Prone Curl the same.
A Barbell Curl would enable more weight to be shifted but at the detriment of some loss in form.
An Incline Dumbbell Curl, now that's one to consider

Judging by the exrx video, the incline dumbbell curls looks as if it allows a degree of shoulder rotation to assist in getting the weight up.

Judging by the exrx video, the incline dumbbell curls looks as if it allows a degree of shoulder rotation to assist in getting the weight up.

Very true.

In terms of strict form, the standard barbell courl allows most 'assistance' from other bodyparts, followed by the Prone Curl (although the body can't assist, the shoulder flexing can), then the Preacher Curl (providing the upper arm is flat on the pad). Very difficult to cheat on them.

R3261


curls are curls at this level

pick one or two you that you like, and hit them consistently

Spot on! Pick a lift and av at it.

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some say preacher curls (or any curl with the execution of the exercise done with the elbow in front), allows for greater contraction, therefore placing more emphasis on the short head of the biceps (the head that forms the peak).

Incline curls or any curl executed with the shoulder in a slight extension, stretches the long head and places more emphasis upon it, therefore *apparently* aiding in visible separation.

NOTE:  I am not necessarily an advocate of such theories (or rather theories of the effects on the muscle(s) and their heads), and do not wish to debate.

As for the brachialis, it is technically a more dominant elbow flexor, so is involved in all exercises that involve elbow flexion.  However, when the hands are in a neutral, or even fully supinated position, the biceps are unable to be recruited as fully, which makes the brachialis work harder.

Some studies (IanK, please dont ask for them ;)) have shown that the brachialis also prefers (if muscles have such a preference) to contract more slowly than other elbow flexors, and many trainers (Including the oak) believed that a good way to train them was with reverse barbell curls, done super slowly.

If I were you, I would do one exercise with hands supinated, one neutral, and maybe reverse curls if you have time/energy. 

Despite all this, curls wont give you big arms on their own.

sel

I do EZ bar preacher curls and have found for me they are the best bicep exercise.  This is purely due to the preacher bench not allowing me to cheat.  Though you need to get the bench high enough so it fits snuggly inside your arm pits.

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All too often I see people doing Preacher Curls and rather than having their upper arms snug against the pad, they have their elbow only pressed against it and do some sort of pivoting motion using the elbow as a fulcrum.

Hey ho, at least it gives me something to look at between sets then write about on internet weight training forums.....

lol Sel! If I start asking for peer reviewed articles for 'curlz' shoot me!

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Will do ;), and I apologise for misspelling your name

sel