EZ-Bar Reverse Preacher Curl for Bodybuilders

March 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Many novice bodybuilders tend to stick to various forms of underhand style curls. This limits total development of your biceps, but more importantly it also limits forearm development. Using a different grip, like that of the reverse grip preacher curl, will not only add variation to your routine but target the muscles in your arms at different angles.

Performing the EZ-Bar Reverse Preacher Curl

Like the standard EZ-Bar curl, the reverse variation requires the squiggly shaped EZ-bar and preacher bench. Sit on the bench and drape your arms over the slant board with your forearms rotated so your wrists and palms face the floor. Station your elbows directly in teh center of the board.

Grab the EZ-bar with an overhand grip while positioning your hands chest-width apart. Keeping your wrists perfectly straight, bring your forearms back toward your upper arm. Continue rotating at the elbow until your wrists and the EZ-bar reach the same height as your shoulder. Once the bar reaches this height, straighten your arms all the way back out. Make sure you are achieving full range of motion by fully straitending your arms; oterwise you will limit bicep growth potential.

Muscles Worked During the EZ-Bar Reverse Preacher Curl

As mentioned previously, the biceps muscles are certainly worked during the reverse preacher curl; however, this isn’t the primary work muscle during the lift. In actuality, the brachioradialis, which is located in the forearm and runs across the elbow joint, is the prime worker. This is one of the largest muscles in the forearm and accounts for a lot of its size. Other muscle groups involved are the brachialis and the extensors of your wrist. While tertiary, they are extremely important supporting muscles during the lift.

Why Use the EZ-Bar Reverse Preacher Curl for Bodybuilding

The primary reason to incorporate the EZ-bar reverse preacher curl is to addsome variation to your biceps routine. Additionally, the reverse preacher curl helps create a distinct size differance around the elbow joint which is an important aesthetic look you want as a bodybuilder.

Also, using this particular curl over a standing curl has important implications. The EZ bar reverse curl keeps more tension on your biceps at full arm extension when compared to standing curls. This additional work forces the brachioradialis to accommodate and will most likely result in higher strength and size gains when compared to standing curls under normal circumstances.

Recommended Supplements

Animal Pak by Universal Nutrition
Assault by Muscle Pharm

(TFSupplements is not responsible for any health complications stemming from this workout. Always consult an doctor before starting / changing a workout routine) 

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EZ-Bar Preacher Curl for Bodybuilders

March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Every guy I know loves curls. There are many reasons for that. For starters, your biceps are almost always on display. To develop bigger biceps, you can utilize the EZ-Bar preacher curl. This curl variation is great at isolating the biceps which will help spur bicep growth.

Performing the EZ-Bar Preacher Curl

For the EZ-Bar preacher curl you’ll need the EZ-bar which is shorter in length than a traditional barbell and has curved areas for more natural hand placement. You’ll also need a preacher bench which has a seat that is connected to a 45-degree or greater slant board.

Adjust the seat height so that your armpits are at the same height level as the top of the slant board when seated. Grab the EZ bar with an underhand grip so that your arms are shoulder-width apart. Sit on the seat and place your elbows on the middle of the slant board while allowing your arms to extend straight.

Pull up on the weight by bending at the elbows and contracting your biceps. Keep pulling up until the EZ-bar is level with your shoulders. The hardest part of the lift is at the bottom where gravity has the greatest effect relative to your arm position. Once you get about half-way up, the lift will become progressively easier.

Muscles Worked During the EZ-Bar Preacher Curl

The primary muscles worked during the preacher curl are your biceps brachii; however, these are not the only muscles in your upper arm that are activated. The brachialis, which runs a little deeper than the bicep is also trained quite well. Additionally, the brachioradialis and the wrist flexor must also work during the lift.

Why Use the EZ-Bar Preacher Curl for Bodybuilding

Placing your elbows on the slant board and keeping your upper arm in contact with the board at all times helps keep your biceps isolated. During standing curls, there is a natural tendency for the shoulders to get involved. You may also lean back slightly. Both of these reduce the strength needed by the biceps to do the lift. The board locks your arms into position which means you can’t cheat or involve your shoulders.

Furthermore, you’ll get a lot more tension on the biceps when your arms are extended when compared to traditional standing curls. When your arms are perfectly straight in a standing position, there isn’t that much tension on the biceps. Since this occurs during every rep, you miss out on a lot of natural eccentric and isometric contraction. Again, the slanted angle keeps your arms from going perfectly vertical, thus tension stays on the biceps.

Recommended Supplements

Assault by Muscle Pharm
LIPO-6 Black Ultra Concentrate

(TFSupplements is not responsible for any health complications stemming from this workout. Always consult an doctor before starting / changing a workout routine) 

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Close Grip Bench Press for Bodybuilders

March 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When bodybuilders think about tricep training, they want a BIG compound lift that maximally taxes the tricep both concentrically and eccentrically. This means during the up and down portion of the lift.  The close grip bench press achieves just that. By altering your hand position from a traditional bench press, you will place more emphasis on your triceps than the traditional bench press.

Performing the Close Grip Bench Press

Start the close grip bench press by setting up a traditional bench like you normally would. Load the bar with weight and lay back onto the bench. Looking up at the bar, place your hands one to two-hand widths inside your shoulders shoulder.

Pushup on the barbell lifting it off of the rack while keeping your arms straight. Center the barbell across the nipple line of your chest. Lower the weight toward your chest by bending your elbows AND allowing your elbows to stay tight to your body INSTEAD of moving outward and away from your body. If you allow your elbows to move outward, it will be more like the traditional bench.

Tap the barbell on your chest and then forcefully push up until your arms are straight.

Muscles Worked During the Close Grip Bench Press

The goal is to target your triceps; however, other muscles must also assist when performing the close grip bench press. Since it is a bench press, by nature, your pectoral muscles will have to help as well. Deltoid muscles are also activated during this lift to assist with stabilization.

Why Use the Close Grip Bench Press for Bodybuilding

Since your pectorals are involved during the close grip bench press, you can enhance the focus on your triceps by using a pre-fatiguing exercise. Performing a set of chest flies or wide pushups prior to the close grip bench press will wear out your chest. When you follow up with the close grip bench press your triceps will have to carry even more of the load.

Another reason bodybuilders should use the close grip bench press is for the negative aspect of the lift (lowering it toward your chest).  This negative aspect produces more muscle damage in the triceps and will ultimately cause your triceps to grow at an accelerated rate. This idea has been proven by research repeatedly. Simply put, more muscular damage and growth occurs during the negative portion of a lift.

Recommended Supplements

LIPO-6 Black Ultra Concentrate
BCAA 1000 by Optimum Nutrition

 

(TFSupplements is not responsible for any health complications stemming from this workout. Always consult an doctor before starting / changing a workout routine) 

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EZ-Bar Skull Crusher for Bodybuilders

March 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When you see bodybuilders in the gym, they typically use the cable tower or some sort of close grip bench to develop the muscles in their triceps. To pack additional muscle mass onto the back of your arms, you need to use non-traditional movements like EZ-bar skull crushers.

Performing the EZ-Bar Skull Crusher

You’ll need the cambered EZ-Bar to perform skull crushers correctly. A flat bar limits movement at your wrist which could lead to injury. You can use a flat bench or an exercise ball as a base for the exercise.

Get into the starting position of the skull crusher by lying flat on your back on the bench. Put your feet flat on the floor so your back is in a neutral position. If your feet don’t rest flat on the floor, place them on the edge of the bench. You can also put boards on the floor and put your feet on them so they are flat.

Lift your arms toward the ceiling with your hands shoulder-width apart, with wrists in a pronated position. Have a partner hand you the EZ bar and secure a comfortable grip. Now, keeping your upper arm stationary, bend your elbows while allowing your forearms to move back towards your head. When your forearms make a 90-degree angle with your upper arm, at your elbow joint, extend at your elbows, straightening out your arms.

Muscles Worked During the EZ-Bar Skull Crusher

The primary muscle worked during the EZ-Bar skull crusher is your tricep. In particular, the long of your tricep is maximally taxed. The other two heads of the tricep are also worked but not as isolated. Your shoulders also work to stabilize your arms during the lift. It is important to perform EZ-Bar skull crushers when your shoulders are fresh to keep you safe during the lift since the weight will be positioned over head.

Why Use the EZ-Bar Skull Crusher for Bodybuilding

Aside from hitting the long head of your triceps, EZ Bar skull crushers isolate and focus training in your triceps with a resistance level that is hard to achieve with other lifts. In particular, the use of the EZ bar, allows for greater adjustment of the weight. Most cable machines only let you adjust the weight by 10 lb increments. The EZ bar allows for 5 lb increment changes, and if you happen to have 1.25 lb plates then 2.5 lb increments. The adjustability and angle your muscles are worked make the EZ bar skull crusher one of the most effective exercises for a bodybuilder to utilize in tricep development.

Recommended Supplements

Jacked by Usp Labs (Jack3d)
Syntha 6 Protein Powder by BSN (5lbs)

(TFSupplements is not responsible for any health complications stemming from this workout. Always consult an doctor before starting / changing a workout routine) 

Filed Under: Bodybuilding Exercises Tagged With: ,