EZ bar curl

Name: EZ bar curl exercise demonstration
Uploaded: 2026-09-13
Duration: PT6.61S
Description: The EZ bar curl is a standing two-arm curl performed with an angled bar. Hold a comfortable underhand section, keep the upper arms beside the torso and bend the elbows to train the biceps and other elbow flexors.

Also called EZ bar curls, EZ-bar curl, curl bar curl.

What is an eZ bar curl?

The EZ bar curl is a standing two-arm curl performed with an angled bar. Hold a comfortable underhand section, keep the upper arms beside the torso and bend the elbows to train the biceps and other elbow flexors.

Anatomical illustration of a standing EZ bar curl shown with straight and bent elbows, with the front upper arms highlighted.

How do you perform an eZ bar curl?

Set up

Stand tall with your feet around hip width and hold the EZ bar on a comfortable pair of angled sections with an underhand grip.
Let the arms hang, keep the wrists in line with the bar angles and brace so the torso starts still.

Execution

Curl the bar upward by bending your elbows while the upper arms remain beside your torso.
Finish before the elbows travel forward or the wrists bend to bring the bar higher.
Lower the bar under control to nearly straight elbows, then repeat without bouncing through the bottom.

Common mistakes

Forcing a grip that twists the wrists
The bar offers several angled sections. Choose the pair that lets both wrists remain aligned rather than copying one exact width.
Leaning back to lift the bar
Torso momentum starts the rep before the elbow flexors do. Reduce the load or stop the set when the body must swing.
Letting the elbows chase the bar
Moving the upper arms forward changes the top of the curl and makes range less repeatable. Keep them close to the torso.

Where it fits in a session

Use it after compound pulling or as the main free-weight curl in an arm session.

Use the same pair of bar angles and the same body-movement standard when comparing logged loads.

Muscles worked

Front

Back

Primary

Secondary

Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

The angled bar places the forearms between a fully palms-up and neutral position. The main action remains elbow flexion, with the hands holding a single shared bar.

Variations

Barbell biceps curlUses a straight bar and a fully palms-up fixed grip.
Dumbbell biceps curlLets each hand choose its own path and rotate independently.
Preacher curlUses an EZ bar with the upper arms supported on an angled pad.

Related tools

Frequently asked questions

What muscles do EZ bar curls work?

They train the biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis, while the wrist and finger flexors hold the bar.

Where should you grip an EZ bar for curls?

Use a matching pair of angled sections that lets your wrists stay aligned and comfortable. There is no single required grip width for every bar or lifter.

Is an EZ bar curl the same as a barbell curl?

The elbow action is the same, but the EZ bar's angles place the hands between a fully palms-up and neutral position instead of fixing them on a straight bar.

Should your elbows move during EZ bar curls?

The elbows bend, but the upper arms should remain close to the torso rather than swinging forward to raise the bar higher.

Sources

Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Biceps Muscle. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519538/
Plantz MA, Bordoni B. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Brachialis Muscle. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551630/