How many sets and reps of the EZ-bar curl should a beginner do?

Three sets of 10 to 12 reps with a weight that leaves 2 to 3 reps in reserve is a solid starting point. Add a small amount of load once you can hit 12 clean reps across all three sets.

What can replace the EZ-bar curl if you don't have a barbell?

A pair of dumbbells curled with a slightly angled, semi-supinated grip, or a resistance band anchored underfoot, both hit the biceps the same way without needing an EZ bar.

What is the EZ-bar curl good for, and when would you choose something else?

It's a general biceps strength and hypertrophy builder that's more wrist-friendly than a straight bar. If your wrists have no sensitivity at all and you specifically want the extra loading a flat grip allows, a straight barbell curl may build slightly more raw strength.

Beginner

EZ-Bar Curl

The cambered EZ bar lets you curl in a semi-supinated grip, which takes strain off the wrists and elbows while still hammering both biceps heads. It is a smart default for anyone whose forearms complain during straight-bar work. Think of it as the barbell curl's more joint-friendly twin, ideal for higher-rep hypertrophy sets.

Equipment: Barbell
Body part: Biceps
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Biceps Brachii Long Head, Biceps Brachii Short Head
Browse by movement: Elbow Flexion

How to do it

1
Grip the EZ bar on the inner angled sections with palms turned slightly inward.
2
Stand tall with feet hip-width, brace your midsection, and tuck your elbows to your sides.
3
Curl the bar up by flexing the elbows while keeping the upper arms motionless.
4
Pause and squeeze at the top, then lower slowly to full arm extension.
5
Exhale on the way up, inhale on the way down.

Tips

Use the angled grip that keeps your wrists comfortable; that is the whole point of the bar.
Keep the movement strict, with no hip drive, so the biceps do the lifting.
Stop just short of locking the elbows straight to keep tension on the muscle.

Variations

Common mistakes

The elbows drift forward and up as the weight gets heavy, which turns a strict curl into a front raise that the shoulders, not the biceps, have to finish.
Swinging the torso back and using a hip snap to launch the bar past the sticking point removes tension right where the biceps should be working hardest.
The bar path curves out away from the body rather than tracking straight up, adding a shoulder component the exercise isn't meant to include.
Locking the elbows out hard at the bottom of every rep transfers the last few degrees of stress onto the joint instead of the muscle.
Once the last couple of reps get hard, the wrists start rolling to hunt for an easier angle instead of staying on the bar's angled grip sections.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the EZ-bar curl should a beginner do?: Three sets of 10 to 12 reps with a weight that leaves 2 to 3 reps in reserve is a solid starting point. Add a small amount of load once you can hit 12 clean reps across all three sets.
What can replace the EZ-bar curl if you don't have a barbell?: A pair of dumbbells curled with a slightly angled, semi-supinated grip, or a resistance band anchored underfoot, both hit the biceps the same way without needing an EZ bar.
What is the EZ-bar curl good for, and when would you choose something else?: It's a general biceps strength and hypertrophy builder that's more wrist-friendly than a straight bar. If your wrists have no sensitivity at all and you specifically want the extra loading a flat grip allows, a straight barbell curl may build slightly more raw strength.

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