One Arm Preacher Curl

Plant your arm on the preacher pad like a bear paw on a log, then curl that dumbbell up with slow, honey-smooth control. No wiggling your torso, cub, just a clean elbow hinge. Squeeze at the top, lower like you are setting down a berry gently, and let each arm earn its own roar.

Instructions

1. Adjust the preacher bench so your armpit and upper arm rest comfortably on the pad.
2. Sit or stand behind the bench and hold a dumbbell in one hand with a supinated (palm-up) grip.
3. Place the working upper arm and chest against the pad; let the elbow extend so the dumbbell hangs below the pad without locking out hard.
4. Curl the dumbbell upward by flexing the elbow, keeping the upper arm pinned to the pad.
5. Pause briefly near the top and squeeze the biceps without letting the shoulder roll forward.
6. Lower the dumbbell slowly to the start position under control.
7. Complete reps, then switch arms.

Benefits

• Strong isolation of the biceps with reduced body momentum
• Helps address left-to-right strength imbalances with unilateral work
• Improves elbow flexion strength and biceps hypertrophy stimulus
• Encourages strict technique and controlled tempo

Key Points

• Keep your upper arm glued to the preacher pad to prevent cheating.
• Use a full but comfortable range; stop short of painful end-range elbow extension.
• Control the eccentric (lowering) phase for better biceps tension.
• Keep wrist neutral to slightly extended; avoid excessive wrist curl.
• Do not let the shoulder drift forward; the elbow should be the main moving joint.

Common Mistakes

• Lifting the upper arm off the pad or shifting the torso to create momentum
• Dropping the weight too fast on the way down
• Overextending at the bottom and stressing the elbow joint
• Letting the wrist bend excessively, reducing biceps contribution
• Using a weight that forces shoulder movement or partial reps