Preacher Curl Bench for Biceps Training

Preacher Curl Bench for Biceps – Seated or Standing?

As regards standing versus seated models, I am definitely a fan of seated models for the reasons below:

In some exercises, maximizing core involvement is important. For instance, overhead pressing without a backrest or in a standing position is very important. Core involvement is essential because the force of the exercise is transmitted directly through the axial skeleton, or spine.

However, Preacher bench training is performed specifically to isolate the biceps. Short head biceps concentration demands that the shoulders be in a slightly flexed position. Doing so allows the long head of the biceps to slack, which then gives it a less effective line of pull, placing more overload on the short head. As such, you must use a bench of some kind to allow flexion at the shoulder when you perform short head biceps training.

If you have to do that anyway, you may as well preserve the additional neurological drive saved from sitting versus standing to get the biggest bang for your buck. It is also harder to cheat the exercise in a seated version. Both these facts lead to improved neural drive to the arms, which translates to faster strength gains.

Lastly, the seated Preacher bench made by Atlantis has the ability to stand built into it. Provided that you are of average height, if you must stand, you can raise the pad high enough to do so. When standing, you can also remove the seat, face the opposite way, and perform spider curls – a biceps curl similar to concentration curls in terms of the strength curve.

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