Zottman Preacher Curl
How to do the Zottman Preacher Curl
- 1
Grab a dumbbell in each hand and place your upper arms on top of the preacher bench or the incline bench. The dumbbells should be held at shoulder height and the elbows should be flexed. Hold the dumbbells with the palms of your hands facing down. This will be your starting position.
- 2
As you breathe in, slowly lower the dumbbells keeping the palms down until your upper arm is extended and your biceps are fully stretched.
- 3
Now rotate your wrists once you are at the bottom of the movement so that the palms of the hands are facing up.
- 4
As you exhale, use your biceps to curl the weights up until they are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder height. Again, remember that to ensure full contraction you need to bring that small finger higher than the thumb.
- 5
Squeeze the biceps hard for a second at the contracted position and rotate your wrists so that the palms are facing down again.
- 6
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
How to program the Zottman Preacher Curl
Sets and reps
As an isolation movement, the Zottman Preacher Curl is best trained with moderate loads and higher reps: 2–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 60–90 seconds of rest. Chasing heavy weight on isolation work usually degrades form before it builds muscle — prioritize a full range of motion and a controlled negative. Program it after your compound lifts.
Progression
The Zottman Preacher Curl is rated intermediate. Earn the right to progress: only add load when every rep of every set moves with consistent technique. Video your sets or use a mirror to check positions, and use double progression (add reps to the top of your range, then add load and reset) rather than jumping weight.
Secondary muscles worked
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Zottman Preacher Curl work?
The Zottman Preacher Curl primarily targets the Biceps. It also recruits the Forearms as supporting muscles.
What equipment do I need for the Zottman Preacher Curl?
You need Dumbbell. Difficulty level: Intermediate.
How many sets and reps of the Zottman Preacher Curl should I do?
Do 2–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 60–90 seconds rest, focusing on a full range of motion and controlled tempo rather than maximum load.
