Exercise Comparison
Alternate Hammer Curl vs Reverse Barbell Preacher Curls
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Instructions
Alternate Hammer Curl
Stand up with your torso upright and a dumbbell in each hand being held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the torso.
The palms of the hands should be facing your torso. This will be your starting position.
While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the right weight forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Continue the movement until your biceps is fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps. Tip: Only the forearms should move.
Slowly begin to bring the dumbbells back to starting position as your breathe in.
Repeat the movement with the left hand. This equals one repetition.
Continue alternating in this manner for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Reverse Barbell Preacher Curls
Grab an EZ-bar using a shoulder width and palms down (pronated) grip.
Now place the upper part of both arms on top of the preacher bench and have your arms extended. This will be your starting position.
As you exhale, use the biceps to curl the weight up until your biceps are fully contracted and the barbell is at shoulder height. Squeeze the biceps hard for a second at the contracted position.
As you breathe in, slowly lower the barbell until your upper arms are extended and the biceps is fully stretched.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the biceps. Alternate Hammer Curl is a beginner exercise using dumbbell, while Reverse Barbell Preacher Curls is intermediate and uses e-z curl bar. Choose Alternate Hammer Curl if you're looking for a more accessible option, or Reverse Barbell Preacher Curls for a greater challenge.