Joe Pietaro
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How do you get big biceps? Curls... but of course there's a bunch of different variations of one of the most basic bodybuilding exercises. And a number of them can be performed with the E-Z (also known as the Scott, named after the first Mr. Olympia, the late Larry Scott) curl bar. It has a unique shape that will allow you to hold it with either a narrow or wide grip. And the area of the bar where you place your hands is knurled and will help you hold it steady without your grip slipping.
Let's take a look at the two types of grips, both of which are of the overhand variety:
*CLOSE GRIP - This will focus on your 'long head,' the one on the outside of your arms and works the peak of your biceps. This narrow grip will put some added pressure on your joints (mainly the elbows and wrists), but it is important to work with it. So use a weight that you can handle and allows you to use a full range of motion. In comparison to a straight bar, the E-Z curl bar is bette for your joints and the hand positioning will be a benefit at the top and bottom of each rep. Another positive aspect of the closer grip is the forearms being tapped as a secondary muscle.
*WIDE GRIP - Use the outside portion of the E-Z curl bar and this should put your grip at approximately shoulder width. This grip is also called a supinated grip and will target your ;short head,' or the inner part of your biceps and that will add thickness to them. Your hands will be turned outward somewhat with this grip and that will give you a longer range of motion than a straight bar.
The E-Z bar can be used either standing air seated and a common exercise is on the preacher (or Scott) bench. When doing the latter, you are totally isolating the biceps muscles and that 45-degree angle will work your arms perfectly. Try not to push your knees/top of your lower thighs too hard against the bottom of the pad, as this will help you complete the rep without using your biceps.
Keep your armpits tucked into the top portion of the pad and lean your chest into out, as well, to keep your upper body steady. This will enable you to pulverize your biceps without using any momentum, which occurs sometimes while doing standing curls. And you can change grips while performing preacher curls, but the narrow type is more frequently done than the wide grip. The reason for this is that your elbows will take a beating and flair outward a bit, putting additional pressure on them.
Try to use all the options available to you with the E-Z bar when working your biceps. And keep it close by, as there are just as many movements that can be done with it for triceps.
Let's take a look at the two types of grips, both of which are of the overhand variety:
*CLOSE GRIP - This will focus on your 'long head,' the one on the outside of your arms and works the peak of your biceps. This narrow grip will put some added pressure on your joints (mainly the elbows and wrists), but it is important to work with it. So use a weight that you can handle and allows you to use a full range of motion. In comparison to a straight bar, the E-Z curl bar is bette for your joints and the hand positioning will be a benefit at the top and bottom of each rep. Another positive aspect of the closer grip is the forearms being tapped as a secondary muscle.
*WIDE GRIP - Use the outside portion of the E-Z curl bar and this should put your grip at approximately shoulder width. This grip is also called a supinated grip and will target your ;short head,' or the inner part of your biceps and that will add thickness to them. Your hands will be turned outward somewhat with this grip and that will give you a longer range of motion than a straight bar.
The E-Z bar can be used either standing air seated and a common exercise is on the preacher (or Scott) bench. When doing the latter, you are totally isolating the biceps muscles and that 45-degree angle will work your arms perfectly. Try not to push your knees/top of your lower thighs too hard against the bottom of the pad, as this will help you complete the rep without using your biceps.
Keep your armpits tucked into the top portion of the pad and lean your chest into out, as well, to keep your upper body steady. This will enable you to pulverize your biceps without using any momentum, which occurs sometimes while doing standing curls. And you can change grips while performing preacher curls, but the narrow type is more frequently done than the wide grip. The reason for this is that your elbows will take a beating and flair outward a bit, putting additional pressure on them.
Try to use all the options available to you with the E-Z bar when working your biceps. And keep it close by, as there are just as many movements that can be done with it for triceps.
