Walk into any gym and you’ll see a parade of bicep exercises. Standing curls. Seated curls. Cables. Machines everywhere. With so many choices, which ones actually work?

Most people flail between moves and hope for the best. But science is catching up to gym lore. Recent head-to-head trials now point to which bicep curls truly deliver results. No hype, no guessing.

Here are three exercises that hold up in the lab and on the gym floor. You’ll also find practical tips for putting them to work.

1. Preacher Curls

A 2025 study with 38 young women (31 completed the trial) found preacher curls favored distal region growth over 8 weeks compared to incline curls. Both exercises produced similar total muscle growth when training effort was matched.

How to do it: Set up at a preacher bench with your upper arms resting on the angled pad. Your armpits should touch the top of the pad. Hold an EZ bar or dumbbells with palms facing up. Start with arms nearly straight but not locked out. Curl the weight up by squeezing your biceps. Lower slowly for 2-3 seconds.

Why it works: This setup reduces swinging and isolates the biceps. The angled position emphasizes tension when the muscle is in a lengthened position at the bottom of the movement.

2. Bayesian Cable Curls

A 2025 within-subject trial with 15 young men found preacher and Bayesian cable curls produced similar hypertrophy and strength gains over 10 weeks when resistance profiles were matched. Both exercises resulted in approximately 6-9% thickness increases across the arm regions.

How to do it: Stand facing away from a cable machine with the pulley set low. Hold the handle with your arm extended back. Step forward so there’s tension on the cable. Keep your upper arm behind your torso and curl forward without swinging your shoulder. Lower slowly.

Why it works: This setup places the shoulder in an extended position, creating tension through the range of motion. Cable resistance provides a consistent load throughout the movement.

3. Incline Dumbbell Curls

The 2025 study with women found incline curls favored proximal region growth compared to preacher curls, though the sample size was limited. Prior studies in men and mixed populations have also suggested incline curls may emphasize the upper arm region. Total muscle growth was broadly similar between exercises over the 8 weeks.

How to do it: Set an incline bench to 45-60 degrees. Sit back with a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging straight down. Let your elbows drift slightly behind your torso. Keep your wrists straight and curl up without swinging. Lower slowly.

Why it works: The inclined position places your shoulders back, changing where peak tension occurs during the movement. This creates a different stimulus pattern compared to preacher work.

Knowing the lifts is half the battle. Here’s a simple weekly plan.

• Pick preacher curls or Bayesian cable curls as your main event. They’re equals if you put in equal effort.

• Do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.

• Train your biceps twice per week.

• Lower the weight slowly (2-3 seconds down).

• Switch to a different exercise every 6-8 weeks.

Example:

Weeks 1-6: Preacher curls (4 sets) twice per week.
Weeks 7-12: Bayesian cable curls (4 sets) twice per week.
Weeks 13-18: Incline curls (4 sets) twice per week.

What About Other Popular Exercises?

Standing barbell curls: Great if your form is perfect. If your technique drifts, consider more controlled setups.

Concentration curls: A 2014 ACE study found these had the highest biceps activation by EMG. Worth considering for isolated biceps work.

Cable curls: Standard standing cable curls often reduce stretch unless the setup places the shoulder extended behind the torso.

Safety notes: People with elbow or shoulder problems should avoid exercises that deeply stretch the biceps. Start with preacher curls using a smaller range of motion. Beginners should master basic form before progressing to more complex setups.

Exercise choice is just one piece of the puzzle. Genetics, total weekly training volume, and movement quality affect results as much or more than which curl you choose. Prioritize form, push for a little progress each week and stay consistent. That’s how real muscle is built.

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Reference Links:

ACE Study Reveals Best Biceps Exercises

Scott Young, M.S., John P. Porcari, Ph.D., Clayton Camic, Ph.D., Attila Kovacs, Ph.D., and Carl Foster, Ph.D.
ACE, Published August 2014

Click Here for the Study: https://www.acefitness.org/continuing-education/prosource/august-2014/4933/ace-study-reveals-best-biceps-exercises/?srsltid=AfmBOopf9_Tb6hNXfGBlysAODqOmaXLq7ooL8iKdrcZhdV5cmVwh-976&utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

Does Muscle Length Influence Regional Hypertrophy? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Dorian Varovic, Milo Wolf, Brad J Schoenfeld, James Steele, Jozo Grgic and Pavle Mikulic
Thieme International Journal of Sports Medicine, Published 26 June 2025

Click Here for the Study: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/a-2615-4935?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

Similar muscle hypertrophy following eight weeks of resistance training to momentary muscular failure or with repetitions-in-reserve in resistance-trained individuals

Martin C. Refalo, Eric R. Helms, Zac P. Robinson, D. Lee Hamilton & Jacksn J. Fyfe
Journal of Sports Sciences , Published 23 Feb 2024

Click Here for the Study: https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2024.2321021

 

Resistance Training Variables for Optimization of Muscle Hypertrophy: An Umbrella Review

Roberto Bernárdez-Vázquez, Javier Raya-González, Daniel Castillo and Marco Beato
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, Published 03 July 2022

Click Here for the Study: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.949021/full?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

Distinct muscle growth and strength adaptations after preacher and incline biceps curls

Witalo Kassiano, Bruna Costa, Gabriel Kunevaliki, Felipe Lisboa, Natã Stavinski, Aline Prado, Ian Tricoli, Jarlisson Francsuel, Luis Lima, JoãoPedro Nunes, Alex Silva Ribeiro, Edilson S. Cyrino 
International Journal of Sports Medicine, Published 20 February 2025

Click Here for the Study: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/a-2517-0509?device=desktop&innerWidth=412&offsetWidth=412&utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

Comparison Between Shoulder Flexed and Extended Positions in Elbow Flexion Resistance Training on Regional Hypertrophy and Maximum Strength: Preacher versus Bayesian Cable Curls

Parsa Attarieh, João Pedro Nunes, Saeed Khani, Saman Negahdar, Amirali Goli, Hamed Nazarirad, Shahriar Nazarirad, Shima Mojtahedi, Kazunori Nosaka, Rahman Soori
European Journal of Sport Science, Published 13 March 2025

Click Here for the Study: https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.12279

 

Placing Greater Torque at Shorter or Longer Muscle Lengths? Effects of Cable vs. Barbell Preacher Curl Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy in Young Adults

João Pedro Nunes, Jeferson L. Jacinto, Alex S. Ribeiro, Jerry L. Mayhew, Masatoshi Nakamura, Danila M. G. Capel, Leidiane R. Santos, Leandro Santos, Edilson S. Cyrino and Andreo F. Aguiar
International Journal of Environmental Research, Published 13 August 2020

Click Here for the Study: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165859

 

Bilateral Biceps Curl Shows Distinct Biceps Brachii and Anterior Deltoid Excitation Comparing Straight vs. EZ Barbell Coupled with Arms Flexion/No-Flexion

Giuseppe Coratella, Gianpaolo Tornatore, Stefano Longo, Fabio Esposito and Emiliano Cè
Role of Exercises in Musculoskeletal Disorders—5th Edition, Published 19 January 2023

Click Here for the Study: https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk8010013

 

Does longer-muscle length resistance training cause greater longitudinal growth in humans? A systematic review

Milo Wolf, Patroklos Androulakis Korakakis, Michael D. Roberts, Daniel L. Plotkin, Martino V. Franchi, Bret Contreras, Menno Henselmans, Stian Larsen, Brad J. Schoenfeld
Sports Medicine and Health Science, Published 6 March 2025

Click Here for the Study: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smhs.2025.03.001

 

Regional Hypertrophy: The Effect of Exercises at Long and Short Muscle Lengths in Recreationally Trained Women

Aitor Zabaleta-Korta, Eneko Fernández-Peña, Jon Torres-Unda, Maider Francés, Asier Zubillaga, Jordan Santos-Concejero
Journal of Human Kinetics, Published Jul. 15 2023

Click Here for the Study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10407320/

 

Influence of Resistance Training Proximity-to-Failure on Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis

Martin C Refalo, Eric R Helms, Eric T Trexler, D Lee Hamilton, Jackson J Fyfe
Sports Medicine, Published 2022 Nov 5.

Click Here for the Study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-022-01784-y

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9/9/2025