Exercise guide
Zottman Preacher Curl
The Zottman Preacher Curl supports the upper arms on a preacher pad while the grip changes between the lifting and lowering phases. The biceps provide the primary curl, while the forearms assist during the palms-down descent.
Training context
Why the Zottman Preacher Curl Can Be Useful
The pad limits upper-arm movement and makes the grip transition easier to observe. Because the lowering phase uses a pronated grip, a lighter load may be needed than in a standard preacher curl.
Keep the upper arms in contact with the pad and avoid relaxing into a fully locked elbow position. Rotate the wrists only when the dumbbells are under control.
Technique overview
Keep the arms supported during the grip change
Begin at the top with the palms facing down and lower the dumbbells slowly while the upper arms remain on the pad. Near the bottom, rotate the palms upward and curl the weights back toward the shoulders. Turn the palms down again at the top before the next descent. Stop if the wrists or elbows cannot maintain the same controlled path.
Treat this as an overview and use a range, pace, and setup you can control.