Barbell Curl with Straight Bar vs Curl Bar...

[glemay]

Hey guys,

Just wondering what the everyone thinks of doing curls with a straight barbell? Someone told me that a straight barbell will damage your shoulders...? Is this true?

Would it be worth purchasing a curl bar if I don't already have one? Been doing my curls with a straight barbell.

Thanks,

Gerry

[Big Arm Big Pay]

I do curls with a ez bar and a barbell i think there both necessary to build arms bigger

[scott1761]

You can strain your forearms with the strait bar if you lift really heavy i did it once.

[soulmanne]

You can strain your forearms with the strait bar if you lift really heavy i did it once.

well i strain my wrists when using the ez curl bar

[ShotClock]

You can strain your forearms with the strait bar if you lift really heavy i did it once.

I've heard about that, it has to do with the straight bar being an "unnatural" position. Some people get forearm/wrist pain from it. But, in terms of bicep activation, the barbell is supposed to provide more since it keeps the hands completely supinated throughout the movement.

E-Z bar curls work your forearms in addition to the biceps due to the hand position, so you don't get as much relative bicep activation. However, the grip is also more natural for most people.

You could always do DB curls as an alternative and keep your hands supinated throughout, or you could try spider curls with the E-Z bar which are supposed to really blast your bi's.

[bigguy29]

do both versions.

[qualitywah]

i prefer to use the ez-bar for my curls. also dumbells are great. ive found that while using a barbell my hands feel very unnatural and i get pain in my wrists. the ez bar feels more natural so i use that over straight bar. when i use the ez-bar i will grip about shoulder width apart and then ill do some sets of narrow grip. ive found that works really well building the bicep. overall, i think the ez-bar is one of the best ways to work the biceps. there are many different things you can do with the ez-bar (and barbell but some movements feel very unnatural and hurt my wrists). prime example: preacher curls. so i'd say go for ez-bar (also great for triceps)

[raysurz]

I do all my curls with dumbbells and they work great.

[glemay]

Well I think that pretty much answers my question. Seems like it may be different for everyone. Looks like I'm gonna try to get me an ez curl bar in the future just to mix things up. Some dumbells would be nice too... lol

Thanks,

Gerry

[HSP10]

I don't like the fact that when I'm doing heavy weight on the barbell curl it really does tweak my wrists a little bit, but I do both, sometimes in the same workout routine.

[Tallbill]

Straight bar kills my forearms (in a bad way) so I almost always use EZ.

[scott1761]

Straight bar kills my forearms (in a bad way) so I almost always use EZ.

Same here.

[Suyneej]

i have no issue with strait bars, but yeah ive heard ez-curl bars arent as good

[ATrainer]

You've seen what I think about straight bars in my banned exercises. However, you also have to realize that cambered bars are not created equal. The bend angles, bend width, grip width, and center alignment on cambered cable bars are al different. EZ curl bars vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some plain suck.

When I go to buy a bar I load it heavy and do skull crushers, body drags and spider curls with it to see if all of those variables work with my comfort. In essence, I don't want any distractions like torque and joint pain getting in the way of my focus on cramping my muscles. I even bring my own cable bar in my gym bag because it is perfect, and most gyms don't have anything even close.

[Tyciol]

wondering what the everyone thinks of doing curls with a straight barbell? Someone told me that a straight barbell will damage your shoulders...? Is this true?

No.

Would it be worth purchasing a curl bar if I don't already have one? Been doing my curls with a straight barbell.

Variety is good, as for worth it, you probably don't need it unless you're curling a straigh a long time and stalling.

[Big Arm Big Pay]

your all probably cheating alot on the barbell stop doing so much weight and start doing it right

[irv.chan]

your all probably cheating alot on the barbell stop doing so much weight and start doing it right

AHAHAH wow man what are you? The buff guy on this forum? Stop doing it wrong? Man for all we know you walk around like your lats are as big as Ronnies but are smaller than a school girl so I say shut up and let everyone let their opinions to the threadstarter who's looking for some advice. And advice from everyone.


In my opinion man, use everything. Switch things up all the time. But if the straight bar is hurting your wrists or forearms just don't use it. Dumbells are essential to putting on the muscle mass. Then throw in exercises to hit the different heads the bracchi or however u spell the muscle in betw the tris and bis. And concentration curls are essential. I know that not many people do them anymore but do them with lighter weights and you'll notice the mass increase and quality in your biceps. I do them with a broken wrist so all the weight is in the biceps not the wrists. Hope this helps bud.

PS the best way is to experience what you enjoy and what you feel to give you the maximum gains. GOod luck

[Tyciol]

Why mention the size of his lats? This is about barbell curl, and his name is 'big arm' not 'big lat'. Anyway check it out:

he knows what he's talking about with the barbell curls. Using strict form's important!

[JimmyChitwood]

Why mention the size of his lats? This is about barbell curl, and his name is 'big arm' not 'big lat'. Anyway check it out:

he knows what he's talking about with the barbell curls. Using strict form's important!

Strict form is good, for sure. But even Arnold advocated the use of "cheats" on barbell curls. Just food for thought - there's always going to be more than one way to skin that cat, and you can always find an expert to back up whatever view is out there.

To the original poster: I've never heard of shoulder problems with the straight barbell curls, but wrist trouble is commonly spoken of. I find that when doing these, if I emphasize trying to push the weight up with the inside (pinky side) of the palms, the wrists relax more and go with the bar. Otherwise, I tend to strain my wrists as though I'm trying to bend the bar into a more natural angle (like the shape of the EZ bar).

I think picking up an EZ curl bar is a great idea. They'll not only add to your biceps routines, but I think it's great for tricep work as well. If you can swing for the dumbbells (frickin' expensive), then you're really golden.

[kyokushin1]

Straight barbell curls destroy my wrists, i always stick to ez-bar or db's.

[Mesomorphus]

Do switch with Straight bar & Ez Bar because they hit biceps at different angles.

[DJAuto]

AHAHAH wow man what are you? The buff guy on this forum? Stop doing it wrong? Man for all we know you walk around like your lats are as big as Ronnies but are smaller than a school girl so I say shut up and let everyone let their opinions to the threadstarter who's looking for some advice. And advice from everyone.

Well, aren't we a bit irritated this morning.

The OP may very well be using poor technique.

[Demon-seven]

Stright bar all the way.

[Defiant1]

Hey guys,

Just wondering what the everyone thinks of doing curls with a straight barbell? Someone told me that a straight barbell will damage your shoulders...? Is this true?

Would it be worth purchasing a curl bar if I don't already have one? Been doing my curls with a straight barbell.

Thanks,

Gerry

One is not better than the other in general, just different.

I use a curl bar for narrow grip bb curls, and a straight bar for wide grip.

Definitely worth the buy IMO especially for tricep work.

[natespeer]

Stright bar all the way.

x2, no problems here

[EL FUERTE_old]

Straight bar x2.......

[MaskedManiac]

All I Ever Got From Using The Straight Bar Was Pain In My Forearms.......once I Switched To The Curling Bar My Forearms Grew And With No Pain.

The
Maniac.

[Jeremy2007]

Hey guys,

Just wondering what the everyone thinks of doing curls with a straight barbell?

Here's Larry Scott's opinion:

If your goal is to build biceps the straight bar is much better than the EZ curl bar if done the conventional way. In fact, you may have noticed how the EZ curl bar feels real comfortable but it just doesn't seem to produce size increase like the Straight bar does. Perhaps this is the reason... The bicep performs two jobs. One, is to curl the arm but the other is to supinate the palm. So, in order to work the bicep completely, you wan to make it do both jobs at once. That just makes sense doesn't it? That's why you make your best progress when you do curls with the palm supinated. The straight bar doesn't supinate the palm but it at least it keeps the palm straight. The EZ curl bar doesn't even do that. It allows the palm to turn half way to the side. Yet we can actually do more weight with an Ez curl bar than with a straight bar. Why is that anyway. It's simple. The more you turn the wrist so the palm is facing down the more you activate the brachio radialus. This is good for building the top of the forearm but it's not so good for the bicep because now it doesn't have to do all the work.

http://www.larryscott.com/bio/faq.cfm

[tolkaNo]

i would agree, and most pros seem to use the straight bar

[sly_106]

Whether or not straight bar or EZ bar should be used is determined by the Valgus Angle of the elbow (see image).




To see your valgus angle stand in front of the mirror hang your arm by your side with your thumb facing forward. Rotate your hand so your thumb faces away from your body. The way your arm hangs naturally in this position shows you what your valgus angle is. If your arm angles heavily away from your body you're better off with and EZcurl bar because a straight bar will put unnecessary strain on the wrists. If your arm sits close to the body you should use a straight bar as your biceps will get greater stimulation and it won't put your wrists at risk. Generally women tend to have a greater valgus angle than do men.