Exercise Library
Ez Bar Drag Bicep Curl
The EZ bar drag curl is a curl variation where the bar is dragged straight up the front of your body, elbows traveling backward instead of staying fixed. This path takes the front delts out of the movement and keeps peak tension on the biceps, especially the long head, while the EZ bar's angled grip spares the wrists. Lifters use it to feel the biceps working when regular curls have gone stale or shoulder takeover is a problem.
Biceps brachii
Primary muscle
Biceps brachii
Secondary muscles
brachialis, forearms
Equipment
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Category
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How to Do the Ez Bar Drag Bicep Curl
- Hold an EZ bar with an underhand grip on the angled sections, hands about shoulder width apart.
- Stand tall with the bar resting against your thighs and shoulders pulled back.
- Exhale and drag the bar straight up your torso by bending the elbows and driving them behind you.
- Keep the bar in light contact with your body as it travels to lower chest height.
- Squeeze the biceps at the top; the range is shorter than a normal curl, which is expected.
- Inhale and lower the bar back down along the same close path until your arms are straight.
- Repeat without letting the elbows sneak forward at any point.
Common Mistakes
- Letting the bar drift away: swinging the bar out front converts the drag curl into a standard curl and reintroduces shoulder involvement; keep it brushing the torso.
- Expecting full curl range: forcing the bar as high as a regular curl breaks the elbow back position; the movement legitimately ends around lower chest height.
- Using regular curl loads: the mechanics are harder, so drop the weight by 20 to 30 percent from your normal EZ bar curl.
- Shrugging the shoulders: pulling the traps up to gain height shifts tension away from the biceps; keep the shoulders down and back.
Track This Exercise in the App
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