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Start ShoppingYou’re likely familiar with barbells and straight bars, but have you ever seen the weighted bars at the gym with a wavy grip? These are called curl bars and while they look like a funhouse mirror reflection of a straight bar, they are great fitness tools to help target your upper body muscles in a unique way. Before we dive into the incredible exercises you can perform with an EZ curl bar, let’s look at what makes them different from other bars and the benefits of their unique design.
What is an EZ Curl Bar?
ARCHON Fitness has its own brand of curl bar called the EZ curl bar. Curl bars are designed to target smaller muscle groups like biceps and triceps. Because these muscles require less weight to build, curl bars are traditionally made in weight options between 15 pounds and 45 pounds.
Curl bars are a very popular option since they provide a more natural grip position of the hand and wrists. This is especially beneficial for exercises that require bending of the elbows such as bicep curls, skull crushers, tricep kickbacks, and more. Straight bars increase torque in the wrists since the user must hold their wrists in a straight position. The natural inclination of your wrist is to turn outward or inward depending on the exercise. If you are unfamiliar with working out with a straight bar or if your wrists are weak, using a straight bar can cause pain or injury in your wrists. If you’re getting to the gym and you see both options, which should you use? This depends on your goals. Let’s look at the major differences between curl bars and straight bars.
What’s the Difference Between an EZ Curl Bar and a Standard Barbell?
Curl bars and straight bars can be excellent tools for resistance training and building strength. However, these tools differ in weight, shape, and hand positioning capabilities.
Barbells, also called straight bars, are straight, cylindrical rods. Sometimes these have set weights established on both ends. Other times, you can adjust and build your desired weight with weighted plates. Straight bars are highly common fitness equipment that can be found in home and commercial gyms. With straight bars, the length and weight options can vary significantly.
In contrast, the curl bar is often smaller in length and the cylindrical rod is designed with a wavy or “W” shape. Most curl bars you see are like dumbbells where the weight is attached and you will have to work with a different bar to change your desired weight. Curl bars often do not exceed 75 Lbs. The greatest difference between straight bars and curl bars is hand positioning capabilities. With a straight bar, the wrists must be straight and only allow for straight underhand or overhand grips. Whereas curl bars allow users to grip with an angle, assisting in targeting muscles like biceps and triceps. This slight angle provides for a more natural, and sometimes more comfortable grip.
Archon’s EZ Curl Bar
The ARCHON EZ Curl Barbell with CERAKOTE finish is the specialty bar you have been shopping for. The undulating handle allows you to activate your biceps and triceps for those toned and strong arms you have been working toward with this curl bar. Traditionally used for seated or standing preacher curls, reverse-grip EZ curls, varied grip curls, overhead triceps extensions – seated, standing, or lying, upright rows, and more.
If you have had a wrist injury the EZ bar is a great alternative to straight bar curls as the undulating handle reduces pressure on the wrist. The ARCHON Premium CERAKOTE finish will contribute to your enjoying your bar in the longer term as this top-of-the-line coating increases resistance to rust, abrasion, and provides hardness for extra protection. The medium knurling will hold chalk, but also will not be so abrasive you lose your fingerprints. Whether you are a bodybuilder, weightlifting, working on weight loss, rehabilitating from wrist injuries, or just looking to tone those arms, you will enjoy the feel of our barbell.
EZ Curl Bar Upper Body Workouts
Preacher Curls
Grab the barbell or EZ curl bar with an underhand grip, and sit down on the preacher curl bench with your feet flat on the floor. Adjust the seat to allow your upper arms and chest to be in contact with the arm pad.
Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement as if you were holding an egg under your chin. Your arms should be long with a slight bend in your elbows. Maintain a neutral wrist position and a comfortable grip. All repetitions should begin from this position.
While keeping your upper arms in contact with the arm pad, initiate the upward movement by squeezing your biceps and bending your elbows. Continue to lift until the barbell or EZ bar is level with your shoulders.
Finish the movement by squeezing your biceps.
Slowly straighten your elbows to lower the barbell to the starting position.
Reverse-grip EZ Curls
Set up for the EZ bar reverse wrist curl by selecting a light EZ bar and grasping it with a reverse grip (palms facing down) around shoulder-width apart.
Stand straight up, feet together (you may be more comfortable taking one foot back for stability), back straight, and with your arms fully extended. The bar should not be touching your body.
Keeping your eyes facing forwards, elbows tucked in at your sides, and your body completely still, slowly curl the bar up.
Do not pause, and slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.
Repeat for desired reps.
Standard Grip EZ Curls
To perform the EZ Bar curl, start in a standing position whilst holding the bar on the outer bends. Your hands should be tilted slightly inwards due to the positioning on the bar. Your elbows should be close to your sides. Have your arms extended, to begin with.
From here, exhale whilst curling the bar upwards towards your chest. Focus on keeping your upper arms stationary, moving through the forearms. Once you reach the top position of the curl, hold for a second whilst your biceps are contracted. Then inhale and return to starting position.
For best results, make sure you don’t swing through the hips to lift the weight with momentum. Focus on curling the weight through bicep contraction only. Note, you can change up this exercise by doing a wider grip, or narrower grip.
EZ Curl Overhead Triceps Extensions
Sit upright on a bench and hold an EZ curl bar overhead with your hands shoulder-width distance apart under the curved grooves.
Then, slowly lower the bar down behind your head with elbows slightly tucked in until your forearms are parallel to the floor. Inhale during this portion of the exercise.
Now, extend your forearms back to the starting position by flexing your triceps but don’t lockout at the top. Exhale during this portion of the exercise.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.
EZ Curl Military Press
Start off by setting up a bench at just over 90-degrees. Load the bar with an appropriate weight. If you have a rack to lift it off or someone to pass you the bar, that would be optimal. If not, be extra careful!
Grip the bar wider than shoulder-width apart, so on the outer bends of the bar. Position the bar by your upper chest with your elbows under your hands. From here, exhale and push the bar straight upwards until your arms are extended. Hold for a second in this position, and then lower the bar down back to the starting position, whilst inhaling.
If you have shoulder pain you should not do this exercise, and if you don’t want to have shoulder pain, you must watch the video above before you attempt it.
Upright Rows
Start by standing and hold the bar with a narrow, overhand grip (hold the first angled part of the bar from the middle). You should have a neutral spine and retract your shoulder blades before commencing the lift.
Exhale and pull the weight up, as high as you can – at the top of the movement, your elbows should be at ear level. Hold this position for a second and then return to the starting position.
Start Working Out Like a Pro with Archon Fitness Equipment
Each and every piece of ARCHON fitness equipment is professional-grade, made with high-quality materials, and designed to last a lifetime (or even two). Our EZ Curl Bar is no exception. When we design our equipment, we don’t just want great style and durability for our customers; we also want functionality, comfort, control, and results. We had to add the EZ curl bar to our long list of home-gym equipment because we understand that the great benefits it has for people of all shapes, sizes, and fitness goals.
Whether you’re building a gym in your garage, a spare room, a warehouse, or a commercial residence – ARCHON Fitness has all of the home gym equipment you need to work out like a real pro. Visit our website to order our EZ curl bar and check out all of our other equipment and accessory options. We guarantee that you’ll be amazed at the quality and value.