Comparing 3 Variations of Bicep Curl
Muscle activity during barbell, Ez bar, and dumbbell curls.
This study investigated the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the biceps brachii (BB) and brachioradialis (BR) muscles during three variants of the curl exercise: barbell curls with a straight bar (BC), barbell curls with an EZ bar (EZ), and alternate dumbbell curls (DC).
PMID: 30013836
Key Points
Methods
12 male participants with resistance training experience performed 10 repetitions at 65% 1RM for each curl variant
EMG activity of BB and BR was recorded along with elbow angle
Concentric and eccentric phases were analysed separately
Results
Full range of motion:
Higher BB and BR activation during EZ compared to DC (p<0.05 and p<0.01 respectively)
Concentric phase:
Higher BR activation during EZ vs DC (p<0.001) and BC vs DC (p<0.05)
No significant differences for BB
Eccentric phase:
Higher BB activation during EZ vs DC (p<0.01) and BC vs DC (p<0.05)
Higher BR activation during EZ vs DC (p<0.01)
Practical Takeaways
The EZ curl variant appears to elicit the highest overall muscle activation, particularly compared to dumbbell curls over the full range and eccentric phase.
Barbell curls (both straight and EZ bar) generally produced higher activation than dumbbell curls
The choice between straight bar and EZ bar curls may come down to individual preference, as differences were minimal
Key Points
The EZ curl variant may be preferable for maximising biceps and brachioradialis activation throughout the full range of motion. However, both barbell variants (EZ and straight bar) appear superior to dumbbell curls for eliciting muscle activation of the elbow flexors. The small differences between EZ and straight bar curls suggest either could be effectively used based on individual comfort.
Reference
Marcolin G, Panizzolo FA, Petrone N, Moro T, Grigoletto D, Piccolo D, Paoli A. Differences in electromyographic activity of biceps brachii and brachioradialis while performing three variants of curl. PeerJ. 2018 Jul 13;6:e5165. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5165. PMID: 30013836; PMCID: PMC6047503.