The preacher curl is one of the best exercises for isolating the biceps — but it requires a piece of equipment that most home gyms don't have and half of commercial gyms bury in a corner somewhere. If you don't have access to a preacher bench, you're not out of luck. You just need to understand what the preacher curl actually does so you can replicate it without the dedicated station.
The principle is simple: brace your upper arm against a surface so it can't move, then curl. That's it. The bench just provides the surface and the angle. Anything that locks your arm in place and eliminates momentum can serve the same purpose.
Here are the best preacher curl alternatives you can do without a preacher bench — at home, at a crowded gym, or anywhere you've got dumbbells and a little creativity.
Why Preacher Curls Work So Well
Before jumping to alternatives, it helps to understand what makes preacher curls effective in the first place. That way you can judge whether a substitute actually replicates the benefits or just looks similar.
**The pad eliminates cheating.** Your upper arm is locked against the angled surface, which means you can't swing, shrug, or use body English. The biceps do 100% of the work. This strict form is what makes preacher curls so productive — and so humbling.
**Arms-in-front position targets the short head.** When your arms are positioned in front of your body, the long head of the biceps is shortened and contributes less force. The short head picks up the slack. That's why preacher curls are the go-to exercise for building bicep width.
**The stretch at the bottom is intense.** At the bottom of a preacher curl, the biceps are under load in a fully stretched position. This loaded stretch is one of the strongest signals for muscle growth — but it's also where the risk of injury is highest if you bounce or lock out completely.
Any good alternative needs to replicate at least two of these three features: arm bracing, arms-in-front position, or loaded stretch with controlled range of motion.
7 Best Preacher Curl Alternatives Without a Bench
1. Incline Bench Preacher Curl
This is the closest substitute to a real preacher bench, and most gyms have an adjustable incline bench even if they don't have a preacher station.
Set an adjustable bench to about 45-60 degrees. Stand behind it and drape your arms over the backrest. The top of the backrest acts as your preacher pad — your upper arms rest against it, and your elbows hang just past the edge.
Curl a dumbbell or EZ bar from this position. You'll immediately feel the same locked-arm, no-momentum effect as a dedicated preacher bench. The angle is slightly different, but the muscle stimulus is virtually identical.
3 sets of 10-12 reps. Start lighter than you think — the incline bench doesn't have the armpit support of a real preacher pad, so stability is slightly less.
2. Concentration Curl
The concentration curl replicates the key benefit of preacher curls — complete elimination of cheating — without any bench at all. Sit on a chair, bench, or even the edge of your bed. Brace the back of your upper arm against your inner thigh and curl one dumbbell at a time.
Your thigh acts as the preacher pad. Your elbow is locked, your upper arm can't move, and the biceps handle everything. When researchers measure muscle activation, concentration curls consistently land near the top — partly because the bracing is so effective at isolating the muscle.
This is the best preacher curl alternative for home workouts with minimal equipment. One dumbbell and a place to sit is all you need.
2-3 sets of 10-15 reps per arm.
3. Spider Curl
Lie chest-down on an incline bench set to about 45 degrees, letting your arms hang straight down. Curl dumbbells or a barbell from this position. The bench supports your chest, your arms are in front of your body, and gravity pulls straight down through your biceps.
Spider curls share the same arms-in-front position as preacher curls, which means they also emphasize the short head. The key difference is the resistance profile — spider curls are hardest at the top of the movement rather than the bottom. This makes them an excellent complement to preacher curls rather than an exact replacement.
3 sets of 12-15 reps. Go lighter than standing curls — the position is strict and momentum is impossible.
4. Cable Preacher Curl (No Bench Needed)
If your gym has a cable machine but no preacher bench, you can replicate the preacher curl effect by using a low pulley and bracing your arm against your own body.
Set the cable to the lowest position with a single handle. Kneel beside the machine and brace the back of your working arm against the inside of your knee or thigh — similar to a concentration curl, but with constant cable tension throughout the full range of motion.
The cable machine adds something free weights can't: constant tension at every point in the curl, including the top where dumbbells lose resistance. This makes cable preacher alternatives particularly effective for building the contraction and squeeze at peak flexion.
3 sets of 12-15 reps per arm.
5. Wall Curl (Bodyweight Alternative)
No weights at all? Stand with your back against a wall, feet about 12 inches from the base. Press your upper arms against the wall — they stay in contact throughout the movement. Now curl your forearms toward your shoulders against the friction of the wall.
This isn't going to build massive arms on its own, but it does replicate the arm-braced-against-surface principle of preacher curls. It's a useful warm-up or travel workout option when you have absolutely no equipment.
For added resistance, press your opposite hand against the working forearm and resist the curl. This creates manual resistance that can make the exercise surprisingly challenging.
3 sets to failure.
6. Prone Incline Dumbbell Curl
Similar to spider curls but with a slight angle adjustment. Set the bench to about 30 degrees (less steep than spider curls). Lie face down and let your arms hang. Curl from this shallow angle.
The shallower angle increases the stretch at the bottom of the movement — bringing it closer to the preacher curl experience where the biceps are loaded in a lengthened position. The steeper the bench, the more the exercise resembles a spider curl (hard at the top). The shallower the bench, the more it resembles a preacher curl (hard at the bottom).
Experiment with angles between 30-45 degrees to find where you feel the best stretch and contraction.
3 sets of 10-12 reps.
7. Band-Resisted Knee Preacher Curl
Loop a resistance band under one foot and grab the other end with your hand. Sit on a chair and brace your upper arm against your inner thigh — same setup as a concentration curl. Now curl against the band resistance.
The advantage over a dumbbell concentration curl is the ascending resistance curve — the band gets harder as you curl higher, which means maximum tension at peak contraction. This matches the preacher curl's strength curve more closely than free weights do.
A great home alternative when you don't have heavy enough dumbbells to challenge your biceps.
2-3 sets of 12-15 reps per arm.
How to Build a Preacher Curl Workout at Home
You don't need a preacher bench to replicate the full preacher curl experience. Here are two home-friendly workouts that cover the same muscle groups and movement patterns:
**Minimal setup (one dumbbell + chair):**
- Concentration Curl: 3 sets x 12 reps per arm
- Hammer Curl (standing): 3 sets x 10-12 reps
**Full setup (dumbbells + adjustable bench):**
- Incline Bench Preacher Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Spider Curl: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
The first workout is truly minimal — anyone can do it. The second workout replicates a complete preacher-focused arm session using an adjustable bench as the substitute for dedicated preacher equipment.
Preacher Curls vs These Alternatives: What You Lose
Let's be honest about what a dedicated preacher bench provides that alternatives can't fully replicate:
**The angled pad is purpose-built.** A real preacher bench has a pad angled at roughly 45-60 degrees with armpit support that keeps your arms perfectly positioned. An incline bench backrest, a thigh, or a wall can approximate this — but the fit isn't as precise. You'll need to pay more attention to your arm position.
**Heavy loading is safer on the real thing.** The preacher bench is designed to handle heavy curls with proper support. Improvised setups — especially the incline bench draped-over-the-back approach — are less stable under heavy weight. Stick to moderate loads with alternatives and save the heavy preacher work for when you have access to the actual bench.
**The armpit anchor matters.** That snug armpit-to-pad contact prevents your elbows from sliding during the set. Without it, your arms can drift forward or backward, changing the angle and reducing short head emphasis. Focus on keeping your upper arms locked and stable throughout every rep of every alternative.
Coach's Note: The best preacher curl alternative is the one you'll actually do consistently. A concentration curl performed three times per week with progressive overload will build bigger biceps than a preacher curl performed once a month when you happen to find an open bench. Don't let equipment access become an excuse to skip arm work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you do preacher curls without a bench?
Yes — several exercises replicate the preacher curl's key benefits without a dedicated bench. Concentration curls (braced against your thigh), incline bench preacher curls (draped over a regular bench), and spider curls (chest-down on an incline) all provide the arm-locked isolation that makes preacher curls effective.
What is the best substitute for preacher curls?
The concentration curl is the most accessible and effective substitute. It requires only one dumbbell and a seat, it locks your arm against your thigh the same way a preacher pad locks it against a bench, and it produces very high bicep activation. For a closer angle match, use an incline bench set to 45-60 degrees and drape your arms over the backrest.
Are preacher curls necessary for big biceps?
No single exercise is necessary. Preacher curls are excellent for short head isolation and strict form, but you can build impressive biceps without them. Incline curls target the long head, concentration curls provide isolation, and barbell curls provide heavy loading. A well-rounded program using multiple curl variations can fully replace preacher curls.
Can I do preacher curls at home?
Absolutely. If you have an adjustable bench, set it to 45-60 degrees and use the backrest as a preacher pad. If you only have dumbbells and a chair, concentration curls replicate the bracing effect. Even without weights, wall curls with manual resistance provide a bodyweight alternative.
Why are preacher curls harder than regular curls?
Because the pad removes all momentum. During standing curls, your body subtly swings, your shoulders assist, and your legs generate small amounts of force — all of which make the weight feel lighter. The preacher pad eliminates every one of these compensations, which means the biceps handle the full load alone. Most lifters use 20-30% less weight on preacher curls compared to standing curls.
The Bottom Line
A preacher bench is a great tool, but it's not the only path to the strict bicep isolation that preacher curls provide. Concentration curls, incline bench setups, spider curls, and cable variations all replicate the core benefit — locking your arm against a surface so the biceps can't cheat. Pick the alternative that fits your equipment, do it with the same strict form you'd use on a preacher bench, and your biceps won't know the difference.
