Know your gym equipment: E-Z Bar

If you want to work your biceps, the EZ bar might prove a more powerful tool than the straight dumbbells

By: Nirmalya Dutta | | Updated: June 10, 2014 3:11 pm

You must have seen a weird, squiggly shaped barbell in your gym which is shaped like a wide M. These barbells are known as E-Z bars and were designed to take the stress off your wrist when doing biceps curls and that’s why many experts prefer them to barbells or dumbbells when doing curls.

One of them is fitness expert and author Justin Woltering, ‘Everyone has their favourites, but I’ve found the EZ-bar curl to be highly effective for almost all of my clients. A normal barbell is hard on the wrists, while dumbbells allow for a bit too much cheating (using your torso instead of your wrists). Curling with both hands at once kind of ‘locks’ you into a strict position, and the grooves in the EZ bar ensure that your wrists won’t scream in pain.’

In fact, most people find that they can lift more weight when using E-Z bars than when they take dumbbells.

Exercises you can do with E-Z Bars

E-Z Bar Biceps Curl

If you want big guns, you simply can’t skip this exercise. Stand up straight holding a barbell with a shoulder-width grip. The palms of your hands should be facing towards each other and your elbows should be close to your torso. This will be your starting position. Exhale and curl the E-Z bar upward by contracting your biceps. Be sure to keep your upper arms stationary; continue raising the E-Z bar until it reaches shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a brief moment. Inhale as you slowly lower the bar to the starting position.

E-Z Bar Preacher Curl

The preacher curl is another great exercise to build bigger biceps.

How to do

Position yourself on the preacher bench with a E-Z bar in your hands, your palm facing up. With your upper arms and chest positioned against the preacher bench pad, hold the bar at shoulder level. This will be your starting position. Inhale as you slowly lower the weight until your arm is almost fully extended. Exhale, using your biceps muscle to curl the weight back up until your arm is fully contracted at the starting position. Squeeze the biceps and hold for a brief moment at the contracted position to get the maximum benefit. Once you have completed the exercise with the left arm, do the same with the right.

E-Z Bar Lying Triceps Extension

If you want to build big arms, you got to work your triceps and one of the best ways to do so is with lying triceps extension or press.

How to do

Lie on a flat bench holding an E-Z bar with a medium grip. Raise the barbell in front of you and above the forehead at arm’s length. This is your starting position. Inhale as you slowly lower the weight until the bar almost touches your forehead, keeping your upper arms and elbows stationary. Then exhale as you use your triceps to return the weight to the starting position.

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Published : June 9, 2014 6:02 pm | Updated:June 10, 2014 3:11 pm

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