If you’re wondering whether preacher curls are dangerous, then you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we look at preacher curls in terms of the risks associated with them, safety considerations, and why preacher curls might hurt while you’re doing them.

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No exercise is 100% safe.

The whole point of training is to put added stress onto your body, so that it gets bigger, stronger, fitter, and better adapted to the things you want it to do. 

There are some exercises that have an increased risk factor to them and you could argue that preacher curls are one of them.

The main reason for this is that using the incorrect technique or too much weight can put a serious strain on your shoulders and bicep tendons.

Preacher curls are better suited to lighter weights and a large range of motion.

The technique is important to get right to avoid placing excessive stress and strain on your joints, muscles, and tendons.

Any exercise can cause injury if not performed correctly. 

While preacher curls are no exception to this, they also have a slightly elevated risk factor due to the position you have to take while performing the exercise.

Your biceps are placed under a lot of stress during preacher curls, so if you’re not careful, you can pick up a muscle injury fairly easily.

Also, your elbows and shoulders are placed in vulnerable positions so you may pick up a joint injury in these areas.

That said, preacher curls are unlikely to cause injury if your technique is correct and the weight you’re lifting is appropriate for your fitness level.

Care needs to be taken though to minimize the risks associated with preacher curls.

Technique is important in any exercise, but it’s especially important for exercises with an increased risk factor such as preacher curls.

Using the correct technique can make a huge difference in ensuring you’re as safe as possible during your training. 

Even small errors in technique can result in pain, discomfort, or injury.

Trying to lift heavy weights during preacher curls is usually a bad idea.

It’s far safer to use lighter weights and perform the exercise with a large range of motion.

Heavy weights significantly increase the risk of injury through poor technique and excessive strain placed on the working muscles and joints.

Bicep tears commonly occur when an elbow is pushed straight against a heavy weight. 

As this can happen during preacher curls, during the lowering phase (if you overextend your elbows), it’s possible that preacher curls can tear your biceps.

However, if you’re doing preacher curls in a safe, controlled way, your biceps are unlikely to tear during the exercise.

No!

Locking out any joint during exercise is usually a terrible idea.

It becomes even worse of an idea when that joint is under stress from a weight too.

Locking out your elbows during preacher curls significantly increases the risk of a torn bicep, as well as other muscle and joint injuries.

Stopping the lowering phase of the movement before your elbows lock out also helps keep the working muscles under tension.

This typically results in more gains in size and strength.

Preacher curls can hurt for a number of reasons and knowing which one is relevant for you is crucial for training benefits.

Preacher curls are designed to cause micro-tears in your biceps in order for them to repair and grow.

This obviously causes some mild discomfort, so you might experience some level of soreness if you’re performing preacher curls effectively.

Other reasons could be due to negative influences, such as an injury in your biceps, poor technique, too much weight being lifted, or an injury in the muscles or joints surrounding the biceps.

If you’re experiencing anything other than mild discomfort during or after preacher curls, it’s a good idea to speak with a medical professional to rule out any injuries.

In summary:

That’s all for this article, but what head do preacher curls work? Or perhaps you’re interested in spider curl vs preacher curl?

Hope this helped!

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/bicep-tear

I’ve been in the fitness and strength training industry for nearly a decade. In that time, I’ve gained 30 pounds of muscle, written hundreds of articles, and reviewed dozens of fitness supplements.  As for my educational background, I’m a currently studying for my Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training.