Even though barbell curls put more stress on the biceps when they’re stretched out, they don’t make your biceps grow bigger than cable curls — so stretching the muscle under load isn’t enough to guarantee more growth.

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Pro

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Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

47

Community contributions welcome

47

Placing Greater Torque at Shorter or Longer Muscle Lengths? Effects of Cable vs. Barbell Preacher Curl Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy in Young Adults

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2020 Aug 13

Both types of curls made people’s biceps grow about the same, even though one type stretched the muscle more. So stretching the muscle more doesn’t necessarily make it grow bigger.

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

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According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Placing Greater Torque at Shorter or Longer Muscle Lengths? Effects of Cable vs. Barbell Preacher Curl Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy in Young Adults

Score: 47

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17165859

Similar Assertions

Whether you do preacher curls with a cable machine (harder when your arm is bent) or a barbell (harder when your arm is straight), your biceps grow about the same amount after 10 weeks of training.

47

0

84%

If you do preacher curls with a barbell (harder when your arm is straight), you get stronger at keeping your arm slightly bent than if you use a cable machine (harder when your arm is fully bent).

47

0

84%

If you do preacher curls with a barbell — where it’s hardest when your arm is almost straight — you’ll get stronger specifically at that position better than if you use a cable machine where it’s hardest when your arm is bent.

47

0

82%

Whether you use a cable machine or a barbell to do preacher curls for 10 weeks, your biceps will grow about the same amount — the exact way you apply resistance doesn’t matter much for muscle size.

47

0

82%

Whether your preacher curls are hardest at the start or end, you still get just as strong in the middle and fully bent positions after 10 weeks.

47

0

79%