Men and women both gain the same amount of biceps size and strength from preacher curls — whether they use a cable or barbell — so the training works equally well for both sexes.
Scientific Claim
Sex does not significantly moderate the effects of cable or barbell preacher curl training on biceps hypertrophy or elbow flexion strength gains in young adults, as responses were similar between men and women across all measured outcomes.
Original Statement
“No significant time × group × sex interaction was observed for elbow flexion peak torque at 20° (p = 0.241), at 60° (p = 0.286), and at 100° (p = 0.888), nor for biceps muscle thickness (p = 0.382), indicating that responses to cable or barbell preacher curls were similar between men and women.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
definitive
Can make definitive causal claims
Assessment Explanation
The RCT included a three-way interaction analysis with sufficient power (n=35), and non-significant p-values (all >0.24) support definitive claims of equivalence between sexes for these outcomes.
Gold Standard Evidence Needed
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.
Systematic Review & Meta-AnalysisLevel 1aWhether sex differences in resistance training adaptations are negligible across exercises and populations.
Whether sex differences in resistance training adaptations are negligible across exercises and populations.
What This Would Prove
Whether sex differences in resistance training adaptations are negligible across exercises and populations.
Ideal Study Design
A meta-analysis of RCTs comparing male and female responses to unilateral elbow flexion training, with standardized hypertrophy and strength measures, stratified by sex and training method, including at least 10 studies with >50 participants per sex.
Limitation: Cannot account for hormonal fluctuations or menstrual cycle phase in women.
Randomized Controlled TrialLevel 1bWhether hormonal status influences training response in women during preacher curl training.
Whether hormonal status influences training response in women during preacher curl training.
What This Would Prove
Whether hormonal status influences training response in women during preacher curl training.
Ideal Study Design
A double-blind RCT with 120 young adults (60 men, 60 women) randomized to cable or barbell preacher curls, with women tracked across menstrual phases, measuring hormone levels, muscle thickness, and torque pre/post 12 weeks.
Limitation: Ethical and logistical challenges in controlling hormonal variables; limited to young, healthy women.
Prospective Cohort StudyLevel 2bWhether long-term training outcomes diverge between sexes in real-world settings.
Whether long-term training outcomes diverge between sexes in real-world settings.
What This Would Prove
Whether long-term training outcomes diverge between sexes in real-world settings.
Ideal Study Design
A 5-year cohort tracking 300 young adults (150 men, 150 women) performing preacher curls 3x/week, measuring annual changes in biceps thickness and strength, controlling for diet, sleep, and training volume.
Limitation: Prone to attrition and self-selection bias; cannot control for all lifestyle variables.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
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
The study found that both men and women got similarly stronger and built similar amounts of bicep muscle from doing either cable or barbell preacher curls, so sex didn’t make a difference in results.