If you are trying to grow your arms, the EZ bar has probably been a great addition to your workouts.

However, EZ bar exercises can be hard to track since they vary in weight and size. To help you track your progress, we have created a simple guide on the different types of curls and how much they weigh.

Why Should I Care How Much My Curl Bar Weighs?

It may seem trivial but if you are really trying to make progress in the gym, you should be tracking your workouts. The only way to do this is to know EXACTLY how much you are lifting week in and week out and compare.

If you do not even know how much the curl bar weighs, you have no idea where your strength really stands. So if you go to a different gym or use a different curl bar, you risk straining your muscles or capping growth by lifting too light.

Types Of Curl Bars And Their Weights

Generally, curl bar weight will only vary by a few pounds here and there. However, their design also has a large impact on how much weight you can move so it is important for you to know the key differences:

Standard Curl Bar

These are the most common type of curl bars you will see in commercial gyms.

A standard curl will weigh in at 12 pounds, be 47 inches long, and have 6.5-inch threaded ends on both sides. These bars have a maximum load of 200 lbs which should be more than enough for the exercises you will be doing.

These curls bars also are one inch in diameter meaning that you should use standard weight plates with the bar.

Olympic Curl Bar

For the most part, an Olympic EZ curl bar will look exactly the same as a standard curl bar.

The main differences come with the barbell sleeves on either end of the bar. These sleeves are made to independently rotate from the main shaft of the bar. The advantage to rotating sleeves is that the bar motion feels more natural and you expend less energy on the rotation of weight plates.

These are considered the premium option due to these extra features. Olympic curl bars come in a few different dimensions:

• Have a weight between 18-25 pounds

• Between 47-52 inches long

• 6.5 inch sleeves on either side

Most of the extra weight comes from extra thickness. It is a full inch thicker in diameter than standard curl bars at 2 inches. Due to this, you should be using Olympic weight plates with this bar.

EZ Curl Bar

EZ curl bars are similar to the standard curl bar but have different curves. The curves in the middle of the EZ curl bar are much smoother and less pronounced than other bars.

EZ curl bars weigh between 11-13 pounds and between 47-50 inches in length.

Like the standard curl bar, it has a 1-inch diameter so you will want to use standard weight plates.

Super Curl Bar

Super curl bars are similar to Olympic curl bars except it has much more pronounced curves.

The deeper curves relieve even more pressure from wrists than regular curls bars. Many people, find this best bar to be great for longer sets since it is so comfortable to use.

The super curl bar comes in between 18-24 pounds and 38-45 inches in length. Similar to Olympic curl bars, they have a 2-inch diameter so you will also want to use Olympic weights.

Why Should I Use A Curl Bar?

Easier On Your Wrists

One of the common lifting injuries is a wrist sprain. Since your wrists are put under load in basically every exercise, it is important to provide relief where you can.

Thanks to a more ergonomic design and a variety of angled grips, the curl bar takes off lots of the strain felt when using a straight bar. Also thanks to the shape of the EZ curl bar, you can choose to take a narrow or wide grip without much strain.

Better Balance

If you have ever tried doing straight barbell curls, you will know that it can feel very unnatural and unstable.

Due to the sheer length of an Olympic barbell, it is very easy for one to take over or for the slightest shift to cause the bar to tip one weight or the other.

Meanwhile, a curl bar is much shorter in length which eliminates many of the balance issues.

More Muscle Activation

Doing exercises with curls has consistently been shown to cause more direct muscle activation in the biceps and triceps.

This can largely be attributed to the better and less need for stabilization.

More Brachioradialis Development

The brachioradialis is a major muscle that runs through your forearm and bicep. This muscle is what gives your bicep the thicker more developed look when looking at it head-on.

The curl bar has been shown to engage this muscle more leading to superior growth.

What Exercises Can I Do With A Curl Bar?

The curl bar is a very versatile piece of equipment that should be essential for home gyms. If you have one or looking to get one, here are some must-do exercises:

Skull Crushers

Skull crusher really stretches your tricep out and provides lots of long head tricep activation.

Preacher Curl

Preachers are great because you are forced to only use and focus on your bicep while your curl.

Cheat Curls

On the other side of the spectrum, we have cheat curls. Cheat curls help overload your bicep and max out on the eccentric portion of the lift.

Conclusion

Curls bars are a must-have piece of workout equipment and provide a variety of benefits over standard barbells.

It is important to know how much the one you are using weighs so you can accurately track your progress and workouts.

FAQs

Michael K.

Daniel Mesa, CPT, is a trusted fitness expert and founder of  FitDominium. With his extensive experience and commitment to helping others, Daniel is the go-to source for reliable fitness advice and recommendations.