Ez curl bar 4' and 5'

[bjharrisonjr]

Forum,
I have not been to a public gym in a long time. I've been doing pullup and chin-up variations for a very long time. I ordered a 5' ez curl bar and was sent a 4' bar in error. I consider myself normal sized and using a bicep curl grip I find my arms appear straight out. Until delivery I did not know there was a 4' bar. Is there an exercise advantage using a 4' (curls and extensions) versus the 5' (upright row)? Any other 4' vs 5' ez curl bar specific information you can provide?

Thank you,
Bob H.

[bjharrisonjr]

My email to the manufacturer was responded to very quickly! From the manufacturer:

...The distance between the center of each peak on the regular ez is 38cm and the distance on the shorty bar is 26cm.

The short ez was originally designed to suit a customer requirement for a Preacher curl bar bench. We’ve since learned that some people like to use it for the narrower distance helping to work other muscles and as you’ve mentioned we’ve sold some as an option for women. So while it was originally designed for one purpose we’ve kept it as part of our range because it actually serves a few purposes! ...

[iamsmuts]

This is still on craigslist for $200. Drop sets!

[bjharrisonjr]

Forum,
Tonight I had time testing the shoty (115cm/5'3") ez curl bar. Overall I found it too narrow with my body shape. When performing a standing curl, my grip is near the sleeve collars keeping my arms straight out from me. My local gym has the shorty bar with a preacher bench, I found I narrow my shoulders when performing the curls on the preacher bench. (The gym does not have the 154cm version.) Maybe it is an illusion, and I just narrow my shoulders so I fit the bench better. Using the shorty bar in a standing curl position, if I roll my shoulders in putting my elbows into my "love handles" I can use the inner grip but I find it uncomfortable. Smaller men, women, teens/children, or those doing preacher curls will enjoy the shorty bar. I am returning the shorty bar for the regular ez curl bar (154cm/5'3") bar.

Regards,
Bob H.

[Adam Skillin]

Forum,
Tonight I had time testing the shoty (115cm/5'3") ez curl bar. Overall I found it too narrow with my body shape. When performing a standing curl, my grip is near the sleeve collars keeping my arms straight out from me. My local gym has the shorty bar with a preacher bench, I found I narrow my shoulders when performing the curls on the preacher bench. (The gym does not have the 154cm version.) Maybe it is an illusion, and I just narrow my shoulders so I fit the bench better. Using the shorty bar in a standing curl position, if I roll my shoulders in putting my elbows into my "love handles" I can use the inner grip but I find it uncomfortable. Smaller men, women, teens/children, or those doing preacher curls will enjoy the shorty bar. I am returning the shorty bar for the regular ez curl bar (154cm/5'3") bar.

Regards,
Bob H.

You should really do curls with the straight bar. The EZ curl is good for LTE's though. And maybe a few other things.

[Adam Skillin]

BB curls jack up my wrists with any useful amount of weight on the bar. EZ curls don't, and I can't be bothered to take the time to fix something that currently has such a low priority.

Okay. Or you could curl the dumbbells if you have them. I agree, they're just curls.

[murphyreedus]

BB curls jack up my wrists with any useful amount of weight on the bar. EZ curls don't, and I can't be bothered to take the time to fix something that currently has such a low priority.

BB curls kill my elbows, and I've never taken the time to fix it either. Dumbbells work better than an EZ curl bar, but since I'm usually doing this after deadlift or chins it's all just for shits anyway.

Edit: Behind the times, as usual.

[Adam Skillin]

my little 15.5s ain't getting any bigger anyways.

Then why curl at all? Can you do chin-ups without issues?

[murphyreedus]

I almost feel dirty reading this thread.


And taking notes.

[bjharrisonjr]

Mr Skillin,
Thank you for your comment. 23 weeks ago I developed golfers elbow while training for 1x100 pullups (nonstop). After 18 weeks of letting it rest, all is well. I don't know if the injury was from excessive pullups or past issues or a combination of both. But now I switched to an angled grip pullup like the ez curl bar and have found no issues. However, a straight grip sometimes makes my elbow area feel "weird" while the angled grip does not. Being past my mid 40s I decided to use the ez bar vs the straight bar since it is "easier" on the body and slightly less effective. This is the price of "wisdom", aka age.

Thank you,
Bob H.