EZ Bar Bench Press (Benefits, Muscles Worked + More!)

The EZ bar bench press is an exercise that you rarely see people doing in the gym. But that isn’t to say that it doesn’t work.

In this article, we look at the benefits, muscles worked and safety considerations of the EZ bar bench press.

Can You Bench Press With An EZ Curl Bar?

Yes, you can bench press with an EZ curl bar.

Using an EZ bar instead of a standard barbell for bench press changes the exercise somewhat, in regards to which muscles are activating, the weight you can safely lift, and your comfort levels throughout the movement.

However, it doesn’t make it any less effective as an exercise.

If you only have an EZ bar available to you, or you simply want to mix up your training a bit, bench pressing with an EZ bar can be beneficial to your workouts.

Benefits Of EZ Bar Bench Press

Less Stress Placed On Your Elbows And Wrists

EZ bars have been designed to help protect your elbows and wrists from the increased pressure placed upon them during certain exercises.

Bench press can be particularly tough on these joints as they have to support and move a heavy weight in a vulnerable position.

Using an EZ bar for bench press can help reduce the stress on your joints, helping to protect them from damage and injury.

Brings In Additional Muscle Groups

Although the muscles being worked in EZ bar bench press are similar to those working in a standard bench press, the extent to which they activate is different.

Performing a bench press with an EZ bar will activate your triceps, shoulders, and back muscles more than a standard bench press.

While this takes some of the focus away from your chest, it’s beneficial if you want to train your upper body as a whole.

Multiple Grip Options

One of the best things about an EZ bar is that you have multiple grip options.

This can be particularly useful during a bench press as you can simply change your grip or hand position to target different muscle groups.

Being able to challenge your working muscles in different ways is key to continuously increasing their size and strength, so any equipment that can help with this is a great addition to your workouts.

EZ Bar Bench Press Safety Considerations

Lift An Appropriate Weight

As with a standard bench press, you should only ever attempt to lift a weight appropriate to your current fitness level.

If you’re trying to lift a heavier weight than normal, you should only do so with a spotter to help you out if required.

An EZ bar will be better suited to lighter chest sessions, so be sure not to overload the bar and put yourself at risk.

Use The Correct Technique

You need to make sure that the technique you’re using for bench pressing with an EZ curl bar is correct, effective, and safe.

Many gym-based injuries occur due to the incorrect technique being used, so it’s important to get things right.

What Muscles Does EZ Bar Bench Press Work?

The target muscles of an EZ curl bar bench press are:

• Triceps
• Shoulders
• Chest
• Back
• Core

Each muscle group will be worked to varying degrees, but they all come into play at some point throughout the movement.

Obviously, a standard bench press primarily works your chest with some assistance from your triceps and shoulders.

An EZ bar bench press puts a bit more focus onto your triceps and shoulders due to the narrower width of the bar.

Your chest still plays a big part in the movement, but your arms will be doing more work than they would be when bench pressing with a standard barbell.

Can You Close Grip Bench Press With An EZ Curl Bar?

Yes, in fact, close grip bench press is a great match for an EZ curl bar.

As an EZ bar is much shorter in length than a standard barbell, a narrower grip naturally occurs anyway. 

The shape of the EZ bar also allows for multiple grips and hand positions, so adopting a suitable position for close grip bench press is simple with an EZ bar.

Can You Incline Bench Press With An EZ Curl Bar?

Incline bench press is designed to work the upper part of your chest, so is a great addition to any chest-building program.

Using an EZ curl bar for incline bench press is certainly possible, but you might need to think about your hand placement on the bar.

A wider grip on an EZ curl bar will likely be more effective (and more comfortable) during incline bench press. 

A standard barbell might be better suited to incline bench press but an EZ bar can still be an effective tool for the exercise.

Sources

Bench Press Muscles Worked