EZ Curl Bar Shoulder Exercises – Introduction
What are the best EZ bar shoulder exercises you can do at home?
EZ (pronounced easy) bars have angled grips designed to make using them easier on your wrists and forearms.
Most allow you to adopt a narrow, medium, or wide hand placement so you can choose the most comfortable position for your workouts.
EZ bars are most commonly associated with biceps curls.
However, they can also be used for various other exercises, including supine and standing triceps extensions, squats, and even deadlifts.
This article reveals the best EZ bar shoulder exercises and provides a workout for you to try.
Shoulder Anatomy Basics
You don’t need a deep understanding of anatomy and physiology to build bigger shoulders with an EZ bar.
However, a little knowledge will make it easier to choose the best exercises for the muscles you want to train.
Your main shoulder muscles are your deltoids, or delts for short, which are made up of three groups of fibers called heads.
The three deltoid heads work together, but it’s also possible to emphasize each one by changing the position and movement of your upper arms.
The three deltoid heads are:
Anterior
Located at the front of your shoulder, the anterior deltoid is responsible for flexion, horizontal flexion, and medial rotation of your shoulder joint.
The anterior deltoid is usually the strongest and most well-developed of the three.
That’s because it’s involved in all chest and overhead pressing exercises.
Medial
The medial deltoid is located on the outside of your shoulder.
Its main function is the abduction of the shoulder joint.
There are hardly any EZ shoulder exercises that specifically target this specific muscle.
However, it’s easy to train with dumbbells, a resistance band, or even a couple of weight plates.
Posterior
Located on the back of your shoulder, the posterior or rear deltoid is usually the weakest and least developed head.
That’s because it’s out of sight and, therefore, out of mind.
The functions of the posterior deltoid are extension, horizontal extension, and exterior rotation of the shoulder joint.
Stronger rear delts are critical for good posture and a more aesthetic physique.
Anterior (red), Medial (green), Posterior (blue) deltoid heads

10 Best EZ Bar Shoulder Exercises
These are the best exercises you can do for your shoulders using an EZ bar.
No EZ bar?
No problem, as most can also be done with dumbbells or a regular barbell.
#1. EZ bar overhead press
Target muscles: Anterior deltoids, triceps.
If you want bigger, stronger shoulders, overhead presses are a must.
Any exercise that involves pushing a heavy weight straight up will beef up your delts.
Using an EZ bar may put your wrists in a more favorable position for a more comfortable workout.
However, if your EZ bar is short, your hands may be a little too narrow, and you’ll end up working your triceps as much as your deltoids.
How to do it:
- Hold your EZ bar with an overhand shoulder-width or slightly wider grip.
- Raise the bar to shoulder height, with your elbows directly below your hands.
- Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
- Lift your chest up and look straight ahead.
- Without using your legs for assistance, press the bar up and overhead to arm’s length.
- Lower the bar back to your shoulders and repeat.
#2. Bradford press
Target muscles: Anterior deltoids, triceps.
Behind-the-neck presses are often frowned upon because they put more stress on your joints than conventional overhead presses.
However, if you’ve got good mobility and flexibility, and your joints are healthy, they should not be a problem.
This exercise combines regular with behind-the-neck presses to hit your shoulders from the front and the back simultaneously.
How to do it:
- Hold your EZ bar with an overhand shoulder-width or slightly wider grip.
- Raise the bar to shoulder height, with your elbows directly below your hands.
- Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
- Lift your chest up and look straight ahead.
- Press the bar up so it’s level with the top of your head, and then lower it down behind your neck.
- Do not lift the bar higher than necessary to clear your head.
- Press it back over your head and return it to your shoulders.
- Continue for the prescribed number of reps.
#3. EZ bar upright row
Target muscles: Medial deltoids, trapezius, biceps.
Upright rows are a somewhat controversial exercise.
On the one hand, they’re great for building bigger delts and traps but, unfortunately, can sometimes cause shoulder pain.
This is because they force your joints into a medially rotated position, which can be painful if you have tight, immobile shoulders.
That said, using an EZ bar makes this exercise a little more shoulder-friendly, so try it to see if it’s suitable for you.
How to do it:
- Hold your EZ bar in front of your legs with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
- Stand with your knees slightly bent, shoulders down and back, and core braced.
- Leading with your elbows, bend your arms and pull the bar up the front of your body until it’s mid-chest height.
- Lower the weight to arm’s length and repeat.
How to do an EZ bar upright row
#4. EZ bar Cuban press
Target muscles: Anterior deltoids, medial deltoids, posterior deltoids, trapezius, biceps, triceps.
The Cuban press is probably the only exercise that hits all three deltoid heads simultaneously.
It’s also an excellent movement for strengthening the rotator cuff.
So, short on time?
Want a balanced shoulder workout that takes no more than a few minutes?
The Cuban press could be the exercise you’ve been looking for.
How to do it:
- Hold your EZ bar in front of your legs with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
- Stand with your knees slightly bent, shoulders down and back, and core braced.
- Leading with your elbows, bend your arms and pull the bar up the front of your body until it’s mid-chest height.
- Next, rotate the bar forward and up to your forehead.
- From here, press the bar up and overhead to arm’s length.
- Lower the bar down to your shoulders and then your legs before repeating.
#5. EZ bar javelin press
Target muscles: Anterior deltoids, triceps, core.
Unsurprisingly, most EZ bar exercises are bilateral, meaning they involve both arms.
This one is different because you’ll be using one arm at a time, making it a unilateral exercise.
The javelin press is an excellent exercise for identifying and fixing left-to-right strength imbalances.
It also provides a great core workout.
How to do it:
- Hold the middle of your EZ bar and raise it to shoulder height.
- The bar should point forward and aft, like a spear.
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
- Brace your core and make sure your hips and shoulders are level.
- Without leaning to the side, press the bar up and overhead to arm’s length.
- Lower your EZ bar back to your shoulder and repeat.
#6. EZ bar Z press
Target muscles: Anterior deltoids, triceps, core.
The Z press is named after Lithuanian strongman Žydrūnas Savickas, better known as Big Z.
Famous for his immense overhead presses, Big Z’s favorite shoulder training exercise is the Z press.
Performed sitting on the floor, this exercise eliminates all cheating and teaches you to maintain perfect posture during your workout.
Go light – this exercise is much harder than it looks.
How to do it:
- Sit on the floor with your legs straight and feet apart.
- Hold your EZ bar at shoulder height, with your elbows directly below your hands.
- Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
- Lift your chest up and look straight ahead.
- Sit up straight – no slouching.
- Press the bar up and overhead to arm’s length.
- Lower the bar back to your shoulders and repeat.
#7. EZ bar push-press
Target muscles: Anterior deltoids, triceps, core.
While it’s generally best to do the exercises in your workouts slowly and with control, there are times when speed and using “body English” can also help.
The push-press involves using your legs to help you lift the weight.
This means you can handle heavier weights and will develop full body strength and power.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart.
- Hold your EZ bar with an overhand shoulder-width or slightly wider grip.
- Raise the bar to shoulder height, with your elbows directly below your hands.
- Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
- Lift your chest up and look straight ahead.
- Bend your knees and descend into a quarter-depth squat.
- Extend your legs like you are jumping and use this momentum to help you push the bar up and overhead to arm’s length.
- Lower the bar back to your shoulders and repeat.
#8. EZ bar partial press
Target muscles: Anterior deltoids, triceps, core.
Most strength training exercises involve a full range of motion.
This makes sense as many of life’s activities use similar ranges of motion.
However, doing shorter reps can be helpful for building muscle and strength, as they allow you to use heavier weights and create more metabolic stress – feel that burn!
How to do it:
- Hold your EZ bar with an overhand shoulder-width or slightly wider grip.
- Raise the bar to shoulder height, with your elbows directly below your hands.
- Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
- Lift your chest up and look straight ahead.
- Press the bar up so it’s level with the top of your head.
- Do NOT lock out your elbows.
- Lower the bar back to your shoulders and repeat.
#9. EZ bar front raise
Target muscles: Anterior deltoids.
Most EZ bar shoulder exercises are compound in nature.
That means they involve movement at more than one joint – usually the shoulders and elbows.
This one’s a little different as only your shoulder joint moves, making this an isolation exercise.
How to do it:
- Hold your EZ bar in front of your legs with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
- Stand with your knees slightly bent, shoulders down and back, and core braced.
- Without bending your elbows, raise your arms forward and up until they’re parallel to the floor.
- Keep your torso upright and stationary.
- Lower your arms and repeat.
#10. EZ bar wide grip bent over row
Target muscles: Posterior deltoids, trapezius, rhomboids.
Bent over rows are generally viewed as a back exercise, which they are.
However, using a wide grip and pulling the bar into your chest provides your posterior deltoids with a great workout.
This is one of the only ways to train your rear delts with an EZ bar.
It also hits your trapezius and rhomboids, making it an excellent postural exercise.
How to do it:
- Hold your EZ bar in front of your legs with a wider-than-shoulder-width overhand grip.
- Stand with your knees slightly bent, shoulders down and back, and core braced.
- Hinge forward from the hips and lean over until your upper body is roughly parallel to the floor.
- Take care not to round your lower back.
- Let your arms hang down from your shoulders.
- Leading with your elbows, bend your arms and pull the bar up and into your chest.
- Squeeze your shoulders back.
- Extend your arms and repeat.
Shoulder Workout with EZ Bar
Believe it or not, you can build muscular, strong shoulders with nothing but an EZ bar and some weight plates.
This simple yet effective workout will turn your shoulder pebbles into rock-hard boulders!
However, before you begin, spend a few minutes preparing your muscles and joints for what they’re about to do.
Start with 5-10 minutes of easy cardio followed by dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises for your shoulders and upper back.
Finish your warm-up with 1-2 light sets of the first exercise.
Do this workout 1-2 times a week on non-consecutive days (e.g., Monday and Thursday) for best results.
This provides the perfect balance between work and recovery.
Use weights that are challenging but that you can still handle in good form.
Take each set to within a couple of reps of failure.
Shoulder workouts with EZ Curl Bar
# | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Recovery |
1 | EZ bar overhead press | 3 | 8-10 | 90 seconds |
2 | EZ bar upright row | 3 | 8-10 | 90 seconds |
3 | EZ bar wide grip bent over row | 3 | 8-10 | 90 seconds |
4 | Weight plate lateral raise* | 2 | 10-12 | 60 seconds |
5 | Cuban press | 2 | 10-12 | 60 seconds |
* Hold a weight plate in each hand, arms by your sides. Lift your arms up and out to parallel with the ground. Lower your arms back to your sides and repeat.
EZ Curl Bar Shoulder Exercises – Wrapping Up
Shorter than an Olympic barbell and easier on your wrists and elbows than a straight barbell, EZ bars are ideal for home workouts.
They’re not as engineered as Olympic bars, so they’re usually much cheaper, leaving you free to spend the saving on an adjustable bench and plenty of weight plates.
EZ bars also tend to be lighter, so they’re a good option for beginners and anyone who prefers to avoid lifting heavy weights.
While EZ bars are designed and perfect for arm training, that doesn’t mean you can’t use one for many other exercises.
In fact, you can have a full-body workout using nothing but an EZ curl bar, weights, and a bench.
Build the shoulders of your dreams with an EZ bar.
However, make sure you also do some side raises, or you may end up neglecting your medial deltoids.
Resistance bands, adjustable dumbbells, or a couple of weight plates are ideal for this purpose.