The AbMat Preacher Pad is something I’ve been looking forward to.
With limited room in the garage, I’m always looking for space saving equipment like this one.
A preacher curl bench takes up a lot of room and is a one trick pony so this was my next best option to isolate the guns.
Let’s check it out!
Unboxing
Table of Contents
I was expecting the Preacher Pad to be bigger but it’s not.
It’s more compact than I thought which is great for space sakes.
The pad fits snug inside the box and it comes with a thank you card.
Once out of the box, it has a great look to it.
It’s really just high density foam covered up in black vinyl but hey if it gets the job done, why not keep it simple right?
One thing I immediately liked about it is how easy it is to store vertically to take up less space.
Much more space friendly than a traditional preacher curl bench.
Features
The outside of the Preacher Pad is a soft black vinyl with black and white printing on the front.
It’s antimicrobial and water resistant which is perfect if you’re gonna be sweating on it.
There’s a zipper that runs along the back and sides.
Taking a closer look at the stitching, it looks very well put together.
When I opened up the zipper, there’s high density foam inside.
I’m not sure if this is the same type of foam AbMat uses in their belt squat cover, but it’s very dense and can support a decent amount of weight.
I stepped on it to see if it was strong and it held up pretty good.
When I got off of it, the foam when back to its original shape.
Specs
The AbMat Preacher Pad is 24″ long x 13″ wide x 8″ high.
I set it on my bench and as you can see, at 2 feet long, it’s smaller than the bench’s back rest.
From the side you can see it’s angled and tapered to fit most bodies.
How To Use the AbMat Preacher Pad
You can use the Preacher Pad in two ways.
First one is by setting it on your lap.
Then rest your arms on top of it and your bodyweight plus whatever you pick up keeps it in place.
I gotta say picking up weights from the floor after you set the pad on your lap feels a bit awkward but it’s just a matter of getting used to it.
This was me picking up 25 lbs adjustable dumbbells.
You can see the foam holds up pretty good.
It does give a little bit but still feels very supportive and doesn’t affect the exercise.
The second way to use it is by setting it down on a flat surface.
You can set it down on a bench or plyobox.
Kneel behind the pad and reach for your weights in front of you.
I felt more stable when I set the pad on my lap with the broad side close to my body then when using it from my knees.
Exercises
Just like a regular preacher curl bench, the AbMat Preacher Pad is a biceps isolation “machine”.
Other than preacher curls, I haven’t found any other exercises to do with it but it serves its purpose well.
And of course, you can change the way your hands face to hit different parts of your arms.
You can do supinated hand curls, hammer curls, pronated curls, and Zottman curls.
Preacher Curl Bench vs Preacher Pad
Let’s compare the Preacher Pad to the Titan Fitness preacher curl bench.
The most obvious difference is the space the bench takes up.
Second difference is the price between these two.
Titan’s preacher curl bench is $263 vs $130 for the Preacher Pad.
With the Preacher Pad you can do the same exercise, takes up less room, and costs less.
The Bulletproof Isolator is another preacher curl bench alternative but it does more than just that.
With multiple lever arms, 180 degrees of rotation, and several adjustment settings, the Isolator is a rack mounted monster for all types of isolation exercises.
For that reason, it’s more expensive than the Preacher Pad.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Space saver – at 2 feet long, you can shove it in a corner and it’s out of the way
- Isolation – isolates the biceps just like a preacher curl bench
- Portable – you can move it anywhere around your gym to work the guns
- Support – high density foam is surprisingly very supportive
Cons
- Set up – setting up feels awkward at first but you get used to it the more you use it
- Biceps only – all you can really train is biceps but if you like big arms, it’s a really good biceps isolator
AbMat Discount Code
The Preacher Pad currently sells for $130 on the AbMat website but here’s how you can get it cheaper.
Click the red button below to reveal a 5% discount code to copy and paste at checkout.
That’ll bring down the price to $123.
Not a huge discount but it’ll help to get the Preacher Pad for less.
You can use that code for any other AbMat products as well (it’s only good on your first purchase).
AbMat Preacher Pad Review
If you’re into bodybuilding or just want bigger arms, the Preacher Pad works well.
As a plus, you won’t have a bulky piece of equipment taking up room for just one body part.
This isolates the biceps well and is a good alternative to having a preacher curl bench at home.
Click Here To Check Out The AbMat Preacher Pad
Garage gym athlete, gym hacks, DIY gym projects, and garage gym equipment reviews
I like the review and the fact that it can be stored anywhere. The only question I have is will it accommodate taller users as I’m 6’ 2”?
Hey Jose, I’m 5’7″ so I can’t compare it to your height. The area where your arms sit is 13″ long from your armpit down just to give you an idea of how much space there is.