Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Barbell Wrist Curl
The barbell wrist curl trains the forearms by curling a bar upward with your palms facing up. Supporting your forearms on a bench keeps the movement focused at your wrists.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Sit astride a flat bench near one end, facing that end.
- Grasp the bar evenly with a palms-up grip about hip-width apart.
- Rest your forearms on the bench with your wrists just beyond its edge.
- Lower the bar by bending your wrists backward through a comfortable range.
- Curl the bar upward by bending only your wrists.
- Return the bar to the lowered position to finish the repetition.
Form cues
- Keep your shoulders relaxed.
- Keep the bar level.
Common mistakes
- Lifting your forearmsReduce the weight until you can curl without pulling your forearms off the bench.
- Bouncing through repetitionsTake about two seconds to lower the bar, reversing direction without a bounce.
- Rolling onto your fingertipsKeep the bar seated in your palms with your fingers wrapped securely around it.
Safety
Excessive weight or forcing your wrists backward can irritate the wrist and forearm tendons, sometimes causing discomfort near the elbow.
- Start with a light bar you can control easily.
- Increase weight in the smallest available increments.
- Stop the set if you feel sharp pain, tingling, or numbness.
If you have ongoing wrist or elbow pain, ask a physiotherapist about a suitable modification before adding resistance.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Equipment
- Flat Bench
- Short Straight Bar
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 12–20 reps
- Rest
- 1 min
Finish each set while you could still perform two or three controlled repetitions.