Wrist Curls Exercise Guide

What Are Wrist Curls?

If you want to enhance your grip strength and forearm muscles, the wrist curl is an effective strength training exercise you should consider incorporating into your routine. By performing this exercise, you can expect to see improvements in both the size and strength of your forearm muscles.

Wrist Curls Muscles Worked

Wrist flexion and wrist extension are two essential movements of the wrist joint. Wrist flexion refers to the movement of the palm toward the inner part of the forearm, while wrist extension refers to the movement of the back of the hand toward the outer part of the forearm.

The figure below illustrates wrist flexion and extension.

Wrist Curls Benefits & Limitations

Wrist flexion and extension movements are essential for daily activities, such as typing, writing, and playing sports. They are also crucial for preventing injuries and maintaining grip strength.

Regular stretching and strengthening exercises for the wrist can help improve flexibility and range of motion and reduce the risk of developing common wrist conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis.

However, it’s important not to overdo the training load or frequency with wrist curls to ensure you don’t cause pain or overtraining injuries.

Pros

• Strengthens wrist and forearm muscles.
• Improves grip strength.
• Maintains flexibility and range of motion.

Cons

• Must use caution not to overtrain.

How to Do Barbell Wrist Curls

In this section, I’ll walk you through how to set up and perform the barbell wrist curl exercise using a flat bench. There are a few other methods and variations, which I will explain later.

Barbell Wrist Curls Setup

First, grab the barbell with an underhand grip and your pinkies touching the center knurling. If your bar doesn’t have a center knurl, your hands should be about 4 inches apart.

Next, sit down so the tops of your forearms rest lengthwise on the bench and your wrists hang over the edge. Your feet should be flat on the floor, and your arms should be bent about 90 degrees and remain at that angle.

Start with your wrist fully extended where the bar is closest to the floor, and you feel a stretch in your forearms, as pictured below.

Barbell Wrist Curls Execution

From the starting position, curl the bar up towards your shoulders as far as possible by contracting your forearm flexor muscles. Hold for a brief pause in the contracted position.

Slowly lower the barbell back to the extended position where you feel a stretch in your forearms. Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions.

Aim for 10-15 repetitions per set with 3-4 sets for strengthening and building your forearms.

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Wrist Curls Form

The description and video above should give you a great starting point for performing wrist curls effectively. But here are some additional tips to help you master perfect form.

• Range of Motion – Try to execute the wrist curl exercise through the full range of flexion and extension. This will give you the best strengthening and growth results.
• Tempo – To maximize the effectiveness of wrist curls, perform it slowly and with control, avoiding the use of momentum to initiate the movement. This technique will allow you to feel the exercise more intensely in your forearm flexors.
• Loading – Use a weight that you can handle for 10-15 repetitions with perfect form. Do not go so heavy that you feel like you’re straining your wrists.

Wrist Curls Growth Hack

When it comes to building forearm muscles, some people find it more challenging than other muscles. I am one of those people, so I experimented with different techniques to amplify the exercise.

One such method is occlusion training, which involves wrapping a tourniquet around the limbs to restrict blood flow and increase muscle fiber recruitment. There is ample evidence that this process can achieve more activation with less loading.

To use occlusion training with wrist curls, wrap a band snugly around the smallest part of your elbow. Then perform wrist curls with lighter weight for 15-30 reps and short rests between sets.

When you remove the bands, your forearms will be pumped with blood and nutrients, which can lead to more gains in the long run. Check out the YouTube video below to see how it works.

Barbell Wrist Curls Variations

The wrist curl variation covered so far involves sitting lengthwise on a bench with your forearms hanging off one end. But there are other variations you can do to work the forearms with or without a bench.

Barbell Wrist Curls on Thighs

You can perform wrist curls while seated on a bench or chair with forearms resting on thighs. This variation is more comfortable, with your body upright and your arms farther apart.

However, the legs provide less stability and can be shaky, especially when using heavier weights.

Barbell Wrist Curl Alternatives

If you lack a barbell for wrist curls, various alternative exercises can effectively target your forearms.

Dumbbell Wrist Curls

Dumbbell wrist curls can be performed in the same manner as the barbell version. The main difference is that each wrist must work independently, which can stimulate the forearm muscles differently.

Cable Wrist Curls

Cable wrist curls are another option that can be performed with both hands or one hand at a time. The advantage of cables is that they provide more constant tension throughout the range of motion compared to free weights.