Forearm Exercises for Forearm Strength – Wrist Curls

Wrist curls are standard exercises for developing forearm strength.  They can be done in a variety of positions and develop basic forearm strength.  For someone who has not done any previous forearm exercises specifically targeting the forearm or grip, they can be an excellent beginning.  Done with a standard one inch bar, they do not tax the tendons and ligaments as much as some of the other forearm exercises.

Standing wrist curls work the top end of the wrist flexion movement. They can be done with a barbell or dumbbells.  They are done with the arms hanging by the side or slightly forward, holding the bar at the thigh with the palms facing forward.  Simply flex the wrists, lifting the bar upward. Slowly lower the bar back to the thigh.  Repeat until you have tired the forearm flexor muscles.

A variation of this exercise that attacks the forearm flexors slightly differently is to hold the bar behind you. This puts the bar at the level of the buttocks. The backs of the hands are touching the body.  Once again, the wrists are flexed to move the bar upward and away from the body.

Standing reverse wrist curls are done from the same position as the standing wrist curl, holding the bar in front of you touching the thighs, but with the palms facing backward.  By extending the wrists, moving the bar upward away from the thighs, the extensors on the backside of the forearm are exercised.  Since these muscles are weaker than the flexors, less weight can be used.

The standing variations are less popular than the seated variations of these two wrist curls.  The seated version of the wrist curl allows a greater range of motion.  It is done by sitting on the end of a bench with the forearms supported by the thighs.  The wrists are just beyond the knees, allowing the hand to move fully upward and downward.  For the standard wrist curl, the hands are in the fully extended position hanging down with the palms facing away from the knees.  From this position they are flexed as fully as possible, and then lowered back slowly into the starting position.  The lowering should be done slowly, and the muscles should never relax. Quick lowering or relaxation can result in the wrist joint and ligaments being injured, as with any of the wrist exercises.

The seated reverse wrist curl is done in the same position, but with the palms facing in the opposite direction.  As with the standing exercise, less weight is used.

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