Barbell Wrist Curl

The barbell wrist curl is a functional exercise aimed at isolating and strengthening the wrist flexors. It focuses on enhancing grip strength and wrist stability. These are both crucial elements for many sports and daily activities.

The exercise is very effective for a variety of individuals including weightlifters, athletes, and general fitness enthusiasts. It helps prevent wrist and forearm injuries and improves performance in multiple upper-body exercises.

Read on for details on proper exercise execution, muscle activation rates, and suggestions for adding it to your routine.

How To Do

  1. Begin by loading a barbell with the appropriate weight. 
  2. Sit on a flat bench with your feet on the ground, shoulder-width apart.
  3. Hold the barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart with your forearms resting on your thighs.
  4. Relax your wrists and let the barbell roll down to your fingers without dropping it.
  5. Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and slowly curl the barbell up towards your palm by flexing your wrists. 
  6. Hold for a count, focusing on engaging your forearm muscles.
  7. Exhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position. Maintain a firm grip throughout.

Tips From Expert

  • Start with a lighter weight to avoid injury and ensure proper form.
  • Ensure your arms stay still to ensure targeted muscle activation. Your wrists should be the only movers.
  • Exhale when curling the weight up and inhale while lowering it back down.
  • Warm up your wrists and forearms before starting to increase blood flow and elasticity in those areas to prevent injuries.
  • If you experience any wrist pain or discomfort, stop performing the exercise until after consulting with a fitness professional.

Optimal Sets and Reps

The table below provides guidance on the proper sets and reps for optimizing the barbell wrist curl.

Training Type Sets Reps
Strength Training 3–5 4–6
Hypertrophy 3–4 8–12
Endurance Training 3–4 15–20
Power Training 3–5 1–3
Optimal Sets & Reps of Barbell Wrist Curl

How to Put in Your Workout Split

Below are some variations to incorporate the barbell wrist curl into your workout, depending on your goals and fitness levels.

  • Upper-Body Push — Include the barbell wrist curl in an upper-body push day using a 3-day workout split. Perform after exercises such as the bench press, overhead press, and tricep dip for a comprehensive upper-body routine.
  • Upper-Body Pull —  Include the barbell wrist curl into the upper-body pull day of your 3-day split. Incorporate it after exercises such as pull-ups, barbell rows, lat pulldowns, and bicep curls to effectively fatigue the forearm muscles.
  • Arms And Forearms —  The barbell wrist curl is a great addition to an arms and forearms day as part of your 5-day workout split. Program it after tricep dips, bicep curls, and skull crushers to ensure a targeted arm muscle routine.

Using your one repetition maximum is a beneficial method for finding the maximum weight you can handle for one repetition. You can use this to work out the training intensity when performing the barbell wrist curl.

As a guide, the load for endurance training ranges from 40%–60% of your one repetition max. Hypertrophy loads should range from 60–80% of your one repetition max. Strength and power training loads should range from 80–100% of your one repetition max.

*Expert tip: Incorporate the barbell wrist curl into upper-body workouts targeting all main muscle groups for a balanced, complementary routine.

Primary Muscle Groups

Wrist Flexors

Muscles that span the inside of your lower arm, between your elbow and wrist palm side up.

Wrist Flexors 

The wrist flexors are a group of muscles located on the inside of your forearm. They primarily function to flex your wrist and fingers. They’re essential for any activity requiring grip strength and help to stabilize the forearms. 

The barbell wrist curl is a functional exercise that targets and isolates the wrist flexors enhancing forearm strength and endurance. It is very effective for athletes involved in sports requiring strong grip like rock climbing and weightlifting. 

Research shows a percentage maximum voluntary contraction of 96%–97% in the wrist flexors. This was shown when going from a neutral position to 30 degrees of flexion. This mimics the upward curl motion used in the barbell wrist curl.

*Expert tip: if you notice wrist pain, immediately stop exercising and seek the help of a medical professional. This prevents further injuries from occurring.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Brachialis

Muscle which starts at the middle of your upper arm and connects just below the elbow.

Brachioradialis

Muscle located between outside portion of your forearm from the elbow to the wrist.

Brachialis

The brachialis muscle is situated beneath the biceps muscle, originating from the lower region of the upper arm bone. It primarily serves as a flexor of the elbow joint to bring the forearm upward toward the upper arm.

The brachialis is less engaged during the barbell wrist curl than the wrist flexors. However, it still plays an active role in isometric contraction to stabilize the forearm, wrist, and elbow joints. The brachialis and brachioradialis assist in elbow flexion during everyday activities like lifting objects, pulling open doors, and carrying groceries.

Brachioradialis

The brachioradialis runs from the top part of the forearm and supports elbow flexion and forearm stabilization. It is most active when bringing the forearm to a neutral position from a pronated or supinated grip. This would be palms facing down or up.

The brachioradialis works with the brachialis during the barbell wrist curl to maintain stability and coordination through controlled wrist movements.

Equipment

Barbell

Barbell

You can use this for a range of arm exercises. Ensure the seat is at the right height. A good alternative would be the incline bench.

Alternatives

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the different equipment.

Finger Down Forearm Stretch

Wrist Roller

EZ Bar Wrist Curl

Dumbbell Back Wrist Curl

Wrist Adduction

Dumbbell Wrist Twist

Forearm Cherry Picker

Bodyweight Inner Wrist Curl

Who Should Do?

Athletes Requiring Grip Strength

A primary goal for weightlifters and rock climbers is enhanced grip strength, developed forearms, and increased wrist stability. Strong forearms are crucial for increasing grip endurance and reducing fatigue, allowing grip holds to be maintained for longer periods.

The barbell wrist curl is very effective for these athletes as it targets the wrist flexors and surrounding forearm muscles. It also helps to improve overall upper-body functional strength and elbow joint stability. This makes it a very productive addition to a comprehensive arm workout or upper body routine.

General Fitness Enthusiasts

Improved grip strength and forearm muscle coordination are essential for many daily functional activities requiring a grip or pulling motion. These muscles are involved in everyday tasks such as lifting objects off the floor, pulling doors open, and even typing.

The barbell wrist curl strengthens the wrist and forearm muscles and improves overall arm function. This makes it a beneficial addition to any functional strength or upper-body workout routine. It is also relatively easy to perform and modify which makes it a great option as part of a beginner arm workout.

Bodybuilders

A primary goal for bodybuilders is to develop a well-rounded, aesthetically pleasing physique. Wrist flexors and forearms are a crucial aspect of a defined and toned upper body. Additionally, a strong grip is crucial for successfully performing many bodybuilding lift movements.

The barbell wrist curl targets the wrists and forearms to improve grip strength and forearm stability. It also strengthens the muscles involved in other arm exercises like pullups, bicep curls, and tricep dips. This makes it a valuable addition to a bodybuilder’s well-rounded upper body routine.

Who Should Not Do?

Individuals With Wrist Or Forearm Injuries

Individuals with wrist or forearm injuries have a reduced range of motion and are prone to discomfort in these areas. The barbell wrist curl places strain on the wrist joint and surrounding tendons. It requires support when extending and flexing the elbow.

Individuals with existing wrist or forearm injuries could risk making their condition worse or delaying healing. Refrain from the barbell wrist curl if you have a wrist injury before consulting with a physical therapist.

Individuals With Certain Medical Conditions

Individuals with medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis are particularly sensitive to stress in the wrist joint and surrounding bones. They can easily become injured during weight-bearing exercise that places strain on those areas.

The barbell wrist curl is a weight-bearing exercise that places weight on the wrist joint and bones. Individuals with medical conditions increasing their risk of injury should consult with a physical therapist. During the consultation, they may seek treatment before performing the exercise.

Benefits Of The Barbell Wrist Curl

Reduces Arm Fatigue

Strong wrist flexors help reduce overall arm fatigue during everyday activities requiring forearm strength. They are activated during many daily tasks such as lifting, typing, and pulling. The barbell wrist curl improves the performance of these activities by increasing forearm endurance and improving wrist strength.

The barbell wrist curl is a great option for anyone aiming to reduce arm fatigue and maintain grips for longer periods. Program it into a comprehensive upper body routine with deadlifts, bicep curls, and tricep dips. It is a great addition to a workout focused on exhausting the arms and building strength.

Enhances Grip Strength

The wrist flexors are crucial muscles involved in maintaining a strong and controlled grip. They are activated during a variety of exercises including deadlifts, pullups, and rock climbing. This makes grip strength essential for sports performance.

Alongside this, grip strength is essential for everyday tasks such as carrying groceries, opening jars, or pulling a door open. It’s now also recognized as a crucial marker of optimal health.

The barbell wrist curl targets and isolates the wrist flexors and surrounding joints, strengthening and improving stability and grip strength. Incorporate it into an upper-body pull day with pull-ups, rows, and bicep curls to improve grip and pulling strength.

Prevents Injuries 

Strengthening the wrist flexors is important for stabilizing the wrist joint and reducing the risk of strains and overuse injuries. This is important for athletes and fitness enthusiasts regularly involved in gripping, lifting, and pulling activities. These muscles are also essential for maintaining forearm muscle balance to prevent conditions like tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The barbell wrist curl can help build strength and stability in the wrist flexors and surrounding joints. This is very beneficial for improving stability and reducing injury risk. 

Performing the barbell wrist curl can be done as part of a well-organized resistance training routine or rehabilitation program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are barbell wrist curls effective?

Barbell wrist curls target the wrist flexors as well as the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles. By regularly performing the exercise, you will improve overall wrist and forearm strength. This significantly benefits daily activities requiring a strong grip and wrist stability.

Why do people curl their wrists?

Individuals perform barbell wrist curls for different reasons depending on their fitness goals. Improved grip strength is a primary reason as this benefits other exercises like deadlifts, rows, and pull-ups. Another reason is reduced arm fatigue which increases forearm endurance.

What muscles do wrist curls build?

Barbell wrist curls build strength in the wrist flexors as primary muscles and the brachialis and brachioradialis as secondary muscles. These muscles are all involved in daily tasks required for gripping and pulling movements.

What happens if I do wrist curls every day?

By doing wrist curls every day, you risk developing overuse injuries and muscle imbalances. It’s important to allow time for recovery and repair in between workouts. Don’t perform the same workout every day to reduce injury risk and joint instabilities.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

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