If your forearm strength is lagging behind the rest of your body, the barbell reverse wrist curl might be just the exercise you need. Many people struggle with building forearm strength, often because they don’t focus on it enough or assume other exercises will work those muscles. It’s a common issue that can leave you feeling frustrated and stuck. But don’t worry, there is a solution to your lack of forearm strength – the barbell reverse wrist curl, which targets the often-neglected muscles in the forearms for improved grip strength and overall arm development. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at this exercise and how to properly perform it for optimal results.
Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl Summary
- Primary Muscles: Wrist Extensors
- Secondary Muscles: Biceps Brachii
- Equipment: Barbell and Bench
- Mechanics Type: Isolation
- Force: Pull
- Utility: Auxiliary
Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl Instructions
- Grab a barbell with an overhand grip, thumbs towards each other.
- Sit on a bench with your legs apart and rest your forearms on your thighs.
- While holding the bar with your fingers allow your wrist to drop as low as you can.
- Then, keeping your forearms on your thighs, lift the bar by pivoting at your wrists, as high as you can.
- Continue to lower and raise the bar by curling and uncurling your wrists.
Video Tutorial
Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl Muscles
Target (Agonist)
- Wrist Extensors
Synergists
Dynamic Stabilizers
- None
Stabilizers
- No Significant Stabilizers
Antagonist Stabilizers
- None
Benefits of Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl
The Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl is a great exercise to target the wrist extensors, which are important muscles for increasing hand and wrist strength. Performing this exercise regularly will help improve grip strength, and increase the range of motion in the wrists. This exercise also helps to improve coordination and balance, as well as strengthening the forearms. As an added benefit, strengthening the wrist extensors can help to reduce the risk of injury when performing everyday activities such as lifting or carrying objects.
Tips for Performing Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl
Before we get into the tips, it’s important to remember that the barbell reverse wrist curl is an isolation exercise. That means you should focus on feeling the muscle group being worked, not on lifting heavy weights. With that in mind, here are some tips to help you get the most out of this exercise.
- Have A Proper Warm Up Before You Begin To Add Any Heavy Weight. Not appropriately doing a warmup performing a proper warm up is the leading cause of injuries.
- Always Incorporate Maximum Range Of Motion. Using a complete range of motion you will guarantee that you develop your entire muscle and that you maintain your flexibility.
- Use A Training Log. You should have a journal of all weights, sets, and repetitions. When you are brilliant you will likely note your rest intervals. Right now there are a lot of excellent apps to use a diary, or you may easily utilize a small note pad.
Benefits and Tips Video
Frequent Mistakes To Avoid
When performing the barbell reverse wrist curl, it is important to remember that proper form and technique are essential for getting the most out of this exercise. While it is easy to perform, there are a few common mistakes that can lead to injury and hinder progress. In the following section, we will discuss some of the most common mistakes made when performing this exercise, as well as how to avoid them.
- Don’t Omit A Warmup. Properly prepaing your Muscle tissue is the Best way to prevent personal injury.
- Stop Cheating. In most the time, cheating is using momentum instead of the strain of your agonist (target) muscle. From time to time, a little bit cheating on your final rep can be fine to overload your muscle, however not for more than 1 or 2 reps.
- Stop Trying To Make It To Easy. Your primary way to obtain gains will be to challenge yourself.
Find More Barbell Exercises Here
Variations and Complementary Exercises
The exercise Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl is an effective exercise for strengthening and toning your wrist muscles. However, if you are looking for some variety or are not able to perform this exercise, there are a number of variations, complementary, and alternative exercises that work similar muscles. Below is a list of those exercises that you can incorporate into your workout routine.
Barbell Reverse Preacher Curl
The Barbell Reverse Preacher Curl is an exercise designed to strengthen and tone the muscles of the upper arm and forearm. It works the biceps, triceps, and forearms while also providing stability to the wrist joint. This exercise can be used as a complementary or an alternative to the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl. The Reverse Preacher Curl allows for more range of motion, enabling the user to work their muscles more deeply. Additionally, the use of the preacher bench provides more stability and support for the user during the exercise, which reduces risk of injury.
Barbell Reverse Curl
The Barbell Reverse Curl is a great complementary or alternative exercise to the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl. This exercise works the same muscles, but in a different way. It involves lifting the barbell up towards your chest and then lowering it back down with control. The Barbell Reverse Curl targets the same muscles as the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl, but it also works the biceps and forearms more. This exercise is a great way to increase strength and muscular size in the upper arms.
Wrist Roller Forearms
The wrist roller forearms exercise is a great complementary or alternative exercise to the barbell reverse wrist curl. This exercise is an effective way to build strength and size in your forearms as it involves rolling up a weight that is attached to a rope. It strengthens the muscles in the hands, wrists, and forearms, and can be done with either one or two arms. Additionally, wrist roller forearms can be used as part of a warm-up routine or as an accessory lift after other exercises. This exercise helps to increase grip strength and forearm endurance, making it an ideal choice for those looking to improve their overall performance in the gym.
Check Out These Top Barbell Exercises
Standing Dumbbell Zottman Preacher Curl
The Standing Dumbbell Zottman Preacher Curl is an excellent alternative or complementary exercise to the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl. It works the forearms and biceps in a unique way as the exerciser performs a reverse curl followed by a curl, both using the same dumbbell. This exercise requires the exerciser to grip the dumbbell with their palms facing up and then rotate their wrists so that their palms are facing down while performing the reverse curl. The biceps are then engaged while curling the dumbbell back up with the palms facing up. This exercise will increase strength and endurance in the forearms, biceps, and wrist.
Seated Dumbbell Revers Grip Concentration Curl
The Seated Dumbbell Reverse Grip Concentration Curl is an excellent alternative or complementary exercise to the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl. It helps to target the same muscles as the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl, but from a different angle. This exercise places more emphasis on the wrist flexors and allows for a greater range of motion compared to the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl. This exercise also helps to increase strength and stability in the wrists and forearms, which can help to improve overall performance in upper body lifts.
EZ Bar Reverse Grip Preacher Curl
The EZ Bar Reverse Grip Preacher Curl is a great alternative or complementary exercise to the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl. This exercise primarily works the biceps, but also works the forearms and shoulders. It is performed by sitting on a preacher bench with an EZ bar in your hands and your palms facing up. You then curl the bar up towards your chest and slowly lower it back down to the starting position. This exercise is great for building strength and mass in the biceps, as well as targeting the forearms and shoulders.
Find More Arms Exercises Here
Opposing Complementary Exercises
This exercise works the extensor muscles on the back of your forearms, so it’s important to also strengthen the opposing muscles in order to maintain balance. To achieve this, try adding the following exercises to your routine. They will help you develop strength and flexibility in your wrist flexor muscles.
Dumbbell Finger Curls
Dumbbell Finger Curls are a great complementary exercise to Barbell Reverse Wrist Curls, as they target the opposing muscle group in the forearms. This exercise involves gripping the dumbbells with your palms facing up and then curling your fingers towards your palms. The focus of this exercise is on the extensor muscles in the forearm, which are the opposite of the flexor muscles used in Barbell Reverse Wrist Curls. By doing both exercises, you will develop balanced strength in both muscle groups of the forearm for a well-rounded fitness routine.
Smith Machine Wrist Curl
The Smith Machine Wrist Curl is a great exercise to complement the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl. The Smith Machine Wrist Curl works the flexor muscles of the forearm, while the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl works the extensor muscles of the forearm. This combination of exercises helps to strengthen both opposing muscle groups, providing a balanced workout for the forearms. Additionally, using the Smith Machine helps to ensure that proper form is maintained throughout the exercise, reducing the risk of injury.
Barbell Behind Finger Curl
The Barbell Behind Finger Curl is an excellent exercise for building strength and size in the forearms. It is complementary to the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl as it works the opposing muscle group, the extensors. The motion of the Barbell Behind Finger Curl involves curling the barbell behind the fingers while keeping the wrist and elbow locked in place, while the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl involves curling the barbell forward with the wrist and elbow fixed in place. Both exercises work to strengthen the forearms, making them bigger and more powerful.
Stronger, Defined Forearms with Barbell Reverse Wrist Curls!
If you’re looking to strengthen and define your forearms, barbell reverse wrist curls are an excellent exercise to add to your routine. By targeting the muscles on the back of your forearms, these curls help improve grip strength and wrist stability, which can be beneficial in everyday activities and other exercises. Don’t be intimidated by the name – reverse wrist curls are easy to learn and can be done with just a barbell and a bench. With consistency and proper form, you can start to see improved forearm strength and definition in no time!
References: Wikipedia | ExRx.net | PubMed.gov | Comprehensive List of Arms Barbell Exercises
