How to do a Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl
Workouts with Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
An isolation exercise targeting the forearms. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength, or building muscle mass in your forearms.
- Drop down into a tall kneeling position facing the side of a bench.
- Lower your forearms onto the bench, keeping them parallel with each other, while hanging your wrists off the bench on the other side.
- You will need to have a partner hand you the barbell or have the barbell in your hands before getting into position.
- Grip the barbell underneath so that your palms face the ceiling while keeping your forearms on the bench as you flex your wrists to raise the barbell.
- Lower back to the starting position.
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Alternative Exercises to Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl
1. Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl
87.6 mSCORESWAPPED 2,841 TIMESAn isolation exercise targeting the forearms. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength, or building muscle mass in your forearms.
2. Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl
87.4 mSCORESWAPPED 883 TIMESPalms Down Dumbbell Wrist Curls is an isolation exercise that hits your forearms. By securing your forearm against the pad, you ensure that only your wrist is able to perform the movement. Using a dumbbell allows you to target each side independently, as well as adding a bit more instability to the exercise.
3. Cable Wrist Curl
53 mSCORESWAPPED 493 TIMESTargets the forearm flexors, improving grip strength and forearm muscle development. Using a cable machine adds a consistent resistance throughout the movement, providing a more effective workout than free weights.
- Beginner
- Forearms
- Rope Cable
- Flat Bench
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
4. Palms-Down Barbell Wrist Curl
69.9 mSCORESWAPPED 450 TIMESPalms Down Barbell Wrist Curl is an isolation exercise that targets the forearm. By positioning your forearm against a bench or other flat surface, you restrict any motion to your wrist. The use of a barbell helps to add some stability to the movement, as well as allowing you to perform the exercise with both sides moving a single weight.
5. Plate Pinch
38.5 mSCORESWAPPED 297 TIMESA grip strength exercise involving holding weight plates between the fingers and thumb. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength.
- Intermediate
- Forearms
- Plates
6. Kettlebell Single Arm Farmer Walk
40.3 mSCORESWAPPED 156 TIMESA functional exercise focusing on grip strength, core stability, and unilateral strength. This exercise engages the entire body, particularly the core and forearm muscles. Unlike the standard variation, by holding the weight in one hand, you drastically increase the need to recruit your core for stability.
- Beginner
- Forearms
- Kettlebells
7. Farmer's Walk
86.8 mSCORESWAPPED 132 TIMESFarmer's Walk is a compound exercise that primarily targets your forearms, shoulders, and core. By holding heavy weights in each hand and walking a set distance, you can develop strong grip strength, functional stability, and overall body conditioning. This exercise mimics real-world activities, making it highly effective for improving functional strength and endurance.
- Intermediate
- Forearms
- Farmer's Walk Handles
8. Single Arm Farmer Walk
36 mSCORESWAPPED 129 TIMESThis exercise is a unilateral variation of the Farmer’s Walk. Like the standard Farmer’s Walk this exercise focuses on grip strength, core stability, and overall strength endurance. In addition, by holding the weight in a single hand, you drastically increase the demand for recruiting your core for stability.
9. Handle Band Reverse Curl
28.9 mSCORESWAPPED 117 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the standard curl. Like the standard curl, this exercise primarily targets your biceps, however there is a much greater need to recruit your forearms due to the reverse grip. The use of a handle band increases the resistance as you progress through the movement.
- Beginner
- Forearms
- Handle Bands
10. Plate Flips
66.9 mSCORESWAPPED 108 TIMESPlate Flip is an explosive exercise that forces you to toss a relatively light plate into the air, and then catch the opposite side of the lip in the same hand. By tossing the plate into the air, this becomes a more explosive exercise than simply moving the weight up and down. In addition, the catch helps you improve coordination, as well as stability and control as you have to slow the plate down in order to actually catch it.
- Intermediate
- Forearms
- Plates