BIP.

Exercise library · Forearms

Dumbbell reverse wrist curl

Wrist work for the forearms with dumbbells.

How to do it

1 of 4

Forearms on your thighs, palms down

  1. Starting position

    Sit with your forearms on your thighs, palms down, wrists past your knees and a dumbbell in each hand.

  2. The movement

    Lower the dumbbells by bending your wrists down, then lift them by extending your wrists upward.

Most common mistake

Don't lift your elbows or forearms, keep them against your thighs and move only your wrists.

Watch the video larger →

Muscle group
Forearms
Equipment
Dumbbells
Where
Home or gym
Logged as
Weight × reps

Muscles worked

The dumbbell reverse wrist curl trains the extensors along the top of your forearm, the muscles that draw your knuckles upwards when your palm faces down. They are weaker than the flexors on the inside, so expect a lighter dumbbell than in the regular dumbbell wrist curl. It suits home training and anyone starting really light, as the lightest dumbbell usually weighs far less than an empty barbell.

Common mistakes

  • The dumbbell slides towards your fingers. With your palm down, the weight hangs from your grip, and a loose hold lets the dumbbell creep out. Grip it deep in your hand with your thumb around the handle and squeeze hard for the whole set.
  • Turning round before the top. It is easy to reverse as soon as your hand points straight ahead. Raise it as high as you can without your forearm leaving your thigh, and hold there for a second before lowering.
  • Your forearms slope. If the bench is too high or too low, your thighs slope and your forearms slope with them, which changes the movement. Pick a height where your thighs are roughly level, or rest your forearms on the bench and kneel beside it.

Variations and alternatives

  • The reverse wrist curl with a barbell, when both hands are equally strong and you want smaller weight steps.
  • The dumbbell wrist curl trains the inside of the forearm with the same dumbbells, and the two make a natural pair.
  • The Zottman curl lowers the dumbbells palms down, adding forearm work to a biceps exercise.

Sets and reps

Light weight and high reps suit this one: two to three sets of 12 to 20 reps, with a one-second pause at the top of every rep. Try doing it straight after the dumbbell wrist curl, so one side of the forearm rests while the other works. The guide to sets and reps covers planning in more detail.

With only a pair of light dumbbells, you can still make this harder without buying new ones: hold the top for two or three seconds, lower more slowly or add reps. Move to a heavier dumbbell only once you can do 20 reps with the pause in every set. That is progressive overload, even with limited kit.

Swap for

Taken, or missing the equipment? The same movement with something else.

Want it in a programme?

Tell BIP your goal and your equipment, and BIP builds a week with sets, reps and rest worked out. You log your weights as you train and watch yourself get stronger. The first week is free.

Create a programme →