Seated Barbell Wrist Curl

The Seated Barbell Wrist Curl is an old school staple exercise for developing the flexors of the forearm which develops your forearms and grip. To perform the seated wrist curl start in a seated po

The Seated Barbell Wrist Curl is an old school staple exercise for developing the flexors of the forearm which develops your forearms and grip. To perform the seated wrist curl start in a seated position with a barbell grasped in each hand, palms facing up towards the ceiling. Place your wrists approximately 2-3 inches past your knees with your wrists in a neutral position. Begin the movement by extending your wrists back so that your knuckles lower towards the floor. Slowly open your grip on the bar and let the weight roll down to your fingertips. Pause briefly in the most stretched position with the bar still firmly in your grip but at the end of your fingertips. Return to the starting position by first curling your fingers in and bringing the bar back into your palm before flexing your wrists and completing the movement by flexing your wrists towards the ceiling at the top of the wrist curl.

Common Mistakes

Do not stop short with the extension. Do not push through pain. Only use a pain free range of motion throughout the entire exercise. Do not use inertia to force the weight back up.

Pro Tips

Barbells can help you use more weight to build strength and muscle as compared to dumbbells as they require less stabilizing. By using reasonable weights and striving to feel a stretch, you can use a barbell to increase the flexibility of your wrists as its rigid structure provides resistance to your wrists' natural movement. By gently pushing into new ranges of motion, the stability of the bar can be used to increase the stretch on your muscles and joints. Use with caution.

Purpose

Few people these days have well developed forearms because few people still work with their hands. Well developed forearms will make you stand out in a crowd and show your physique off even when fully clothed. Some people believe using heavier weights increase muscular density or improve the look of the quality of your muscles. Barbells allow for heavier weights to be used in this exercise.

Form

Watch your form and compare each side to make sure that each movement is symmetrical and even with no cheating. Do not let the bar tip or have one side come up or go down faster than the other.