Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl
Also known as: standing barbell back wrist curl
The point of Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl is strength you can feel outside the gym; heavy bilateral barbell loading is how it gets there.
How to do Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an overhand grip.
- Rest the barbell on the back of your hands with your palms facing down and your fingers pointing towards your body.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl your wrists upwards as far as possible.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief pause, then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Common Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl Mistakes
Loading the bar unevenly or skipping the collars
Match the plates side to side and clip collars on every set.
Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains
Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl
Swap Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl For
Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl?
Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an overhand grip. Rest the barbell on the back of your hands with your palms facing down and your fingers pointing towards your body. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl your wrists upwards as far as possible. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl work?
The Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl primarily targets the forearms. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic arms patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl?
Try the Weighted Standing Hand Squeeze, Cable Reverse Wrist Curl or the Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl. Each trains the forearms with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
Is the Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl the same as the standing barbell back wrist curl?
Yes. The Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl is also commonly called the standing barbell back wrist curl. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "standing barbell back wrist curl" refer to this same movement.
