Barbell Wrist Curl

Intermediate

Forearms

Barbell

Barbell Wrist Curl turns heavy bilateral barbell loading into muscle you built on purpose — the middle rung where progress speeds up.

How to do Barbell Wrist Curl

Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your forearms resting on your thighs, holding a barbell with an underhand grip.
Allow the barbell to roll down to your fingertips, keeping your wrists straight.
Slowly curl the barbell up towards your forearms by flexing your wrists.
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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Barbell 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 Wrist Curl Mistakes

Loading the bar unevenly or skipping the collars

Match the plates side to side and clip collars on every set.

Moving through the easy half of the range only

Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.

Easier and Harder Than Barbell Wrist Curl

Easier progression

Lever Gripper Hands

Harder progression

Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean

Swap Barbell Wrist Curl For

Band Reverse Wrist Curl

Wrist Rollerer

Smith Seated Wrist Curl

Barbell Wrist Curl — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Barbell Wrist Curl?

Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your forearms resting on your thighs, holding a barbell with an underhand grip. Allow the barbell to roll down to your fingertips, keeping your wrists straight. Slowly curl the barbell up towards your forearms by flexing your wrists. 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 Wrist Curl work?

The Barbell 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 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 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 Wrist Curl?

Try the Band Reverse Wrist Curl, Wrist Rollerer or the Smith Seated Wrist Curl. Each trains the forearms with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.