Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl
Also known as: standing smith back wrist curl, smith machine standing back wrist curl, standing smith machine back wrist curl
Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl turns a guided vertical bar path into control through the whole range — a step up once the basics feel easy.
How to do Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl
- Stand facing the smith machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your back straight and your elbows close to your body.
- Slowly curl your wrists upwards, bringing the barbell towards your body.
- 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.
Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. The fixed path lets you push closer to failure safely.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Add load in small steps since the bar is stable.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Set the safety catches so you can train hard alone.
Common Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl Mistakes
Standing in a spot that fights the fixed bar path
Set your feet so the bar tracks straight over the joint you are loading.
Letting a nearby joint take over as the set gets hard
Stop the set as soon as the working joint stops leading the movement.
Repeating the same load and rep scheme for months
Pick one variable, load, reps, or tempo, and push it every week.
Easier and Harder Than Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl
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Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl?
Stand facing the smith machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and your elbows close to your body. Use a Smith machine and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl work?
The Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl primarily targets the forearms. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with a Smith machine.
How many sets and reps of the Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Add load in small steps since the bar is stable. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Smith 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 Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl?
Try the Wrist Rollerer, Finger Curls or the Cable Standing Back Wrist Curl. Each trains the forearms with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
Is the Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl the same as the standing smith back wrist curl?
Yes. The Smith Standing Back Wrist Curl is also commonly called the standing smith back wrist curl or the smith machine standing back wrist curl. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "standing smith back wrist curl" and "smith machine standing back wrist curl" refer to this same movement.
