Wrist Curl Exercise: Muscle worked, Health Benefits, How to do?

What is Wrist Curl Exercise?

The wrist curl is a power training exercise for flourishing the wrist flexor muscles of the forearm. So, It is an isolation exercise. this should be performed in combination with the reverse wrist curl or wrist extension to assure equal growth of the wrist extensor and wrist flexor muscles.

Which muscles use in wrist curls?

There are some muscles worked during movement are:

The muscles use his forearm flexors, the flexor carpi radialis, the flexor carpi ulnaris, the flexor digitorum superficialis, the pronator teres, and the palmaris longus. Also the extensors of the forearm muscles, extensor radialis brevis, extensor digitorum muscles, brachioradialis.

What are the benefits of wrist curls?

There are some benefits of wrist curls such as :

• Increases the muscle’s thickness and increases the flexion of the joint.
• It improves other upper body exercises which need these muscle use such as pull-ups and suitcase carry.
• It encourages strength of the wrists and gripping strength which helps to take a firm grasp during workouts in the gym.
• Grip strength improves speed and power which needs in throwing activities and other routine activities such as carrying groceries, opening jars, etc.
• Helps to prevent wrist-related injuries if you are a sports person this exercise is the best for you, such as regular strengthening and stretching exercises help in the prevention of sports-related injuries eg. tennis elbow, Golfer’s elbow

What are the types of Wrist Curls?

There are types of wrist curls:

• Dumbbell wrist curl
• Machine wrist curl
• Reverse wrist curl

Dumbbell wrist curl

How to do wrist curls?

In the beginning, you have to start with lightweight lifting to prevent injury. You need handheld weights like dumbbells.
Take a kneeling position behind a flat surface. Now forward bend your hips and put your forearm on the flat surface around shoulder-width apart with palms facing to the ceiling. Then shoulders are backward and downward and your back is straight. The wrists are neutral.
Now start the exercise, curl your wrists up while you exhale. During the motion prevent straining of wrists and do movement slowly.
Now do an extension of the wrists, so the wrists go downward comfortably as much as they go down and inhale. Return to the neutral position.
Make sure that your forearm should be static while performing the movement only your wrists move. 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Dumbbell wrist curl has some variations such as:

• Dumbbell palms-up wrist curl
• Dumbbell reverse wrist curl
• One arm palm up wrist curl
• One arm palm down wrist curl
• Standing dumbbell wrist

Dumbbell palms-up wrist curl

How to do – You have to hold both dumbbells with a pronated grip and take sit on the corner of the flat bench.
Your feet should be touching the ground, it makes your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Then hold the dumbbells with a supinated grip and put your wrist on your knees with palms facing the ceiling.
Rearrange your arms, which makes your wrists hang over the edge of your knees. This is your beginning position.
Now start by curling your wrist upward and downward to combine the forearms.
While twisting your wrists, make sure that your arms should be stable. 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Dumbbell reverse wrist curls

How to do – Take a sit on the ground next to the flat bench on your knees and hold both dumbbells with a pronated grip.
Place your wrists at the edge of the bench so your palms are facing the floor. This is a starting position.
To start the movement, curl your wrist upward as much as you can and feel the forearm muscles contract.
Squeeze your forearms and maintain a hold in that position, then lower your wrist downward to starting position.
Repeat. 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions.

One arm palm up wrist curl

How to do – Holds both dumbbells with a pronated grip, and take a sitting position on the corner of the bench.
Keep your left foot flat on the floor and assure your thigh is parallel to the floor.
Put your left arm on the thigh and wrist hanging at the edge of the knee.
Keeping your left arm stable, raise the weight upward as much high as possible.
Squeeze your forearms for a few seconds and then slowly reverse your twist your wrist.
Make sure your left forearm is well engaged during the motion.
Then, repeat this exercise in your right or opposite arm. 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions.

One arm palm down wrist curl

How to do – Take Sit on the corner of a chair with a dumbbell in your left hand.
Place your left foot on the floor, which makes your thigh parallel to the floor.
Grasp a dumbbell with a pronated grip and place your left forearm on your quadriceps which places your wrist at the edge of your left knee.
Now start twisting your wrist upward as much as possible and hold it for a second, then lower the wrist. during the movement, you have to feel the contraction of the forearm muscles.3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Standing dumbbell wrist

Machine wrist curl

How to do – To do wrist curls on the machine, set the proper weight, adjust your forearms on the pad, and grasp the bar with a supinated grip. Then, curl your wrists until you feel the contraction in your forearms. Then, lower your wrist and repeat.

Reverse Wrist Curl

How to do – For this exercise, your palms face down towards the ground rather than facing up during wrist curl.
Then the movement is the same as the wrist curl.
Kneel parallel to the bench, and place your forearms on the bench for stabilization.
Hands are in extension out of the bench so that there is a complete range of motion at the wrist.
While staying your palms down, raise the weight as high as you can and squeeze at the end of the movement.
Then lower the weight. take a semi-relaxed grasp on a barbell so that your wrist tendons work in a full range of motion.

There are some variations of reverse curl:

• Reverse grip barbell curl
• One arm cable reverse curl
• Behind the back wrist curl

Reverse grip barbell curl

This movement includes the forearm extensors, the biceps muscle, and the brachioradialis.
How to do – Hold a barbell with a pronated grip and your hands should be shoulder-width apart.
Don’t lift too heavyweight.
Lift a weight that is around 60-75 % less than your normal body weight for a normal barbell curl.
Steak your elbows at your sides and raise the bar to shoulder height.
Shen put it down back to starting position.

One arm cable reverse curl

One-arm movements allow for an unbending range of motion and full muscle isolation.
How to do – Using a D-ring at ground level on the cable machine, then grab the ring with a pronated grip.
Steak your elbows against the body and curl your hand at a shoulder height.
The cable originates resistance during the eccentric portion of the motion.
Now complete 12-15 repetitions with one hand and then switch to another hand. One hand takes a rest while the other is in motion.

Behind the back wrist curl

How to do – Set a pin on a squat position so that the barbell is at a level of your hand’s height.
Now hold the bar slightly wider than your shoulder width.
Raise the bar and let the bar roll downward on your fingers.
Now make a fist with your fingers and roll the bar reverse to a wrist curl position.
Do it in a full range of motion and squeeze the forearm muscles at the end of the motion.
Keep your arms steady throughout the motion while only your wrists are moving.

Common mistakes done during wrist curl exercise

There are some common mistakes you make during motion are:

• Lifting heavy weights – The forearm and wrists muscles are not strong as your other body muscles. So, start with lightweight lifting and getting stronger than using a heavyweight which prevents your muscles to get injured.
• Weight thrusting- During the motion make sure you are going steady and in control and not thrust the weight which strains the wrists muscles.
• Breath-holding – If you hold your breath during motion can cause shifting focus which creates tension and strain in the body, also shifting blood pressure. Proper breathing is exhaling doing upward curl and inhaling while returning to starting position.
• Not stabilize the arms – You have to stabilize or rest the forearm on a surface during a motion to avoid other muscles in engaging into movement. This helps to focus on the wrist joint and use forearm muscles only.

Precaution and safety

There are some things you keep in your mind for your safety are:

• If you have pre-existing wrist problems, then don’t perform the movement.
• If you have wrist weakness then wear gym gloves for support and protection.
• Do the proper technique so you can prevent injuries like nerve injury.
• If you feel any discomfort or pain during movement, immediately stop the exercise.
• Do 15 repetitions at a time and take a rest, then again start or switch the hand.

When you don’t perform a wrist curl exercise?

There are some matters you need to cautious about are:

• If you have wrist pain or sprain.
• If you have a fracture of your forearm or wrist bones.
• When you suddenly feel discomfort during motion.
• After heavy weight lifting or heavy exercise of your arm.
• Don’t perform when you feel muscle pull or any undiagnosed contraction of the muscle.
• Don’t perform when you have pre-injury in your wrist joint.

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