Wrist Curls (Barbell)
- Sit on a flat bench, leaning forward.
- Grasp barbell with an underhand grip (palms up) and rest forearms on either the bench or thighs.
- Using your wrists alone, curl the weight upward, exhaling throughout the movement.
- Slowly lower the weight as low as is comfortable, inhaling throughout the movement.
- Repeat steps 3-4.
Note that although the movement of this exercise is slight, the difficultly and burn can be substantial. Take care not to hyperextend the wrists. To help avoid hyperextension, keep some tension present at the bottom of the movement. In other words, do not let the wrists completely relax.
Proper stretching should be performed prior to performing this exercise.
Forearm exercises, in general, pose a high risk for wrist strains/sprains and other related problems. To help avoid problems of this sort be sure to practice strict form and use lighter weights at least until a strong comfort level is achieved. Forearms are like calves in that they can perform a rather high amount of repetitions and still acquire the desired result, whether it be overall strength or mass.