Seated Palms-Down Barbell Wrist Curl

An isolation exercise that strengthens the forearm extensor muscles using a barbell with a pronated (palms-down) grip while seated.

Instructions

1. Hold a barbell with both hands and your palms facing down; hands spaced about shoulder width apart.
2. Place your feet flat on the floor, at a distance that is slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
3. Lean forward and place your forearms on top of your upper thighs with your palms down. Make sure that the back of the wrists lay on top of your knees. This will be your starting position.
4. Lower the bar as far as possible while inhaling and keeping a tight grip on the barbell.
5. Now curl bar up as high as possible while flexing the forearms and exhaling. Hold the contraction at the top for a second. Only the wrist should move.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Tips

• Keep both forearms flat and stable on your thighs throughout the entire movement.
• Use a controlled, deliberate tempo; avoid momentum or jerky movements.
• Choose a lighter barbell weight (even just the empty bar) to start; forearm muscles respond better to higher reps (12-15+).
• Maintain consistent grip width throughout all sets and repetitions.
• This reverse wrist curl variation is crucial for preventing wrist imbalances and improving wrist stability.