Palms-Down Wrist Curl Over A Bench

What it is

This isolation exercise specifically targets and strengthens the extensor muscles on the top of your forearms. You perform it by curling a barbell with a pronated, or palms-down, grip while resting your forearms on a flat bench. It is an effective way to enhance grip strength and wrist stability.

Technique tips

• Keep your forearms stationary and firmly pressed onto the bench.
• Allow only your wrists to move through the full curling motion.
• Control both the upward curl and the slow downward extension.
• Exhale as you lift the barbell, and inhale as you lower it.
• Select a weight that allows for strict form and full range of motion.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.