Reverse Barbell Curl

What it is

This barbell exercise involves curling the weight upwards with your palms facing down, primarily targeting your biceps. It is an isolation movement designed to build strength and definition in your upper arms, with significant involvement from your forearms. Maintain a pronated grip throughout the lift.

Technique tips

• Keep your upper arms locked stationary against your sides.
• Use a controlled, slow tempo on the way down.
• Squeeze your biceps forcefully at the top of the curl.
• Ensure only your forearms are moving through the exercise.
• Breathe out as you curl the barbell upwards.
• Maintain a palms-down grip throughout the movement.

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.