Forearms · Dumbbells

Dumbbell Seated Palms Up Wrist Curl

The dumbbell seated palms up wrist curl is an isolation exercise designed to strengthen and build the wrist flexors of the forearms. It fits lifters of all experience levels and is best placed at the end of an arm or pulling session so fatigue does not compromise heavier compound lifts.

Muscles: Forearms
Equipment: Dumbbells
Type: Strength
Animation: Women

How to do it

Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing up.
Place your forearms on your thighs, letting your wrists hang off the edge of your knees.
Keep your palms facing upward and let the dumbbells roll down to your fingers.
Curl your wrists upward by contracting your forearm muscles, bringing the dumbbells back into your palms.
Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Common mistakes

Lifting the forearms off the thighs, which shifts tension away from the forearms to the biceps and shoulders.
Using excessive weight, which leads to swinging and places dangerous stress on the wrist joints.
Cutting the range of motion short by not allowing the dumbbells to roll down into the fingers.
Dropping the dumbbells quickly instead of maintaining control through the lowering phase.

Tips

Allow the dumbbells to roll gently into your fingertips at the bottom to maximize the stretch on the deep flexor muscles.
Hold a brief pause at the top of each rep to emphasize the peak contraction.
Keep your wrists aligned with your forearms without twisting them outward or inward during the lift.

Sets and reps

Perform 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 controlled repetitions to build forearm size and muscular endurance. Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.

Muscles worked

Dumbbell Seated Palms Up Wrist Curl: forearms

Your coach guides every set

Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.

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Questions

How does this exercise differ from the palms-down wrist curl?

Palms-up curls target the wrist flexors on the inner forearm, while palms-down curls focus on the wrist extensors on the top of the forearm.

What should I do if I feel wrist pain during this movement?

If you experience sharp pain or persistent discomfort, stop the exercise immediately and consult a healthcare professional.

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