The cable wrist curl is an isolation exercise targeting the forearm muscles, particularly the wrist flexors. It is performed using a cable machine and a straight bar, focusing on curling the wrists upward while keeping the forearms stationary.
Also Works
BicepsBrachialis
How to Perform
1
Attach a straight bar to a low pulley cable machine.
2
Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
3
Grasp the bar with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and your hands shoulder-width apart.
4
Rest your forearms on a bench or pad, with your wrists hanging off the edge.
5
Keeping your forearms stationary, exhale and curl your wrists upward as far as possible.
6
Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
7
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Rest your forearms on a bench with your palms facing up and wrists hanging off the edge. Curl your wrists upward, squeezing the forearm flexors at the top.
•Let the bar roll down to your fingertips at the bottom for extra range of motion, then curl your fingers closed before curling the wrist up.
•Use moderate weight and higher reps (12-20) since the forearm flexors are endurance-oriented muscles.
Common Mistakes
•Lifting the forearms off the bench during the curl, which recruits the biceps and reduces forearm isolation.
•Using too heavy a weight with a tiny range of motion. Full wrist extension to full wrist flexion is the goal.
•Performing reps too quickly without a squeeze at the top, which reduces the effectiveness of each rep.