Exercise Profile
  • Target Muscle Group
  • Exercise TypeStrength
  • Equipment RequiredBarbell
  • MechanicsIsolation
  • Force TypePull
  • Experience LevelBeginner
  • Secondary Muscles
    None
Target Muscle Group

Forearms

Forearms Muscle Anatomy Diagram

Standing Wrist Curl Behind Back Instructions

  1. Begin the exercise by selecting a barbell weight and holding it behind your back using an underhand grip (palms facing out). Your hands should be placed around shoulder width apart.
  2. Stand straight up with your feet shoulder width apart and look straight forward. Bending only at the wrists, let the barbell drop as far as possible. This is the starting position for the exercise.
  3. Slowly raise the barbell up as far as possible squeezing the forearm muscles at the top of the movement. Only your wrists should be moving.
  4. Pause, and then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for desired reps.

Exercise Tips:

  1. A light weight should be used with proper technique. It doesn't take heavy weight to make this exercise effective.
  2. Keep the rep timing slow, and pause/squeeze the forearms for a count of two at the top of the movement for added intensity.
  3. Use a full range of motion by allowing the weight to drop as far as possible at the bottom of the movement.
  4. It would be wise to have a training partner either hand you the bar or use a rack to pick it up.
  5. When finished, lower the bar to a rack or bend at the knees and lower it to the floor.
9 Comments
Dan
Posted on: Fri, 08/06/2021 - 15:03

Should I pull my shoulders back or relax them?

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Marina
Posted on: Mon, 08/09/2021 - 11:36

Dan -

You will want your shoulders in an upright position. Not slouched or hunched over.

sally
Posted on: Sun, 03/02/2014 - 14:54

I need to tone my under forearm. I don't need or want bulk! What is the best ones to do for toning?

mathew
Posted on: Thu, 04/02/2015 - 16:47

You can do the same exercises. Higher rep, lower weight is always a good rule of thumb for toning.

tyler
Posted on: Sat, 10/19/2013 - 01:37

You can do this with dumbbells, yes. Sit on a chair, support your forearm of the arm you are working over your legs, have your wrist just over your knee so you have wrist flexation. With a over hand grip on the dumbbell do curls. This will work more the front muscles in the forearm. Reverse the grip to and under hand grip and use the same placement as before but in more of a bicep curl position and curl at the wrist. This will work the underside of the forearm. Hope this helped. Its an easy exercise you can do at home with just dumbbells and a standard height seat of some kind.

Mark
Posted on: Tue, 04/02/2013 - 00:21

Can you do this exercise with dumbbells?

Mick
Posted on: Thu, 03/14/2013 - 16:59

What would you recxomend as a starter weight ?

Joksan
Posted on: Wed, 10/17/2012 - 04:41

How many sets and reps should be done to gain mass/muscle in forearms?

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Steven
Posted on: Wed, 10/17/2012 - 14:21

I would use 3 sets of 10-15 reps per exercise, max 2 forearms exercises.