Cable Wrist Curl
Also known as: cable wrist curls, seated cable wrist curl, cable straight bar wrist curl, wrist curl cable, low pulley wrist curl, cable forearm curl
- Secondary muscles
- Biceps, Brachialis
- Body part
- Forearms
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Running a straight bar off the low pulley gives the wrist flexors resistance that never disappears mid-rep, unlike a barbell that unloads as it nears your forearms. The pin stack makes tiny jumps possible, useful because forearm progress often comes 2.5 pounds at a time. Anchor your forearms on a pad and let only the wrists travel.
How to do the Cable Wrist Curl
- Attach a straight bar to a low pulley cable machine.
- Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the bar with an underhand grip, palms facing up, and your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Rest your forearms on a bench or pad, with your wrists hanging off the edge.
- Keeping your forearms stationary, exhale and curl your wrists upward as far as possible.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Use higher reps, 15 to 25, and lower the weight through a full three-second descent.
Muscles worked
Common mistakes
- Using the whole arm — the forearms should rest on a bench or your thighs with only the hands moving; if the elbows lift, you are cheating.
- Gripping hard on the descent — let the bar roll down to the fingertips at the bottom of a wrist curl for the full range before curling back up.
- Reverse curls too heavy — the wrist extensors are small, so use about half of what you use for regular wrist curls.
- Fast, short reps — go slowly through the full range and feel the stretch at the bottom, since jerky reps with a heavy weight are how wrists get irritated.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 10–15 | 60–90 s |
| Endurance / finisher | 2–3 × 15–20 | 45 s |
| Strength | Not ideal — pick a compound lift for the same muscle | — |
Wrist curls go last in a session after all the pulling and gripping work is done. Superset regular and reverse wrist curls back to back with the same bar.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without cable
Easier and harder
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Cable Wrist Curl work?
The Cable Wrist Curl primarily works the forearms. It also involves the biceps and brachialis, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Cable Wrist Curl good for beginners?
Yes. The Cable Wrist Curl is rated beginner: it uses a cable and the movement is simple to learn. Start light, focus on the full range of motion and add load once every rep looks the same.
What can I do instead of the Cable Wrist Curl?
If you cannot do the Cable Wrist Curl, try the Incline Bench Barbell Wrist Curl, the Barbell Wrist Curl or the Incline Bench Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl. Each of them trains the forearms through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Cable Wrist Curl, a sensible starting point is muscle growth: 3–4 × 10–15 with 60–90 s rest; endurance / finisher: 2–3 × 15–20 with 45 s rest. Do it after your compound lifts. It is a finishing movement, not the main event.
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