Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl
- Secondary muscles
- Biceps, Brachialis
- Body part
- Forearms
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Palms-down curls off your thighs with a pair of dumbbells need nothing but a place to sit, which makes them the easiest extensor exercise to do consistently at home. Each hand works alone, and turning the dumbbells a few degrees can find a wrist angle a straight bar never offers. Expect to use your lightest pair.
How to do the Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl
- Sit on a bench or chair with your feet flat on the ground.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
- Rest your forearms on your thighs, allowing your wrists to hang off the edge.
- Slowly curl your wrists upward, bringing the dumbbells towards your body.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down 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 dumbbell
Easier and harder
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl work?
The Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl primarily works the forearms. It also involves the biceps and brachialis, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl good for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl is rated beginner: it uses a dumbbell 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 Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl?
If you cannot do the Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl, try the Incline Bench Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl, the Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl or the Incline Bench Barbell 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 Dumbbell Reverse 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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