Smith Machine Wrist Curl
- Primary muscleForearms
- EquipmentSmith Machine
- DifficultyBeginner
- TypeIsolation · Pull
- Secondary muscles
- Biceps, Brachialis
- Body part
- Forearms
- Position
- Seated
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Seated under a Smith bar with forearms on your thighs, you get a barbell wrist curl that racks itself: twist the hooks at the end of a set instead of maneuvering a loaded bar off your lap. The fixed rails also stop the bar drifting forward as your grip fatigues, which keeps long high-rep sets tidy.
How to do the Smith Machine Wrist Curl
- Sit on a bench in front of a Smith machine with your feet flat on the ground.
- Grasp the barbell with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Rest your forearms on your thighs, allowing your wrists to hang off.
- Slowly curl your wrists upward, bringing the barbell towards your forearms.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell 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 smith machine
Easier and harder
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Smith Machine Wrist Curl work?
The Smith Machine Wrist Curl primarily works the forearms. It also involves the biceps and brachialis, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Smith Machine Wrist Curl good for beginners?
Yes. The Smith Machine Wrist Curl is rated beginner: it uses a smith machine 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 Smith Machine Wrist Curl?
If you cannot do the Smith Machine Wrist Curl, try the Single Arm Neutral Grip Dumbbell Wrist Curl, the Incline Bench Barbell Wrist Curl or the 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 Smith Machine 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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