Exercises · lower arms

Barbell Standing Back Wrist Curl

A standing forearm exercise where you hold a barbell behind your body and lift it by curling only your wrists.

lower armsforearmsbarbellbeginnerisolation

Secondary muscles

bicepsshoulders

How to do it

  1. Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart and hold a barbell behind your hips with an overhand grip.
  2. Let the bar rest across your fingers so your knuckles face the floor and your palms face behind you.
  3. Keep your elbows close to your sides and straighten your wrists to lower the bar toward your fingertips.
  4. Curl your wrists upward to roll the bar back into your hands and lift it as high as you can.
  5. Pause briefly at the top, then lower the bar with control back to the starting position.

Form cues

  • Move only your wrists
  • Keep elbows pinned back
  • Use full wrist range
  • Control the lowering

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the bar with the shoulders or torso
  • Bending the elbows to lift the bar
  • Letting the bar slip too far out of the hands
  • Using short, jerky wrist motions

Breathing

Inhale as you lower the bar toward your fingertips, and exhale as you curl your wrists up.

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