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biceps

Reverse Barbell Curl

A barbell curl with your palms facing down. Works the forearms and the outside of the upper arm more than a normal curl; use a lighter bar.

beginnerbarbellplates

Reverse Barbell Curl, start position
START
Reverse Barbell Curl, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START1
  1. Use a lighter bar than you would for a normal curl.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Hold the bar in front of your thighs with your palms facing down, hands shoulder-width apart.
  2. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  3. Pin your elbows to your sides and keep them there for the whole set.

Check: You are standing tall, elbows at your sides, with the weight hanging at arm's length against your thighs.

Curl up

  1. Bend your elbows and curl the bar up to your shoulders, keeping your wrists straight.
  2. Squeeze for a second at the top.

Check: The bar is at your shoulders with your knuckles facing up, your wrists straight, and your elbows still at your sides.

Lower slowly

  1. Lower the bar slowly until your arms are straight.

Check: Your arms are straight again with your elbows still at your sides.

That is one rep. Repeat for your set.

Breathe out as you curl up in about 1 second; squeeze; breathe in as you lower over 2 to 3 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Reverse Barbell Curl: muscles worked, front view
Reverse Barbell Curl: muscles worked, back view

bicepsforearms

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Swinging the body or the elbows forward to lift the weight. Momentum and the shoulders do the work instead of the biceps. Fix: Keep your elbows pinned at your sides and your trunk still; use less weight.
  • Dropping the weight back down. Fix: Lower over 2 to 3 seconds; the lowering half builds the muscle too.
  • Wrists bending down under the bar. Fix: Keep your wrists straight and firm; lower the weight.
SAFETY1
  • Keep your wrists straight; do not let them bend back under the weight.
EQUIPMENT SETTINGS
  • barbell Lighter than a normal curl.
  • plates Same weight on both sides, clipped on.
RELATED EXERCISES

variants: barbell curl, ez barbell curl, seated barbell wrist extension

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