Exercise library · Forearms

How to Do Cable Wrist Curl

Step-by-step instructions, muscles worked and workouts that use the cable wrist curl.

How to do it

1. Start out by placing a flat bench in front of a low pulley cable that has a straight bar attachment.
2. Use your arms to grab the cable bar with a narrow to shoulder width supinated grip (palms up) and bring them up so that your forearms are resting against the top of your thighs. Your wrists should be hanging just beyond your knees.
3. Start out by curling your wrist upwards and exhaling. Keep the contraction for a second.
4. Slowly lower your wrists back down to the starting position while inhaling.
5. Your forearms should be stationary as your wrist is the only movement needed to perform this exercise.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Form tips

• Start light and own the movement before adding weight.
• Control the lowering phase — don't drop into it.
• Keep breathing; exhale on the hardest part.
• Stop if you feel sharp pain (different from muscle burn).

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Gear for this exercise

Tube bands with handlesGym-like cable exercises at home.See it on Amazon →Door anchor for bandsTurns any door into a cable machine.See it on Amazon →

Exercise photos and instructions: free-exercise-db (public domain). Animation made from the real start and end photos.