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Overview
Dumbbell wrist curls, like barbell wrist curls, can either be performed with the palm facing up or down. In either case, the portion of your forearm that is facing upward toward the ceiling is doing the effort to pull the weight upward and is also the part of your arm that is worked.
You can effectively work the top and bottom portions of your forearms simply by flipping your hands over and working the other side. Stress is placed on the forearm flexor muscles when the palms are facing upward, and stress is placed on the forearm extensors when the palms are facing downward to the floor (called reverse wrist curls).
Setup
Take a moderately heavy weight in one hand and straddle a workout bench with your feet flat on the ground on either side. Lay your forearm along the workout bench while your hand holding the weight extends just off the end of the bench. For added wrist support, you can grip your wrist while performing this exercise. Just be sure to hold your wrist in a way that does not restrict the movement being performed. Begin this forearm exercise by allowing your wrist to bend and the weight to go as far down as possible.
Reverse wrist curls work the opposite side of your forearm by simply reversing your grip and pointing the palm of your hand toward the floor.
Movement
Allow your wrist to bend until the weight is fully lowered to the bottom position. Use your forearm muscles to pull the weight upward as far as possible. Once at the top, squeeze your forearm muscles for a good pump. Complete the exercise by lowering the bar back downward to the original position.
Tips From the Trainer
Those individuals with smaller bone structures may find it necessary to support their wrist with the opposite hand. Take this route if you begin experiencing any pain in the wrists and lay off of the exercise for a while if the pain does not disappear. You should never continue to perform an exercise in the same way if you feel pain in the bones or the joints.
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