The Reverse Grip Barbell Curl is a beginner-friendly barbell strength exercise that targets the forearms, with the biceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesForearms
Secondary musclesBiceps
EquipmentBarbell
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Reverse Grip Barbell Curl
Load a barbell and stand upright with your feet about hip-width apart.
Grip the bar palms down with your hands roughly shoulder-width apart.
Let the bar rest at your thighs with your elbows straight and pinned to your sides.
Curl the bar up by bending only at the elbows, keeping your wrists straight.
Stop when the bar reaches chest height and hold the top briefly.
Lower the bar under control to full extension and repeat.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Puts the forearm elbow flexors in their strongest pulling position.
Builds the grip and wrist strength that carries into rows and deadlifts.
Adds forearm thickness that palms-up curls alone tend to miss.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Loading it like a standard curl, which collapses the wrists long before the forearms are trained.
Letting the wrists bend back under the bar, which moves the strain to the wrist joint.
Swinging the elbows forward, which turns the lift into a front raise.
Rocking the torso to start each rep, so momentum replaces the elbow flexors.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Reverse Grip Barbell Curl, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
