Standing Barbell Reverse Curl

Starting position

1. Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart, knees soft.
2. Grip the bar overhand (palms facing back) at shoulder width. An EZ bar works too.
3. Let the bar hang at your thighs with straight arms, elbows by your sides, wrists straight.

Execution

1. Exhale and curl the bar up toward your upper chest. Elbows stay by your torso.
2. Don't bend your wrists — your hands stay in line with your forearms.
3. Pause briefly at the top.
4. Inhale and lower slowly until your arms are almost straight.

Common mistakes

• Wrists sagging — stress shifts to the wrist joint and it starts to hurt.
• Too much weight — you are much weaker with an overhand grip and end up swinging.
• Swinging the torso — the back works instead of the arms.
• Elbows drifting forward — the shoulders take over.

Beginner tips

• Use roughly a third less weight than for a regular barbell curl.
• If a straight bar bothers your wrists, switch to an EZ bar.
• It fits well at the end of an arm workout as a forearm exercise.

Alternatives

• Hammer Curl — neutral grip, gentler on the wrists
• Standing Cable Biceps Curl — constant tension and smooth weight steps