Barbell Wrist Curl Behind the Back
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The Barbell Wrist Curl Behind the Back is a strength exercise where you hold a barbell behind your back with palms facing forward, allowing the bar to rest against your glutes before curling your wrists upward to flex the forearms. Its primary purpose is to isolate and build forearm flexor strength and grip endurance. It mainly targets the forearm muscles and requires only a barbell, making it ideal for lifters seeking to improve grip power for heavy lifts like deadlifts or rows.
How to Perform Barbell Wrist Curl Behind the Back
- 1Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell behind your back with an underhand grip (palms facing forward), hands about shoulder-width apart and wrists straight.
- 2Let the barbell hang naturally behind your thighs, arms fully extended and relaxed, elbows close to your sides.
- 3Position your forearms against the front of your thighs for support, keeping your upper arms perpendicular to the floor.
- 4Inhale, then exhale as you slowly flex your wrists upward, curling the barbell toward your forearms while keeping elbows locked.
- 5Pause briefly at the top with wrists fully flexed, squeezing your forearms.
- 6Inhale as you slowly lower the barbell by extending your wrists back to the starting position, controlling the descent.
- 7Repeat for desired reps, then carefully rack the barbell.
- 8Key form tips: Keep elbows stationary and only move the wrists; avoid swinging or using momentum. Use a light weight to maintain control. Common mistakes: Flaring elbows, partial range of motion, or rushing the eccentric phase.
