Reverse Barbell Curl
The reverse barbell curl is a curl performed with an overhand, palms-down grip. It shifts the work towards the brachioradialis, the brachialis and the forearm extensors that hold the wrist straight, making it a forearm and arm-thickness builder rather than a biceps exercise.
Also called: Reverse Curl, Overhand Barbell Curl, BB Reverse Curl, Pronated Curl · Equipment: barbell · Pattern: pull
Step by step
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Grip the bar overhand, palms down, at about shoulder width, and let it hang at arm's length against your thighs.
- Brace your trunk, soften your knees and keep your elbows close to your sides, just in front of your torso.
- Curl the bar up by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms still and your wrists straight with your knuckles pointing up.
- Raise the bar to about chest height without letting your elbows drift forward.
- Bring the bar back down to straight arms under control, taking 2–3 seconds, without bouncing at the bottom.
- Expect to use noticeably less weight than on a regular curl, as the overhand grip is a weaker position.
- Knuckles to the ceiling
- Elbows pinned and still
- Wrists straight throughout
- Slow on the way down
- Torso quiet, no swing
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Brachioradialis | Prime mover | C |
| Brachialis | Prime mover | C |
| Biceps brachii: long head | Secondary | C |
| Biceps brachii: short head | Secondary | C |
| Forearm flexors | Stabiliser | D |
| Anterior deltoid | Stabiliser | C |
| Forearm extensors | Dynamic stabiliser | C |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Wrists dropping into flexion
Fix: Use a lighter bar and keep your knuckles pointing up with your wrists straight.
Using regular-curl loads
Fix: Start well below your normal curl weight and build up from there.
Swinging the bar up
Fix: Brace your trunk, keep your upper arms vertical and use a lighter weight.
Elbows drifting forward at the top
Fix: Keep your elbows by your sides and finish the curl at chest height.
Dropping the bar back down
Fix: Take 2–3 seconds to bring the bar back to straight arms.
What the research says
Rehab & prehab · first choiceMuscle growthGeneral fitnessSport performanceEndurance
- Grip research — An EMG study in bodybuilders found the overhand grip produced the least biceps activation of three curl grips, about 19% below an underhand grip, while brachioradialis activation was only about 5% below. The reverse curl shifts relative work away from the biceps.
- Load and reps — Research finds muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure. With its low load ceiling, the reverse curl is commonly trained for 10–15 reps.
- Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns. Many lifters run reverse curls alongside, not instead of, underhand curls, which load the biceps more.
- Tempo — Studies find similar muscle growth across rep durations of about 0.5–8 seconds, so a 2–3 second return sits within the researched range.
- Placement — Research on exercise order finds the exercises done first in a session benefit most, so grip-heavy accessories like this are commonly placed after the main pulling lifts.
Swap it mid-workout
- Barbell Wrist Curl
- Cable Hammer Curl
- Dumbbell Zottman Curl
- Hammer Curl
- Dumbbell Wrist Curl
- Barbell Wrist Extension
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the reverse barbell curl in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.