Muscles worked
What the ez bar reverse curl trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Load it light. Pick a weight clearly lighter than you use for a normal EZ bar curl. Palms down, the forearm muscles are the limit, and most people can lift noticeably less.
- 02
Grip palms down. Take the bar overhand with your hands about shoulder width apart, usually on the outer angled sections. The angle takes your hands slightly out of a fully palms down position, which eases the strain on your wrists. If the angled grip feels awkward for your hands, hold the straight part at the same width. Wrap your thumbs around the bar.
- 03
Stand tall. Feet about hip width, knees soft, chest up. Let the bar hang against your thighs with your arms straight.
- 04
Set your wrists and elbows. Line your knuckles up with your forearms so your wrists are straight, not bent up or down. Keep your elbows close to your sides.
Step by step
How to do the ez bar reverse curl
- 01
Brace. Squeeze your glutes and tighten your stomach lightly so your body stays still while your arms work.
- 02
Curl. Bend your elbows to lift the bar, leading with your knuckles. Keep your elbows at your sides and your wrists straight the whole way up.
- 03
Finish. Stop when your forearms are close to vertical and the bar is near your shoulders, before your elbows start to drift forward. Pause for a moment.
- 04
Lower slowly. Take about two to three seconds to lower the bar, keeping your wrists straight and your elbows still. You should feel the top of your forearms working.
- 05
Finish at straight arms. Straighten your elbows fully at the bottom with the bar back at your thighs, then start the next rep without swinging.
Cues to say in your head
- Palms down, thumbs around
- Knuckles lead the bar
- Wrists straight
- Elbows pinned at sides
- Slow on the way down
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Wrists bending down as the bar rises
Keep your knuckles in line with your forearms. If your wrists keep folding, the weight is too heavy for your grip.
Going as heavy as a normal curl
Drop the weight. Palms down you are weaker, and too much load turns the rep into a swing or a wrist strain.
Swinging the bar up with your hips
Stand still and brace. If you have to lean back to start the rep, lower the weight.
Elbows drifting forward at the top
Stop the curl when your forearms are near vertical. Elbows moving forward hand the work to your shoulders.
Dropping the bar on the way down
Lower over two to three seconds. The slow lowering is where much of the forearm work happens.
Stay safe
If you cannot finish a rep, lower the bar under control back to your thighs; there is no need for a spotter or safeties. Start light, because palms down tends to put more stress on the wrists and the outside of the elbow than a normal curl. Stop the set if you feel sharp pain in your wrist or elbow, and if pain on the outside of the elbow lasts beyond a day or two or keeps coming back, rest it and see a physiotherapist or doctor.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle | 2 to 4 | 8 to 15 | 60–75% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 15 to 20 | 50–60% 1RM | 45 to 90 sec |
| Technique | 2 to 3 | 10 to 12 | 50–60% 1RM | 1 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Endurance sets
108–129lb
2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps, 45 to 90 sec rest. Light and steady for grip and forearm endurance, often as the last arm exercise of a session.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
EZ Bar Reverse Curl questions
What muscles does the reverse curl work?
Mainly the brachioradialis in the forearm and the brachialis underneath the biceps, with the biceps helping less than in a palms up curl. The muscles on the back of your forearm also work to keep your wrists straight.
How do you do a reverse grip EZ bar curl?
Hold the EZ bar palms down at about shoulder width, keep your elbows at your sides and your wrists straight, and curl the bar up toward your shoulders, then lower it over two to three seconds. The angled bar lets many people hold an overhand grip with less wrist strain than a straight bar.
What is a Zottman curl?
A dumbbell curl where you lift with your palms up, turn your palms down at the top, and lower slowly with your palms down, then turn them back up at the bottom. The way up is a normal curl and the way down is a reverse curl, so one set trains the biceps and the forearms.
Why is the reverse curl so much harder than a normal curl?
With your palms down the biceps are in a weaker position, so the smaller brachioradialis and brachialis do more of the work and your grip and wrists become the limit. Expect to use a noticeably lighter weight.
How many sets and reps of reverse curls should I do?
Two to four sets of 8 to 15 reps works well for most people, once or twice a week. Many people find moderate to higher reps suit the forearms, and clean, slow lowering matters more than the weight.
Do reverse curls make your forearms bigger?
Yes, they are one of the most direct ways to train the brachioradialis, the muscle that gives the top of the forearm its size. Pair them with grip work and progress the weight or reps over time.
Train in Protocol
Log your ez bar reverse curl by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.