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Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench

A beginner strength exercise for the forearms, done with a dumbbell.

Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench: starting positionPalms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench: finishing position
Main muscles
Forearms
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level
Beginner
Type
Isolation
Movement
Pull

How to do the Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench

  1. Start out by placing two dumbbells on one side of a flat bench.
  2. Kneel down on both of your knees so that your body is facing the flat bench.
  3. Use your arms to grab both of the dumbbells with a pronated grip (palms facing down) and bring them up so that your forearms are resting against the flat bench. Your wrists should be hanging over the edge.
  4. Start out by curling your wrist upwards and exhaling.
  5. Slowly lower your wrists back down to the starting position while inhaling.
  6. Your forearms should be stationary as your wrist is the only movement needed to perform this exercise.
  7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Sets and reps

Muscle3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds
Pump or finisher2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45–60 seconds

Log every set in MyoStats and it works out your estimated one-rep max and suggests the next weight or rep target, so you keep progressing without guessing.

Alternatives to the Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench

Questions

What muscles does the Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench work?

Mainly the forearms.

Is the Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench good for beginners?

Yes. It's rated a beginner exercise: start light and learn the movement before adding weight.

What can I do instead of the Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench?

Good alternatives that train the forearms: Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench, Seated Dumbbell Palms-Down Wrist Curl, Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl or Seated One-Arm Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl.

How many sets and reps of the Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench should I do?

Muscle: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds. Pump or finisher: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45–60 seconds.

Exercise steps and photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).