All you need for this exercise is either dumbells or a barbell (our example pictures are with a barbell). Or really any object that you can lift. Maybe your cats are the perfect weight to be your dumbbells! Just kidding (kinda, only if you’re gentle can you do that!). We’re all about doing a workout ANYWHERE so we encourage you to get (safely) creative. So, what exercise are we talking about today? Reverse curls.
What are reverse curls? Reverse curls and curls (lifting something toward you by extending your elbow), but flipped! What does that mean? Basically, instead of the soft (under) part of your arm facing you, your arms will be faced downward in their neutral position. To put it most simply: your palms are facing down instead of up. And then you latch those strong hands onto a weight and bend your elbow, bringing it toward your face/chin. You won’t be able to do as much weight this way, because it’s a bit harder on your muscles.
What muscles do reverse curls benefit? Primarily, your biceps, just as normal curls do. However, a reverse curl gives the additional benefit of also working on your forearms.
How do I do a reverse curl?
- Stand, hold weight (dumbbell, barbell, cat, etc.) in your hands, palms facing down, arms hanging down.
- Only bending by the elbow, lift the weight toward you. Do not use your back to assist.
- Lower the weight down as slowly as you lifted it.
- Repeat.
The volume of this exercise that you should do is up to you. Keep in mind the ranges below for reference:
- 1-7 reps, 4-6 sets: increase strength
- 7-11 reps. 4-6 sets: increase muscle size (hypertrophy)
- 12+ reps, 1-3 sets: increase muscle endurance
This is one of my favorite biceps exercises because it targets the forearms (which can get lonely in weight-lifting programs!). This exercise is also great for climbers who need as much forearm endurance as possible. If you’re a climber looking to improve your forearms, I would go with the muscle endurance rep range (12+ reps). I hope you can fit reverse curls in your fitness program soon! All you need is some kind of weight for this one. Have questions? Ask below in the comments! And as always, stay hungry and fit!
