Behind-the-Back Barbell Wrist Curl: how to do it right
In short: Wrist flexion with the bar held behind the glutes, which loads the forearm flexors in the lengthened position.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Standing, grab the bar behind your glutes, palms facing backward, arms straight down along your body.
- 2Let the wrist go into full extension, until the bar rolls toward your fingertips.
- 3Curl back up by flexing the wrist, without moving the elbows or shoulders.
- 4Go for maximum range at the bottom, that's where tension matters most.
- 5Tempo: 1 s up, 2 to 3 s to brake the descent, no bounce.
The mistake to avoid
Don't go too heavy, you lose wrist range of motion.
Other common mistakes
- Bouncing at the bottom to restart: you lose the stretch tension, control the descent over 2 to 3 s.
- Bending the elbows or swinging the shoulders to cheat: lock arms and shoulders, only the wrist moves.
- Cutting the range out of fear of the stretch: go all the way down but with an appropriate load.
- Loading too heavy and losing the braking: lower the weight to keep the eccentric slow.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Forearms
Wrist and finger flexors: flexor carpi radialis and ulnaris, palmaris longus, superficial and deep finger flexors. They handle wrist flexion. No notable secondary muscle, it's a true isolation.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
Frequently asked questions
How do I do this exercise?
Standing, bar held behind your glutes, palms facing backward, arms straight down along your body. Let the wrist go into full extension until the bar rolls toward your fingertips, then curl back up by flexing the wrist without moving elbows or shoulders. Only the wrist works.
How far down should I go?
Go for full extension at the bottom, until the bar rolls toward your fingertips. It's the opposite of the classic wrist curl: here the tension is maximal when the wrist is lengthened, that bottom phase is what builds the muscle. Don't shorten it, but keep a load you control.
I don't feel anything, is that normal?
You should feel a pull on the forearm at the bottom, as your fingers unroll. Don't chase weight, chase the stretch: let the bar slide to your finger joints then come back, you gain free range. The magic is in the last 2 seconds of the descent.
How fast do I do the movement?
Come up in 1 second, then brake the descent over 2 to 3 seconds to full extension, with no bounce at the bottom. On this exercise it's the braking in the stretch that does all the work, not the speed of the return.
How do I breathe?
Inhale as you let the wrist stretch downward, exhale as you curl the bar up. Keep your trunk braced and shoulders down to stabilize the arms and properly isolate the wrist.