Reverse curls target the brachioradialis muscle on the top of your forearm, along with the biceps. This exercise builds forearm size and grip strength in ways standard biceps curls cannot.
The key difference lies in grip position. Instead of palms facing up, you flip your hands so palms face down or inward during the curl. This rotation shifts the load away from the biceps and onto the forearm extensors and brachioradialis. The brachioradialis is a large forearm muscle that sits between your wrist and elbow, and activating it directly requires this pronated grip.
Proper form matters beyond just flipping your grip. Keep your elbows locked at your sides throughout the movement. Start with the bar at arm's length, then curl upward in a controlled motion. The forearms do most of the work here, not momentum. Lower the weight slowly to maximize time under tension. Many lifters make the mistake of using heavier weight than they would for standard curls, which compromises form and reduces forearm engagement.
Start with lighter dumbbells or a barbell loaded to 40-50% of your standard biceps curl weight. Perform 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets. Once you master the movement, you can gradually increase load while maintaining strict form.
Reverse curls pair well with other forearm exercises like hammer curls and wrist curls. Hammer curls, performed with a neutral grip where palms face each other, also hit the brachioradialis while maintaining biceps activation. Adding reverse curls 1-2 times weekly builds forearm mass and improves grip strength for compound lifts like deadlifts and rows.
Neglecting direct forearm work leaves potential gains on the table. Your forearms support nearly every