MWC
ForearmsDumbbellBeginner

Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl

Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl — starting positionSeated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl — end position
Primary muscles
Forearms
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level
Beginner
Type
Isolation · Pull

How to do the Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl

  1. 1

    Start out by placing two dumbbells on the floor in front of a flat bench.

  2. 2

    Sit down on the edge of the flat bench with your legs at about shoulder width apart. Make sure to keep your feet on the floor.

  3. 3

    Use your arms to grab both of the dumbbells and bring them up so that your forearms are resting against your thighs with the palms of the hands facing up. Your wrists should be hanging over the edge of your thighs.

  4. 4

    Start out by curling your wrist upwards and exhaling.

  5. 5

    Slowly lower your wrists back down to the starting position while inhaling. Make sure to inhale during this part of the exercise. Tip: Your forearms should be stationary as your wrist is the only movement needed to perform this exercise.

  6. 6

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

  7. 7

    When finished, simply lower the dumbbells to the floor.

How to program the Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl

Sets and reps

As an isolation movement, the Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl is best trained with moderate loads and higher reps: 2–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 60–90 seconds of rest. Chasing heavy weight on isolation work usually degrades form before it builds muscle — prioritize a full range of motion and a controlled negative. Program it after your compound lifts.

Progression

The Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl is beginner-friendly. Start with a load (or rep count) you can complete with clean form on every set, then add a small amount of weight or 1–2 reps each week. When you hit the top of your rep range on all sets, increase the load and drop back to the bottom of the range — simple double progression.

Put the Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl into a plan

Generate a free, personalized workout plan that programs this and hundreds of other exercises around your goals.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl work?

The Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl primarily targets the Forearms.

What equipment do I need for the Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl?

You need Dumbbell. Difficulty level: Beginner.

How many sets and reps of the Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl should I do?

Do 2–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 60–90 seconds rest, focusing on a full range of motion and controlled tempo rather than maximum load.

Workouts and programs featuring forearms training

More forearms exercises