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Reverse Dumbbell Curl

Reverse Dumbbell Curl demonstration

Category

isolation

Difficulty

beginner

Equipment

dumbbell

Force Type

pull

How to Perform the Reverse Dumbbell Curl

  1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand (pronated) grip.
  2. Let the dumbbells hang at arm's length at your sides with your palms facing your body.
  3. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, curl both dumbbells upward simultaneously by flexing at the elbows.
  4. Lift until your forearms are just past 90 degrees, squeezing the brachioradialis and forearm muscles.
  5. Pause briefly at the top of the contraction.
  6. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position slowly and with control.
  7. Keep your wrists locked in a straight, rigid position throughout the entire movement.
  8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Rotating the wrists during the curl

Maintain a strict overhand grip throughout; do not allow the palms to rotate toward you during the lift.

Swinging the dumbbells with body momentum

Stand still and only move at the elbows; lean against a wall if needed to prevent swinging.

Curling the wrists upward at the top

Keep the wrists neutral and straight; curling them shifts the emphasis away from the target muscles.

Muscles Worked

Benefits

  • The unilateral nature of dumbbells helps identify and correct forearm strength imbalances.
  • Builds the brachioradialis for thicker, more impressive forearm development.
  • Improves grip strength which translates to better performance on pulling exercises.

Pro Tips

  • Use lighter weight than standard curls since the overhand grip places the arm in a weaker mechanical position.
  • You can alternate arms for better focus on each side or perform them simultaneously.
  • Pair these with standard dumbbell curls in a superset for complete arm development.

Variations

Recommended Sets & Reps

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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