Beginner

Cable Wrist Curl

The cable keeps steady load on the underside of the forearm even at the top of the rep, where a free weight would go light. That constant tension is ideal for chasing a deep pump in a muscle that responds best to high reps. Slot it in as a lower-arm finisher when you want a joint-friendly alternative to the barbell.

Equipment
Bench, Cables
Body part
Forearms
Type
Strength
Browse by muscle
Extensors
Browse by movement
Wrist Flexion
Muscles worked
Target
Extensors
Tertiary
Brachioradialis

How to do it

  1. 1

    Set a handle on the lowest pulley of a cable stack.

  2. 2

    Kneel or sit beside the stack and rest your forearm on a bench with the palm facing up.

  3. 3

    Grip the handle so your wrist hangs off the edge of the bench.

  4. 4

    Let the weight roll your knuckles down into a stretch on the underside of the forearm.

  5. 5

    Curl your wrist up against the cable and squeeze hard at the top.

  6. 6

    Lower under control and complete all reps before switching arms.

Tips

  • Anchor your forearm firmly so the shoulder and elbow cannot help move the weight.
  • Chase a slow, full range rather than short heavy reps. The cable rewards control.
  • Keep light tension on the cable at the bottom instead of letting the stack clank down.
  • Match your reps arm for arm to keep both sides balanced.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • Kneeling too far from the stack, so the cable pulls along the forearm rather than straight down through the hand. Move in until the line of pull runs vertically under the wrist.
  • Ignoring the bench as it creeps toward the tower rep after rep. Wedge it against something or reset it between sets, because a bench that moves changes the angle halfway through your set.
  • Letting the swiveling handle rotate so the palm turns inward. The wrist then bends sideways instead of curling straight, which is how a small joint gets sore.
  • Reaching up for the handle with the shoulder shrugged toward the ear. Set the bench height so the upper arm hangs relaxed, or the trap holds tension for the entire set.

Frequently asked

What is a good set and rep scheme for the cable wrist curl?
Set the tempo first and the numbers follow: one second up, a squeeze, two seconds down, for 15 to 20 reps, two or three sets an arm. The tempo matters more than the number on the stack here, because the cable pulls the whole time. Add weight only when you can hold that tempo for 20 reps on the last set, and use the smallest increment the stack offers. It slots in at the end of an arm or pull day, once or twice a week.
What can I use instead of the cable wrist curl if there is no cable machine?
A band anchored under your foot gives the same continuous tension and is the closest match, though it is lightest where the cable is heaviest, at the bottom. A dumbbell on a bench is the simpler swap and lets you load heavier, at the cost of losing tension at the top of each rep. A barbell over the thighs covers both arms at once when the stack is busy.
Why choose the cable wrist curl over the barbell version?
The cable keeps the flexors loaded at the top of the rep, where a bar goes weightless, so it is the better tool for a high-rep pump and it tends to be kinder to a wrist that dislikes a fixed bar. Working one arm at a time also shows you which side is behind. It is a poor pick in a busy gym, since two arms tie up a stack for a long time, and it is not the way to build crushing grip strength, because the handle sits in your palm rather than testing your hold.

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