Arms · Cable
Wrist Curl
How to do the wrist curl, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Curl
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand with the weight in your hands and palms facing up. Keeping your elbows close to your sides, bend your elbows to lift the weight toward your shoulders. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.
- 1Your forearm flexors should contract to lift the weight
- 2Keep your wrist aligned and move only at the wrist joint
- 3Feel a smooth squeeze at the top of each rep
Common mistakes
- Avoid using your biceps or shoulders to curl
- Don't drop the weight quickly on the negative
- Avoid bending your elbows or moving your upper arm
Muscles worked
The wrist curl mainly works the forearms.
- ForearmsPrimary
Wrist Curl strength standards
See how your wrist curl ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM12.5 lb
Silvere1RM25 lb
Golde1RM37.5 lb
Platinume1RM62.5 lb
Diamonde1RM97.5 lb
Champione1RM125 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the wrist curl for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More forearms exercises
- How to do the conans wheel
- How to do the farmers walk
- How to do the forearm extensor stretch
- How to do the forearm flexor stretch
- How to do the medicine ball hussafel carry
- How to do the medicine ball keg carry
Last reviewed April 2026.