Stronger

Seated Reverse Dumbbell Curl

Seated Reverse Dumbbell Curl demonstration

Category

isolation

Difficulty

intermediate

Equipment

dumbbell, bench

Force Type

pull

How to Perform the Seated Reverse Dumbbell Curl

  1. Sit on an upright bench with your back against the pad and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand (pronated) grip, palms facing downward, arms fully extended at your sides.
  3. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides and your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
  4. Curl the dumbbells upward by flexing at the elbows, maintaining the overhand grip position.
  5. Continue curling until your forearms are just past perpendicular to the floor, feeling a strong contraction in the brachioradialis.
  6. Pause briefly at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to full extension under control.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, focusing on a controlled tempo throughout.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Rotating the wrists to a supinated position during the curl

Maintain the overhand (pronated) grip throughout the entire movement to keep the focus on the forearms.

Using too heavy a weight

Reverse curls are significantly harder than regular curls; use approximately 50-60% of your normal curl weight.

Flexing the wrists at the top of the movement

Keep your wrists straight and rigid throughout to prevent wrist strain and maintain forearm tension.

Muscles Worked

Benefits

  • Targets the brachioradialis and forearm extensors that are underworked by regular curls.
  • Builds grip strength and forearm size for a more balanced arm appearance.
  • The seated position ensures strict form for maximum muscle isolation.

Pro Tips

  • Start lighter than you think you need; the pronated grip makes this exercise considerably more challenging.
  • Grip the dumbbells firmly throughout to maximize forearm activation.
  • Pair with regular curls in a superset for complete bicep and forearm 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

Ready to Get Stronger?

Join 2,000,000+ lifters tracking their workouts with Stronger. Available on iOS and Android.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Related Exercises