1 Best Dumbbell One Arm Wrist Curl Alternatives for Limited Gear

The Dumbbell One Arm Wrist Curl is done seated with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Dumbbell One Arm Wrist Curl

Dumbbell One Arm Wrist CurlPlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Forearms
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Biceps, Brachialis

How to perform Dumbbell One Arm Wrist Curl
  1. Sit on a bench or chair with your feet flat on the ground.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in one hand with an underhand grip, resting your forearm on your thigh.
  3. Allow your wrist to extend, letting the dumbbell roll down towards your fingers.
  4. Slowly curl your wrist back up, bringing the dumbbell towards your forearm.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other hand.
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Ranked Dumbbell One Arm Wrist Curl Alternatives

One substitute, scored on how closely its movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position match the Dumbbell One Arm Wrist Curl. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Captains Chair Straight Leg RaisePlay demonstration

    1. Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise

    31% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A looser match: it works the abs rather than the forearms.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the captain's chair with your back against the backrest and your forearms resting on the arm pads.
    2. Keep your upper body stable and your back straight.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your legs up in front of you, keeping them straight.
    4. Continue lifting until your legs are parallel to the ground or as high as you can comfortably go.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, not forearms
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not seated

Dumbbell One Arm Wrist Curl FAQ

What muscles does Dumbbell One Arm Wrist Curl work?

The movement primarily targets the wrist flexors, flexor carpi radialis and flexor carpi ulnaris, and recruits finger flexors for grip. The brachioradialis assists during loaded movements, so cue a stable forearm on your thigh and move only at the wrist to isolate those muscles.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell One Arm Wrist Curl?

A towel or fingertip carry challenges the same wrist and finger flexors using bodyweight; grip a rolled towel and walk for distance, keeping the wrist slightly extended and fingers loaded. For higher specificity, perform wrist-flexion isometrics against a fixed object, holding 10–20 seconds while bracing the forearm on a flat surface.

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Similarity scores compare exercise metadata such as movement pattern, muscles, equipment and body position. They are not a safety rating or a check that you own the equipment. Learn about our methodology