10 Best Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl Alternatives for Limited Equipment

The Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl is done seated with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl, the Dumbbell Over Bench Neutral Wrist Curl and the Seated Palms-down Barbell Wrist Curl. Two harder versions, the Dumbbell Over Bench One Arm Wrist Curl and the Dumbbell Over Bench One Arm Neutral Wrist Curl, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist CurlWatch the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl

The steps for the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Forearms, with biceps, brachialis · Dumbbell · Beginner · Isolation

  1. Sit on a bench with your forearms resting on the bench and your palms facing up, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Allow your wrists to hang over the edge of the bench.
  3. Slowly curl your wrists upward, squeezing your forearms at the top of the movement.
  4. Pause for a moment, then slowly lower your wrists back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl

    1. Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl

    99% match

    Forearms · Beginner · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the forearms.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Hold a barbell with both hands and your palms facing up; hands spaced about shoulder width.
    2. Place your feet flat on the floor, at a distance that is slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
    3. Lean forward and place your forearms on top of your upper thighs with your palms up. Tip: Make sure that the front of the wrists lay on top of your knees. This will be your starting position.
    4. Lower the bar as far as possible while inhaling and keeping a tight grip.
    5. Now curl bar up as high as possible while flexing the forearms and exhaling. Hold the contraction at the top for a second and Tip: Only the wrist should move.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: curl, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Primary muscle: forearms, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
  2. Dumbbell Over Bench Neutral Wrist CurlPlay demonstration

    2. Dumbbell Over Bench Neutral Wrist Curl

    96% match

    Forearms · Beginner · Isolation

    It uses the same equipment and still works the forearms.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing up.
    2. Rest your forearms on the bench, allowing your wrists to hang off the edge.
    3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: curl, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Primary muscle: forearms, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
  5. Dumbbell Over Bench One Arm Wrist CurlPlay demonstration

    Progression

    5. Dumbbell Over Bench One Arm Wrist Curl

    93% match

    Forearms · Beginner · Isolation

    Pick this when you want a harder single-arm version that still works the forearms.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and hold a dumbbell in one hand, palm facing down.
    2. Rest your forearm on the bench with your wrist hanging off the edge.
    3. Slowly curl your wrist upwards, bringing the dumbbell towards your forearm.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: curl, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Primary muscle: forearms, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
  6. Seated One-arm Dumbbell Palms-up Wrist Curl

    6. Seated One-arm Dumbbell Palms-up Wrist Curl

    93% match

    Forearms · Beginner · Isolation

    Pick this when you want to work the forearms one side at a time.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell in your right hand.
    2. Place your feet flat on the floor, at a distance that is slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
    3. Lean forward and place your right forearm on top of your upper right thigh with your palm up. Tip: Make sure that the front of the wrist lies on top of your knees. This will be your starting position.
    4. Lower the dumbbell as far as possible as you keep a tight grip on the dumbbell. Inhale as you perform this movement.
    5. Now curl the dumbbell as high as possible as you contract the forearms and as you exhale. Keep the contraction for a second before you lower again. Tip: The only movement should happen at the wrist.
    6. Perform for the recommended amount of repetitions, switch arms and repeat the movement.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: curl, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Primary muscle: forearms, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
  7. Seated Two-arm Palms-up Low-pulley Wrist Curl

    7. Seated Two-arm Palms-up Low-pulley Wrist Curl

    90% match

    Forearms · Beginner · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a cable machine to work with, and it still works the forearms.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    1. Put a bench in front of a low pulley machine that has a barbell or EZ Curl attachment on it.
    2. Move the bench far enough away so that when you bring the handle to the top of your thighs tension is created on the cable due to the weight stack being moved up.
    3. Now hold the handle with both hands, palms up, using a shoulder-width grip.
    4. Step back and sit on the bench with your feet about shoulder width apart, firmly on the floor.
    5. Lean forward and place the forearms on your thighs with the back of your wrists over your knees. This will be your starting position.
    6. Lower the bar as far as possible, while inhaling and keeping a tight grip.
    7. Now curl the bar up as high as possible while contracting the forearms. Tip: Only the wrist should move; not the forearms.
    8. After a second contraction at the top go back to the starting position as you inhale.
    9. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: curl, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Primary muscle: forearms, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl
    • Equipment: a cable, not free weights
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl

Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl FAQ

What muscles does Dumbbell Over Bench Wrist Curl work?

It primarily trains the wrist flexors, flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, and palmaris longus, and recruits the finger flexors for grip. Cue: rest your forearm on the bench, let the wrist fully extend, then curl through wrist flexion while keeping the elbow locked to isolate forearm flexor activation.

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Search the exercise database and filter the ranked substitutes by the equipment you own.