10 Best Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl Alternatives for Home Gyms

The Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl is done seated with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Modified Push Up To Lower Arms.

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

Original Exercise: Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl

Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
Primary muscle
Forearms
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
How to perform Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
  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.
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Ranked Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. 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

    38% 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
  2. Incline Twisting Sit-upPlay demonstration

    2. Incline Twisting Sit-up

    37% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
    2. Lie down on the bench with your feet secured under the foot pads.
    3. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
    4. Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the bench, curling forward.
    5. As you curl up, twist your torso to one side, bringing your elbow towards the opposite knee.
    6. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    7. Repeat the movement, this time twisting your torso to the other side.
    8. Continue alternating sides 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: lying on your back, not seated
  3. Best match
    Modified Push Up To Lower ArmsPlay demonstration

    3. Modified Push Up To Lower Arms

    36% match
    • Forearms
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the forearms with bodyweight alone.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start in a push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line.
    2. Lower your body down towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
    3. Once your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, lower your forearms to the ground, keeping your elbows directly under your shoulders.
    4. Pause for a moment, then push through your palms to lift your forearms back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: forearms, the same as the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: kneeling, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
  4. Crab Twist Toe TouchPlay demonstration

    4. Crab Twist Toe Touch

    34% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by sitting on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
    2. Place your hands behind you, fingers pointing towards your feet, and lift your hips off the ground.
    3. Extend one leg straight out in front of you while simultaneously reaching your opposite hand towards your toes.
    4. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
    5. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, not forearms
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
  5. Side Hip (On Parallel Bars)Play demonstration

    5. Side Hip (On Parallel Bars)

    33% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand between two parallel bars with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    2. Place your hands on the bars and lift your body off the ground, supporting your weight on your arms.
    3. Engage your abs and slowly lift your legs to the side, keeping them straight.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. 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
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
  6. Hanging Straight Twisting Leg Hip RaisePlay demonstration

    6. Hanging Straight Twisting Leg Hip Raise

    33% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your legs straight.
    2. Engage your core and lift your legs up towards your chest, keeping them straight.
    3. Once your legs are parallel to the ground, twist your hips to one side, bringing your legs towards that side.
    4. Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat the movement, but this time twist your hips to the opposite side.
    6. Continue alternating sides 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
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
  7. Decline Sit-upPlay demonstration

    7. Decline Sit-up

    32% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your knees bent.
    2. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the bench, curling forward towards your knees.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. 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: lying on your back, not seated
  8. V-sit On FloorPlay demonstration

    8. V-sit On Floor

    31% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
    2. Lean back slightly and lift your legs off the ground, keeping them straight.
    3. Simultaneously, lift your upper body off the ground and reach your arms towards your legs.
    4. Hold this position for a few seconds, then slowly lower your upper body and legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: anti-rotation hold, not curl
    • Primary muscle: abs, not forearms
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
  9. Bench Dips

    9. Bench Dips

    31% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. For this exercise you will need to place a bench behind your back. With the bench perpendicular to your body, and while looking away from it, hold on to the bench on its edge with the hands fully extended, separated at shoulder width. The legs will be extended forward, bent at the waist and perpendicular to your torso. This will be your starting position.
    2. Slowly lower your body as you inhale by bending at the elbows until you lower yourself far enough to where there is an angle slightly smaller than 90 degrees between the upper arm and the forearm. Tip: Keep the elbows as close as possible throughout the movement. Forearms should always be pointing down.
    3. Using your triceps to bring your torso up again, lift yourself back to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, not forearms
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl
  10. Three Bench DipPlay demonstration

    10. Three Bench Dip

    30% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on a bench with your hands gripping the edge, fingers pointing forward.
    2. Slide your butt off the bench, supporting your weight with your hands.
    3. Bend your elbows and lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
    4. Push yourself back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, not forearms
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl

Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl FAQ

What muscles does Seated Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curl work?

The movement primarily targets the wrist flexors: flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, and palmaris longus, with secondary contribution from finger flexors. Stabilizers like the brachioradialis and forearm pronators assist, especially if you alter grip width or wrist position.

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