The wrist curl is a weight lifting exercise that tones the forearm and wrist muscles, generally performed with barbells or dumbbell for maximum mobility. You can determine the proper weight for your wrist curls by a series of trial-and-error repetitions.
Wrist Curl Basics
The wrist curl is generally performed while either kneeling and placing your forearms on an exercise bench, or sitting with your forearms rested on your thighs. Adopt a supinated or palm-up grip on your barbell or dumbbells and slowly curl both wrists upward so that your knuckles point toward your body. Keep your forearms steady as you curl to maximize the isolation in your wrist and forearm muscles.
The Ideal Weight
For best results, select a weight that you can comfortably perform curls eight to ten times with before tiring. Select a sample weight for your barbell or dumbbells and count the number of repetitions you complete to make sure you are reaching a maximum exertion around your tenth repetition. For a more precise estimate, calculate a weight that is roughly 50 to 75 percent of your one repetition maximum to perform eight to ten times each set.
One Repetition Maximum
According to the One Rep Max Calculator at the Natural Physiques website, your one repetition maximum can be found by multiplying the results of a trial weight lifting session. Select a weight you feel relatively comfortable with and complete as many wrist curls as possible in one set until you are unable to lift anymore. Multiply the number of repetitions you completed by .033 then add 1. Multiply this number by the amount of weight you lifted to receive your one repetition maximum. For example: If you can perform 15 wrist curls with a total lifting weight of 40 pounds, including bar weight, your one repetition maximum is 60 pounds.
Safety Considerations
Always test your lifting capacity on lower weights to reduce the risk of injury when determining your one repetition maximum. Improper technique is a common cause of muscle strains, sprains and injury associated with weight lifting. Talk to a personal trainer or gym employee to make sure you are completing the exercise with proper form, and talk to your doctor if you experience any discomfort while exercising.
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