Is Reverse Barbell Curl Good For Losing Weight?

A reverse barbell curl is a unique exercise that challenges your arm muscles. This article gives more details on the muscles that get worked by this exercise. For instance, it works the muscles such as the biceps, triceps, forearms muscle, and many others. Therefore, this article gives you instructions on how to do this exercise correctly. In addition to that, there are alternative exercises listed below, that you can do in place of the reverse barbell curl workout.

Reverse Barbell Curl Muscles Worked.

Reverse Barbell Curl is a weight training exercise done with palms facing down which helps the upper arm muscles to use a barbell. This exercise helps strengthen the muscles of the forearm and also increases the ability to lift heavier weights. There are various muscles that you engage when doing this exercise. Below is a list of the muscles.

Bicep Brachii.

They are muscles in front of your forearm that help in bending your arm. It functions as an elbow and shoulder flexion. Therefore, making these muscles stronger gives you the ability to do your day-to-day task easily. In addition to that, this exercise can also build muscle mass.

Brachialis.

These muscles are found outside the biceps. It acts as an elbow flexor. The exercise helps in making the muscle bigger and stronger.

Brachioradialis.

This is the main muscle of the forearm which helps in bending, flexing, or rotating the arm. The reverse barbell curl exercise helps build the brachioradilis muscles.

How To Do A Reverse Barbell Curl?

1. Stand with your feet at shoulder level with a barbell in your hands. Your palms should be facing down at shoulder width apart distance.
2. Curl the bar up to your shoulder height. Keep your back and spine in a neutral position when exercising.
3. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement before returning the bar to the starting position.
4. Lower the bar and repeat as much as you can.

Reverse Barbell Curl Benefits.

There are various benefits of performing a reverse barbell curl as it focuses on various muscles mentioned above.

Activation of Muscles.

This exercise helps in the development and activation of the upper and lower arm muscles.

Reduced Elbow Pain.

An imbalanced muscle of the upper and lower forearm can cause elbow pain. Reverse barbell curl repairs these imbalances muscles thereby decreasing elbow pain.

Ability to Lift.

This exercise focuses on the wrist and bicep which helps to lift heavy weights easier. Therefore with strong arm muscles, you can lift objects safely without exposing your arm to injuries.

Grip Strength.

Reverse barbell curl helps in grip strength and reduces the risk of injury to the bicep. This builds your grip’ thereby; enabling you to do other exercises like deadlift, etc.

Stronger And Bigger Bicep.

Reverse barbell curl works on the upper arm bringing structure and bicep thickness. This happens to make the bicep bigger to create good looking arms.

Ever wondered how wrestlers have big muscles? This exercise helps you to develop such big arm muscles.

Hammer Curl.

This is a weight lifting exercise that strengthens the three main muscles in the lower and upper arm. It is also an isolation exercise

In addition to that, the hammer curl helps to build your bicep thereby making it look bigger and stronger. Additionally, it also helps in flexing and activation of carpi radialis, carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum, and pronator teres. The increasing strength of these muscles helps your body to pull weights.

There are benefits of this exercise which include; strengthening the core, providing stability to the forearm and wrist. In addition to that, the exercise improves the hand grip. To do the exercise; follow the steps below;

1. Holding two dumbbells in your hands stand upright with your feet at shoulder width apart.
2. Your arms must by your body sides with the palm facing your body.
3. Then lift one dumbbell towards your chest but don’t reach the chest. Pause the movement when the upper arm is vertical.  Squeeze biceps before returning to the starting position.
4. Lower the dumbbell and alternate the hands to lift the other one.
5. Repeat as much as you can.

Reverse Barbell Curl Alternative.

There are various exercises that you can do in place of the barbell curl workout. Below are some of the exercises that you can try.

Resistance Band Curls.

If you can’t weigh, you can use a resistance band to improve the bicep strength and muscle mass. You just need a resistance band to perform this exercise. Therefore, it can be a good exercise for those suffering from arm injuries. Follow the instructions below to do the exercise correctly;

1. Hold the handles of a resistance band with both hands and step on the band with both feet. Keep your feet at shoulder width apart and rest your arms by your hips.
2. Turn your arms so that the palms are facing upward.
3. Then curl up your hands up to your shoulder height.
4. Reverse the movement slowly to return your hands down to the starting position.
5. Repeat as much as you can.

Box Jump Chin-Up.

This is another exercise that can make your arm muscles look wow. It works the biceps, triceps, brachii, and more. To do the exercise follow the instructions below;

1. Start by placing a box under the bar. The box can be around 30 to 60 cm in height.
2. Then stand on top of the box and grasp the bar with an underhand grip so that your palm is facing you.
3. After that, jump off the box and pull your body up until the chin is above the bar.
4. Repeat.

Reverse Barbell Curl Vs Barbell Curl.

Both exercises target the arms muscles but they target those muscles differ. For instance, the way you handle the bar when doing these exercises is different. Therefore, that makes the muscles worked also different.

When you are doing the barbell curl you grab the bar with an overhand grip. With this grip, as you curl; you work the biceps muscles. However, when you are doing the reverse curl; you grasp the bar with an underhand grip. As such, you target the forearm more than the other muscles.

Zottman Curl.

This is used to strengthen the bicep muscles. This focuses on the bicep as it increases the size when exercising. In addition, this exercise makes your grip stronger and it also strengthens the wrist. To do the Zottman curl; follow the instructions below to do it correctly;

1. Hold a pair of dumbbells so that the palms are facing your body with arms hanging by your sides.
2. Keep your spine neutral and flex the arms muscles to bring the weight up. As you reach the chest, flip your arms so that the palms are facing up. Then upon reaching the shoulder height, flip the arms again so that the psalm is facing down.
3. Lower the weight to the starting position.
4. Repeat and don’t forget to flip the arms along the way when lifting the weight.

Barbell Wrist Curl.

The barbell wrist curls exercise to focus on forearm muscles. Some of the muscles include the floxors carpi, palmaris longus, flexor carpi radial, and many others. More so, you develop and strengthen  the wrist muscles. Another benefit is that the barbell wrist helps in improving the muscle imbalance around the flexor and extensor muscles. To do the exercise; follow the steps below;

1. Sit on a bench and rest a barbell on your thighs.
2. Then grasp the barbell with an underhand grip with hands closer to each other.
3. Bend and rest your forearms on the bench.
4. Use the wrist to curl up the bar and keep the forearms on the bench. The bar will be moving to your fingers then to your palms.
5. Repeat the workout.

Reverse Curls.

Reverse Curls are exercises done with palms facing downwards. It can be done with dumbbells or barbells. The muscles worked on are the bicep Brachii, Branchioradialis, and the Brachialis muscle. This muscle improves performance, makes the bicep bigger, and prevents injury to the forearm. They focus on the bicep and wrist.

The exercise has a lot of benefits such as building big and strong biceps. In addition to that, the exercise strengthens the forearm muscles. Furthermore, reverse curls reduce the risk of bicep injuries. To do the traditional reverse curl exercise, follow the steps below;

1. Holding each dumbbell in your hands, stand with your feet at shoulder width apart.
2. Let your hands hang by your body side and keep the psalm facing downwards.
3. Then bring the weight up using one arm with the arm resting.
4. Then alternate by bringing the lifted arm down to lift the opposite one.
5. Continue alternating your arms as much as you can.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, a reverse barbell curl is a weight exercise that targets your arm muscles. Therefore, when you are doing this exercise, you will be chiseling the biceps, triceps, and forearms muscles, among others. In addition to that, doing the exercise correctly makes you target those muscles effectively.

You should also know that the way you grip weight also have an impact on your muscles building journey. Learn more about the reverse barbell curl exercise in the above paragraphs and the muscles that et worked.

Which reverse curl exercise do you prefer among the highlighted exercises above? Share your thoughts below.