Finger Curls
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using a barbell.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Finger Curls
- Hold a barbell with both hands and your palms facing up; hands spaced about shoulder width.
- Place your feet flat on the floor, at a distance that is slightly wider than shoulder width apart. This will be your starting position.
- Lower the bar as far as possible by extending the fingers. Allowing the bar to roll down the hands, catch the bar with the final joint in the fingers.
- Now curl bar up as high as possible by closing your hands while exhaling. Hold the contraction at the top.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Finger Curls
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Cable Wrist Curl
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using a cable machine.
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2
Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using dumbbells.
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3
Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using dumbbells.
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4
Seated Dumbbell Palms-Down Wrist Curl
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using dumbbells.
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5
Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using dumbbells.
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6
Seated One-Arm Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using dumbbells.
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7
Seated Two-Arm Palms-Up Low-Pulley Wrist Curl
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using a cable machine.
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8
Standing Olympic Plate Hand Squeeze
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms.
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9
Wrist Roller
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms.
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10
Palms-Down Wrist Curl Over A Bench
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using a barbell.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do finger curls work?
Finger Curls primarily works the forearms.
What equipment do I need for finger curls?
Finger Curls uses barbell.
Finger Curls: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Finger Curls is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of finger curls?
Cable Wrist Curl, Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench, Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my finger curls reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; finger curls can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Finger Curls with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.