Reverse barbell Curls and YOU!

Reverse barbell curls don't get nearly the positive press that the exercise deserves which is a shame, because reverse barbell curls - which works both the forearm and the bicep - are an excellent "finisher" to your biceps workout! Like the wrist, the forearm impacts virtually every exercise you do, so it stands to reason that if you have strong forearms you can curl more weight! This in turn enables you to pack on more muscle and build more strength. So what more do you need to know? Reverse bicep curls demand a spot in your biceps workout!

EZ to do!

- Stand with your back straight and preferable against a wall so as to prevent leaning back. Grip the EZ bar at about shoulder width with your palms facing towards you.

- Keep your elbows tucked into your sides, curl the bar up towards the top of your chest. Pause, slowly lower the barbell back down.

I've written before about the benefits of using the EZ curl bar when working your biceps and triceps. The EZ curl bar isolates the movement you are doing without unnecessarily twisting your biceps and wrists. The same principal applies to reverse barbell curls. The EZ bar puts much less strain on your wrists throughout the movement.

Early on in this article I mentioned that reverse barbell curls are a great "finisher" when you work your arms. This is because the reverse barbell curl hammers your forearms hard! So you don't want to wear out your forearms at the beginning of your workout. Save it until the end of your workout.

Furthermore, when performing reverse barbell curls I recommend concentrating on technique and not heavy weight. The poundage will come in time. For the present just focus on good form and a good burn. And speaking of which, at the end of your next workout give this a try: six sets of "21's" with progressively heavier weight, but not so heavy that you are struggling. A set of 21's in case you forgot is 7 full reps, followed by 7 reps half-way up and 7 reps half-way down. Six sets of 21's is more than enough to get an excellent burn and give your forearms one heck of a workout!

Keep in mind also, that reverse barbell curls can be done on the preacher-curl bench and can be perfromed with dumb bells as well. Just remember, do them at the END of your workout for maximum effect.