The single arm reverse cable curl is a unilateral isolation exercise performed at a low pulley with a palms-down grip, training the brachioradialis, brachialis and wrist extensors. The reverse in the name means pronation: with the palm down, the biceps brachii loses its leverage and the brachioradialis and brachialis take over, while the wrist extensors hold the knuckles level. One arm at a time lets you match range side to side, and the cable stays loaded at the top where a dumbbell goes slack. Lifters place it late in an arm session asforearmwork.
What Muscles Does the Single Arm Reverse Cable Curl Work?
- Primary: Brachioradialis, brachialis
- Secondary: Biceps brachii, extensor carpi radialis (wrist extensors)
- Tertiary: Anterior deltoid, rectus abdominis, obliques (anti-rotation)
How Do You Set Up for the Single Arm Reverse Cable Curl?
Set a pulley at its lowest position and attach a single D-handle. Stand facing the stack about a foot back with your feet shoulder width apart and knees soft. Grasp the handle with your palm facing the floor, thumb over the top, and let the arm hang straight with the elbow pinned to your ribs. Rest the free hand on your hip, brace your trunk, and take the slack out of the cable.
How Do You Perform the Single Arm Reverse Cable Curl?
- Pin your elbow to your ribs and set your wrist straight, knuckles pointing forward, palm down.
- Curl the handle up by bending the elbow alone, keeping the palm facing the floor the whole way.
- Finish with your forearm just past parallel, the handle in front of your shoulder and the knuckles still level.
- Hold for one count at the top, squeezing the outside of the upper arm without turning the wrist.
- Lower the handle slowly under control until the arm is straight, resisting the stack the whole way.
- Pause at the bottom with the cable still taut and the elbow at your side before the next rep.
What Are the Key Form Cues?
- Knuckles to the ceiling: keep the back of your hand flat and level so the wrist extensors hold and the load stays on the forearm.
- Elbow glued to the rib: the upper arm does not drift forward as the handle rises; only the forearm moves.
- Squeeze the handle hard from the first rep so the wrist does not fold under the cable.
- Keep your shoulders square to the stack so the free side does not twist to help.
- Exhale on the way up and let the return take longer than the curl.
What Are the Most Common Mistakes?
- Loading the stack too heavy: the wrist folds and the elbow swings forward to help, so drop the weight until the knuckles stay level through every rep.
- Letting the wrist flex at the top: the hand curls in and the forearm extensors switch off, so keep the back of the hand flat all the way up.
- Turning the palm partly up: the grip drifts toward a hammer or supinated curl and the biceps take over, so keep the palm pointing at the floor.
- Leaning away from the stack: the torso pulls the handle up instead of the arm, so stand tall with your weight even on both feet.
- Dropping the handle on the return: the wrist extensors take a sudden yank at the bottom, so lower on a controlled count.
What Are the Best Single Arm Reverse Cable Curl Variations?
- Two-arm reverse cable curl: a straight bar on the low pulley, both hands palms down, simpler to balance and load.
- Single arm reverse cable curl with rope: one rope end held palm down, letting the wrist sit at a slight angle.
- Reverse cable curl from a high pulley: curling down from overhead while kneeling, moving the stretch to the top.
- Cross-body single arm reverse cable curl: pulling the handle toward the opposite shoulder adds brachialis emphasis.
- Hammer curl: a neutral grip with a dumbbell, the usual step before pronated work.
How Do You Progress the Single Arm Reverse Cable Curl?
- Add one plate to the stack once you finish every set with the knuckles level and the elbow still pinned.
- Work from 12 to 15 reps per arm, adding one rep per session before adding weight.
- Start with 2 sets per arm and build to 4 as your wrist extensors stop being the limit.
- Slow the lowering phase to a three-count or add a two-second hold at the top.
How Should You Program the Single Arm Reverse Cable Curl?
Program the single arm reverse cable curl at the end of an arm or pull session, after supinated curls and hammer curls, since the wrist extensors tire quickly and would limit the heavier work. Train it 1 to 2 times per week for 2 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps per arm with 45 to 60 seconds of rest. Pair it with wrist curls or a farmer's carry to finish the forearms.