Wrist curl

[Roark]

This morning after warmups 155 x 6, 175 x 6,

then 190 x 2. I should have done only a couple

with 175 just to get the feel, and then jumped to 190

and I may have done more; but maybe not. Anyway,

7 weeks to go for 200 x 6.

Did some wrist curls with 90 lb dumbell, got six reps

with right hand, but had to assist my left hand. Do

these kneeling beside a bench with my wrist on the

edge of the bench. My left wrist is the brake. If it

were as strong as my right wrist, I would be at my goal

already!

[Guest james]

Do you also perform the reverse wrist curl or its variants? Or do you only do the wrist curls?

James

[Roark]

The reverse wrist curls I include are:

1. forearms over bench, kneeling with hands dangling,

  and I use a wrist roller with the weight rolled up before

  starting so it will clear the floor. I don't roll it and unroll

  it- just reverse wrist curls in this position. Try to get a

  length that allows your hands to be shoulder width apart.

  Go to failure, then allow the weight to unroll and rest on

  the floor. Obviously the rope will have to be forward over

  the roller, otherwise there isn't much resistance. Slow

  and deliberate reps with 20 to 30 lbs is all I can do in

  good style.

2. Using an EZ Curl bar, I sit with my back against a wall, or

  against an empty bar on the lowest bench upright position.

  Place feet on bench, then using straight arms, do reverse

  wrist curls by grabbing the EZ bar (you'll have to experi-

  ment) where one of the curves is, so that when your hands

  are on  top of the exercise movement, the bar has more

  leverage against you- that it, it is farther in front of your

  hands because of the way you grabbed it.

 In connection with this, I do reverse curls on a Nautilus

 curling machine without grasping the handle. I use a

 wrist strap around one wrist at a time, leading the strap    

 around the machine handle, so that only the strap is

 contacting the handle- my hand is 'above' the handle

 and therefore only my forearm, not my hand, is pulling

 during the reverse curl. Great isolation movement. You

 will have to lower the seat to get into position, but this

 allows your forearm freedom to twist during the movement.

Another exercise, a dangerous one, unless done in a power

rack is this. Lying flat on a bench inside the rack, with the

support bars set about four inches lower than your extended

arm length, grab the bar with straight arms and palms facing

toward your head (not toward your feet). Keep your arms locked, and simply pivot at the wrist allowing the bar- if

you released it and the supports weren't there, to fall on your

face. Obviously, you don't release it, but do wrist curls this way. Start light, do full range. It's different! You can also do

this standing in front of a lat machine with an undergrip,

pull the bar down until your arms are locked straight in front

of  your thighs, then allow the handle to curl upward while

pivoting at the wrist. This is less dangerous to your face.

Let me know what you think if you try these. I would just do

a couple of sets of one of these during a workout as a

finisher, perhaps following regular reverse curls.

[Guest james]

Thanks for the info roark. I just read your article about the inch dumbbell in Hardgainer. What is the diameter of the inch handle?

James

[Roark]

The Inch 172 lb dumbell has a handle circumference

of 7.5"; the replica I measured is 7.75", so the Inch

original has a diameter of 2.38"; and the replica 2.47",

which was the measurement erroneously offered for

the original years ago.

This morning's wrist curl workout went well:

After warm-ups, got 165 for 6 reps, then jumped

to 190 and got six reps. So unless I run into Boulder

Dam head-on, it is realistic to expect 220 for six within

the next month, which was original goal. Then I'll

shoot for 225 x 6. At that point I'll be smiling so

broadly I can eat a banana sideways!

I have no plans for a limit single as, particularly in

the wrist curl, at my age, too much chance of injury.