Ratchet wrist curls

[Roark]

Finally devised a way to perform negative wrist curls. To get the feel, try this:

Using an empty bar while straddling a bench lengthwise,

bring the empty bar into the finish (top) position of the wrist curl with hands extended over knees.

Okay, now maintaining that position- don't move your wrists,

lift your butt off the bench and allow your wrists (still curled

up) to descend toward the bench while your butt is coming up off the bench. THIS IS YOUR BEGINNING POSITION!

So place a pad, or plates, or something on the bench so that

the distance between the bench and the position described above is filled in. This way, when you actually begin the negative wrist curl, here is what you do:

With the bar sitting on this pad/plates, with your butt off the bench, lean forward so that your wrists are in the top, finish position of a wrist curl BEFORE you have even lifted the weight. When your wrists are in that position flex forearms and wrists, rock back onto your butt to the bench- you will now be at the top of a finished wrist curl even though you

have not performed the positive part, but have simply rocked it back into position.

Now simply lower the weight for the negative onto the pad,

raise the butt for a second rep and repeat. I have called this

the ratchet wrist curl because, like a ratchet tool, resistance

is in only one direction- although, rocking back into position

with a weight heavy enough is taxing.

This morning I performed 5 reps in the regular wrist curl with

195, then switched to the ratchet wrist curl for two single

negatives with 225. I had no trouble paying attention!

If you try these, let me know what you think.