Plateaus

[Roark]

This year I plan to return to wrist curls in the heaviest

manner (for me).

I would like some feedback on wrist curl achievements:

What is the most weight you have ever wrist curled

over the knees while seated, or off the bench edge.

No raising of the heels allowed. Let's keep this sensible

enough where rule 5 doesn't send a locksmith

The best I have managed is 240 for a single at a bodyweight of about 210. I cannot do that now, but

did it a few months ago, during the same period I

could get 225 for six reps.

I know this is a warmup weight for many of you, but I'd

like some feedback, you know, in case we get a certification program going

[EricMilfeld]

This should boost your ego. I've managed 160 off the edge of a bench, though other than standard barbell curls, I don't train wrists. Don't stay bloated too long, I suspect some others are going to respond

[Guest CalvinP]

Hi Roark

have you ever try to standing wrist curl with the barbell? Keep your arm @ 90 degree and the bar close to your body, no swinging, and just wrist curl it. Not only it makes your wrist strong but it makes you a good arm wrestler too. There 's no isolation here, whole 2 arms must involve, which for me is more Real Life Functional, meaning taking away the bench's support and see if you still can do it. I bow to those who can do this @ 225 # for 10 reps or more.

[RSW]

Roark,

How about your plate wrist curl? Can you rep a York 25lb. plate?

Robert

[Roark]

Calvin,

Do you mean arms hanging straight down behind the

back- not sure what you mean by 90 degrees?

If that is what you mean, I would be about 100 lbs shy

for ten reps, I suspect- I'll try some tomorrow.

Eric,

Not to worry about my ego. I know my place in the scheme of these matters requires no stairs or elevator

I am hoping to wrist curl 300 for a rep by the end of the year, and even then, that will not place me worth mentioning in the same breath as some others who are here. But it will cause me personal pride.

[mobsterone]

My best, last year, while training for the Iron Grip 2002 was only 154 for reps as I told u at the time. On the day I managed a 308 TTWC. Why not incoperate overload by trying some TTWC and then dropping weight for a full range.

I know that you are good, if not better than me at full range as its what u enjoy doing. Anything over 200 is damn good IMO.

[Roark]

RSW,

I have never tried to do a 25 pound plate

wrist curl- but will try tomorrow.

I have had an injury to my right forearm

which after several weeks is healed, so

now I am eager to begin again.

Steve,

I may add TTWC to my training-but I find them so much

easier, and so short of range, that I will see what's up.

Above all, I do not want a re-injury.

By the way, I saw somewhere a comparison that a TTWC

was like doing a squat wherein the bar is sitting above the kneecaps!

I would trade my wrist curl lead on you for your lead on me with the Inch and the MB. You could easily close my gap, whereas for me to close the gap on you would take a

lifetime, and I don't have that much time left!

[Guest CalvinP]

Roark

Bend you arms until it's 90 degree @ the elbows, pull the barbell close to your chest. Hold up the weight with your biceps when you wrist curl it, it is more full range motion than with your arms straigth down. In other words, your forearms should be parallel to the floor. Once every 5 day is more than enough, I was thinking should I call it: Iso-kinetic exercise? You biceps will pump up but only near the elbow parts, the rest of it (upper part) strangely unworked Don't ask me why

[Roark]

Having a hard time understanding, is this it:

Drag curl a weight up to the chest, lower the elbows

until floor parallel, then wrist curl?

If so, that's outta my league with any weight in the

same zip code as 225 pounds!

This morning, I stayed light, did two sets of 6 with 155

in the wrist curl, then tried a 25 lb plate wrist curl. Nope.

Not even close.

Then I used both hands on a 35 lb plate for a wrist curl,

could do that a couple reps, and of course the closer the hands are to each other at the 'top' of the plate-near

the knees- the harder the curl. Of course if the hands

are placed at 3"00 and 6:00 o'clock, it is useless.

But I'll use these plate wrist curls until I can get a 25

pounder with one hand.

That photo of Nick McKinless plate curling (not wrist,

but standing) is beyond my comprehension!

[RSW]

Roark,

I think a 25lb. plate wrist curl would be a significant accomplishment. John Brookfield himself uses the 25lb. plate for reps in his training. I am more impressed by a big plate wrist curl then a plate curl, anyway.

Robert

[Roark]

RSW,

I agree- the last time I had my eyes opened this wide, I

was at a beach!

My 240 for one rep wrist curl with barbell is 120 per hand,

and I cannot do a 25 lb plate with one hand- which is

about 20% of 120 lbs.

The beach was more fun.

[Guest CalvinP]

Ok let me try to explain again,

The standing wrist curl my style is: picture you doing bicep curl with barbell, half way down (or up) is when your arms @ 90 degree. At this position tuck the bar real close to your chest, and do the wrist curl, having to support the entire weight with your biceps will make it tough during the wrist curl. You foresarms are parallel to the floor or slightly droop down but not much more than an inch (than the elbow) is ok. In 1985 I was sick of people beating me in arm wrestling, so I created this standing wrist curl hoping to revenge. Within one month I went looking for those who used to beat me, and needless to say I got my revenge big time. But this was against amateur any way, I never lose another match since, against amateur. Against the pro is another story! I wasn't born strong, but I made myself decently strong, small wrist not withstanding.

225 lbs in this curl? forget it for me . My best was somewhere near 125 lbs 10 reps or so after 6 sets (I knew, too many sets! 1985) Try it and have fun

[paul valpreda]

Joe,

Just remember this: "That which does not destroy you makes you stronger." This is a wonderful statement that can be directly applied to your wrist training.

[RSW]

Joe,

I am putting plate wrist curls back in my workout, and I am setting 25lb.x3 as a lifting goal for 2003. I tried curling 2-10#plates last night and managed 7 reps. I am going to work up to the 25lb. plate by adding weight to the 2-10#'s. I tried the 25lb. York plate and only managed 1/2 a rep.

Robert

[Jonathan McMillan]

Fellas,

I've been focusing on plate wrist curls for a while now. Just recently (say past two months or so) I started using a C-clamp to add additional weight to my plate curls and plate wrist curls. I really think this has been a tremendous tool as of late I can manage a 25lb plate in the wrist curl fairly easy now and this week I added the clamp to the plate to start adding weight to a 25lb plate now instead of the 2x10 and the 5 the clamp. The clamp weighs a fair amount on its own so this is why I'm only using the clamp as additional resistance this week with the 25lb plate.

I'm quite happy getting to this point in my training and if I can do it the rest of you should be able to do it easily as long as you devote some time on it!!

That's it, I'm going to have to borrow a video camera and send some footage in!

Jon@han

[RSW]

Jon,

Don't worry. You don't need to provide any footage until you get the 35lb. plate.

The next question is how much can you wrist curl using Joe's method ?

Robert

[supersqueeze]

I agree, Jonathan. The plate wrist curl takes a specific amount of tendon development throughout the hand and wrist. Only when the tendons are strong can you exert full, wrist curling, muscle strength.

Mike M.

[Jonathan McMillan]

RSW,

I've never done wrist curls in the traditional manner with a barbell, I've only done them behind my back and the forces are quite different aren't they? Not very impressive that way either, worked up to 185lbs.

I'll have to give the wirst curl a try tomorrow (after my plate wrist curls of course), along with the exercise that Roark posted today with a bar.

Jon@han

[Gripper42004]

I can rep a 25lb.'er in the wrist plate curl & I've done 4 rep's with a 33lb.plate. I hope I dont need a pic or a video 4 proof

"GOD IS THE REAL POWER" Tommy.....

ps... My shoulder is feel'n better everyday,I get my stitches out fri.

[Big Steve]

I PRed today. Did 25# plate with a 10# plate pinching it to it. I think I did 5 reps with right and 3 with left for two sets made my day! Thank you God! 35# plate is not far off.

[Jonathan McMillan]

Uggh! I tried the barbell wrist curl today off of my bench and there doesn't seem to be much carry over from my plate curling to the barbell curl. I could only manage 5 reps with 95lbs. Seems my thumbs don't like the movement much as their forced in one plane whereas the plate curl my wrist move in the most comfortable angles? My terminology is for the birds

Jon@han

[supersqueeze]

I know what you are talking about, Jonathan. I only do wrist curls one wrist at a time because a barbell forces an uncomfortable angle into my wrists and thumbs. I use DBs and plates for all my wrist curling because the angles throughout the entire range of motion feel healthier to my wrists.

Mike M.

[Roark]

Have you tried wrist curls where the

hands are four inches or so farther apart than

are the elbows- more comfortable.

[Tom Black]

I just tried the wrist plate curl for the first time today. I could just barely do one rep with 25-pounds. I was using one of those rubber coated plates at my gym (They might be easier to lift for this lift), but how I got to that point was interesting. At first I couldn't do it, but I was frustratingly close, with the plate just hovering parallel to the floor. I did this a few times and went back to my regular workout. I decided to have another go, but this time I decided to try a negative. I pulled the weight up through the point I was stuck at, relaxed at the top for a second and slowly let the weight back down. I was real surprised how long I could hold the weight just above the sticking point. I took another rest and on my next attempt did the full rep. The assisted lift and strict negative really seemed to help me focus on the lift.

As far as you guys comparing the wrist curl with the plate wrist curl, they are really very different. The fingers are under a huge amount of stress in the plate wrist curl, and that's what makes it hard. The fingers are not a factor at all in the barbell wrist curl.

[Jonathan McMillan]

Roark,

Next time I try the barbell wrist curl I'll try your suggestion about the hand placement...thanks for the tip.

Tom

I think the rubber coated plate would make the movement more comfortable otherwise the resistance should be equal. I couldn't even budge the 25lb plate at all when I first tried it. And of course that was the plate I first tried since Brookfield was using one in the pics on the tip site at ironmind .

BTW I bent my first real nail today as opposed to the cut metal rods I've been bending. Quite a challenge as it was a finishing nail less then 3 inches in length so it was mainly with thumb and fingers.

Jon@han