Injury prevention · Level 1
Wrist curl
Forearm supported, palm up: flex the wrist lifting the weight.
- Suggested dose
- 2 × 15 rep per side · 30s rest
- Equipment
- Dumbbells · or · Weight plate
- Works
- Forearms
- Pattern
- Forearm and wrist
How to do it
- Forearm supported, palm up, wrist past the edge.
- Flex your wrist lifting the weight.
- Lower under control.
Key points
- Only the wrist moves
- Full range
Common mistakes
- Helping with the elbow
Why it helps your tennis
Strong flexors protect the inside of the elbow (topspin strokes and serve).
Source: Complete Conditioning for Tennis, ch. 8 (wrist flexion and extension curls)
Related exercises
- Hammer curlElbow flexion with a neutral grip (thumbs up).
- Overhead triceps extensionWith a dumbbell overhead, bend and straighten your elbows.
- Eccentric wrist extensionForearm supported, palm down: lower the dumbbell slowly with the wrist.
- Pronation and supinationHold a dumbbell by one end (or your racket) and turn the forearm from palm up to palm down.