You probably spend way too much time obsessing over the peak of your biceps while your forearms look like pool noodles. It’s a common trap. We all want that "mountain peak" look, but if your lower arm doesn't match the upper, the whole aesthetic just falls apart. Honestly, the ez bar reverse curl is the one move that bridges that gap, yet most people in the gym perform it with such terrible form that they might as well be doing interpretive dance.
Stop thinking of this as just another bicep variation.
It isn't.
The magic happens because of how your hand is positioned. When you flip your grip to a pronated (overhand) position, you’re essentially putting the biceps brachii at a mechanical disadvantage. It’s a physiological snub. This forces the brachialis—the muscle that sits underneath the bicep—and the brachioradialis to pick up the slack. If you want that thick, "pop-eye" look on the top of your forearm, you need this lift.
The Anatomy of a Thicker Arm
To understand why the ez bar reverse curl works, we have to look at the "hidden" muscles. The brachialis is like the secret powerhouse of the arm. It doesn’t cross the shoulder joint, which means its only job is to flex the elbow. When it grows, it literally pushes your bicep upward, making your arms look wider from the front.
Then there’s the brachioradialis. This muscle starts way up on your humerus and inserts down near your wrist. It’s the muscle that defines the "outer" forearm. Research, including studies often cited by kinesiologists like Dr. Bret Contreras, suggests that the brachioradialis becomes the primary elbow flexor when the forearm is pronated. By using an EZ bar rather than a straight bar, you’re saving your wrists from the awkward, impinging angles that lead to tendonitis.
It’s just more natural. Your wrists aren't designed to be locked into a perfectly flat, overhand plane under heavy load. The slight "V" shape of the EZ bar allows for a semi-pronated grip, which keeps the stress on the muscles and off the connective tissue.
The Mistakes Killing Your Gains
Most guys treat the ez bar reverse curl like a heavy cheat curl. They swing their hips, kick their elbows back, and use momentum to hurl the bar toward their chin.
Stop doing that.
If you have to swing, the weight is too heavy. You’re trying to build the forearms, not your lower back. Another massive error is the "wrist flop." When the bar gets heavy, your wrists will want to curl toward your body or, worse, drop toward the floor. You have to keep a "proud" wrist. Keep them locked and slightly extended throughout the entire range of motion. This maintains constant tension on the extensors.
- The Ego Lift: Dropping 45lb plates on each side and moving the bar three inches. This does nothing.
- Elbow Flare: Letting your elbows drift out to the sides. This shifts the load to your shoulders. Tuck them. Keep them glued to your ribcage.
- The Half-Rep: People love to skip the bottom half of the movement. You need that full stretch at the bottom to trigger hypertrophy.
Mastering the Setup
Grab the EZ bar on the outer knurling where it angles downward. This is your "sweet spot." Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a deep breath, brace your core, and squeeze the bar as hard as you can. Seriously—grip it like you’re trying to crush the steel. This "irradiation" effect actually helps recruit more motor units in the surrounding muscles.
As you curl up, focus on pulling with your forearms rather than your hands. Drive the bar toward your shoulders but stop just before your elbows want to leave your sides. At the top, give it a hard squeeze. Feel that burning sensation? That's the brachialis screaming.
The eccentric—the way down—is where the growth happens. Don't just let the bar drop. Fight it. Take a full three seconds to lower the weight. Most people ignore the negative, but for forearm development, the negative is arguably more important than the lift itself.
Why Science Favors the EZ Bar Over the Straight Bar
There’s a reason you don’t see many pros using a straight bar for reverse curls anymore. It’s called the "Ulnar Abduction" issue. When you force your hands into a flat overhand grip on a straight bar, it puts a massive amount of torque on the small bones of the wrist.
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According to various physical therapy insights, the EZ bar’s cambered design aligns better with the natural carrying angle of the human arm. You’re working with your anatomy rather than fighting it. This allows you to actually use more weight over time because you aren't limited by wrist pain. Consistency is the only thing that builds muscle, and you can’t be consistent if your wrists are on fire.
Programming for Real Growth
Forearms are stubborn. They’re like calves; they’re used to being worked all day just by holding things, typing, and carrying groceries. You can't just do three sets of ten and expect them to balloon.
You have to shock them.
Try a "drop set" approach with the ez bar reverse curl. Start with a weight you can barely handle for 8 clean reps. Immediately drop the weight by 20% and go for 12 reps. Then drop it again and go to failure. The pump will be painful, but that's the metabolic stress required for forearm hypertrophy.
Some lifters prefer to do these at the end of their back or bicep workout. That's fine, but your grip might already be fried. If you’re serious about forearm thickness, try doing them first once a week when you’re fresh.
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- Volume: 3–4 sets.
- Rep Range: 8–15 (mix it up).
- Frequency: 2 times per week.
The Mental Connection
It sounds "bro-sciencey," but the mind-muscle connection is real here. Because the biceps are so dominant, they will try to take over the movement even in a reverse grip. You have to mentally "shut off" the biceps. Imagine your hands are just hooks and your forearms are the only things moving the weight.
You’ll know you’re doing it right when the top of your forearm feels like it’s about to burst through the skin. If you only feel it in the crook of your elbow, you’re likely using too much bicep and not enough brachioradialis.
Actionable Roadmap for Massive Forearms
If you want to actually see results starting today, don't just add this to your "notes" app and forget about it.
Start by checking your current EZ bar. Most standard EZ bars weigh about 15 to 25 pounds. Don't be afraid to start with just the bar to nail the form.
Today's Workout Tweak:
On your next arm day, replace your standard hammer curls with the ez bar reverse curl. Perform 4 sets of 12 reps. Focus exclusively on a 3-second negative. On the final set, hold the bar at the midpoint (90-degree angle) for as long as you can. This isometric hold will force those deep muscle fibers to adapt.
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The Long Game:
Track your "Proud Wrist" progress. As soon as your wrists start to sag or bend, the set is over. No exceptions. Integrity of movement beats weight on the bar every single time in this specific exercise. Over the next six weeks, aim to increase the total weight by just five pounds while maintaining that rock-solid wrist position. Your sleeves will thank you.