Back to library
Exercise Library
Finger Curls
A barbell grip exercise where the bar rolls down to the fingertips and is curled back into the palm, directly training crushing grip and forearm flexors.
ArmsBarbellGrip flexion
GoLightWeight mediafinger-curls
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Forearm flexors
Secondary
Finger flexorsWrist flexorsThumb muscles
Equipment
Barbell
Pattern
Grip flexion
Setup
- 01Sit on a bench holding a barbell with an underhand grip at shoulder width.
- 02Rest the forearms on the thighs with the wrists just past the knees.
- 03Let the arms and shoulders relax so only the hands work.
- 04Start with a light bar; the range of motion is small and grip fatigues fast.
Execution
- 01Open the hands and let the bar roll down to the last joints of the fingers.
- 02Pause briefly at the bottom without letting the bar drop off the fingertips.
- 03Curl the fingers to roll the bar back into the palms.
- 04Finish by flexing the wrists slightly upward and squeezing hard.
Checkpoints
- -The bar rolls smoothly along the fingers, never dropping.
- -Forearms stay glued to the thighs the whole set.
- -The squeeze at the top is deliberate, not a bounce.
- -Tension stays in the hands, not the shoulders or biceps.
Common mistakes
- -Letting the bar roll too far and losing it off the fingertips.
- -Lifting the forearms off the thighs to help the bar up.
- -Rushing reps and skipping the fingertip stretch.
- -Loading so heavy the range shrinks to a wrist wiggle.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 slow reps at the end of a session.
- -Grip work recovers fast; 2 to 3 sessions per week is reasonable.
- -Progress load slowly; finger tendons adapt slower than muscles.
Related exercises
Almost there
Coming soon to iOS & Android
GoLightWeight is in the final stretch. Free to download, no account required to start.
Coming soonApp Store
Coming soonGoogle Play