Exercises

Supported dumbbell forearm rotation

Turn the supported forearm slowly between palm-up and palm-down. This trains forearm rotation rather than bending the wrist.

Seated athlete with a forearm supported on the thigh, straight wrist and a small dumbbell held palm-up.

Light dumbbell · Stable seat

Source: Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS · Forearm supination/pronation

Step by step

  1. Sit on a stable seat and hold a very light dumbbell securely by the middle of its handle.
  2. Keep the elbow bent around 90 degrees beside your torso. Rest the forearm on your thigh with the hand just beyond the knee.
  3. Keep your wrist straight and rotate the forearm slowly toward a palm-up position.
  4. Rotate back toward palm-down within a comfortable range. Keep the elbow and upper arm still.
  5. Complete controlled repetitions, set the weight down and repeat with the other arm.

Common mistakes

  • Bending the wrist or moving the shoulder instead of rotating the forearm.
  • Using a heavy weight, swinging or forcing the end of the range.

Anatomy and technique: the references below. Region boundaries and movement diagrams are schematic. Exercise images are AI-generated illustrations.