Exercises You Should Be Doing For Thicker Forearms
Forearms are one of the most overlooked muscle groups and don’t get the same love as the biceps. Forearms and biceps symmetry can add to the aesthetics of your body and can make your arms look bigger.
Bodybuilding is a game of delusions and thicker forearms and smaller joints can visually add significant size to your biceps. Before we dive into forearms training, let’s touch on the forearm anatomy for a minute.
Your forearms consist of two main muscle groups, the flexors, and extensors. Flexors are also responsible for pronation and extensors for supination. Flexors are present inside your forearms and extensors are on the outside of your forearms.
Reverse Grip Dumbbell Curls
The normal bicep dumbbell curls work the biceps, while the reverse grip dumbbell curls primarily work the forearms and the outer heads of the biceps. Holding the dumbbells with a monkey grip (thumbs over the handles) makes the movement more taxing on the forearms.
Barbell Wrist Curls
Barbell wrist curls are an isolation exercise and work the forearm flexors. If you don’t have an access to a wrist curl machine at your gym, you can place your forearms on a flat bench with your wrist hanging off the bench. Lower the barbell until your knuckles are facing the floor and your palms should be facing you at the top of the movement.
Reverse Barbell Wrist Curls
Reverse barbell wrist curls are the opposite of the normal wrist curls and work the forearm extensors. Hold the barbell with an overhand monkey grip to completely exhaust your forearms.
Arm Blaster Reverse Barbell Bicep Curls
The arm blaster can annihilate your forearms. Maintaining a strict form is the hardest thing while performing the reverse barbell curls. Using an arm blaster can eliminate the use of momentum. You can also use Fatgripz to recruit every muscle fiber in your forearms.
Barbell Roll Outs/Grip Crushers
The grip crushers will fill your forearms with lactic acid. Lock out your elbows and grab a barbell in front of your quads. Allow your hand to open and the barbell to roll to your fingertips. Return to the starting position and complete a wrist curl.
Farmer’s Walk
Farmer’s walk might look easy but will demand all you’ve left in the tank. Grab a pair of dumbbells you can hold on to for a couple of minutes. Go for a 40-50 yard walk with the dumbbells and at the end of the distance, stop and continue to hold the weights for as long as possible.
Towel Pull-Up
The harder it is for you to hold on to something, the more will be your forearm recruitment. Performing towel pull-ups can take your forearm gains to the next level. Set up a towel on the pull-ups bar and perform the pull-ups until you can’t hold onto the towel anymore.
Zottman Curls
Zottman curls are an overall arm builder. Unlike the textbook barbell and dumbbell curls, the Zottman curls train your forearms as well. Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand with the dumbbells facing your sides. Curl the weights so your palms are facing you at the top of the movement. Turn your palms to face down, and then lower the weights slowly, as in a reverse curl.
Behind the Back Cable Grip Crushers into Wrist Curls
Cables are a great way to maintain a constant tension on your muscles throughout the exercise. Grab a straight bar with your back facing towards the pulley. Open your hands and allow the bar to roll to your fingertips. Return to the starting position and complete a wrist curl at the top of the movement.
Plate Pinch
The plate pinch is a simple exercise which requires a couple of weight plates but will take your forearm gains to the next level. Start with two 10 pound weight plates and pinch them together with one hand. Just like the farmer’s walk, go for a 40-50 yard walk while pinching the plates together and at the end of the distance, stop and continue to hold the weights for as long as possible.
How often do you train your forearms? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.