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The forearm is made up of 20 muscles, which help us move our arms, hands, and fingers. These muscles are supported by two bones, the ulna and radius, and are divided into two main groups: flexors and extensors. The flexors are responsible for the flexion of the fingers and wrists, while the extensors help to extend or straighten the fingers and wrists. To target these muscles, exercises such as wrist curls, pull-ups, and farmer's walks can be performed. Additionally, using equipment like hand grippers, dumbbells, and weight bars can help improve strength and size. Progressive overload, a combination of high and low reps, is recommended for muscle growth and strength development.
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What You'll Learn
Forearm exercises with weights, machines or no equipment
Forearm exercises are an excellent way to build grip strength and improve overall upper body strength, function, and mobility. The forearm muscles are used daily for tasks like opening a jar or carrying a suitcase, and they are also used in many sports, such as golf, hockey, racquetball, and basketball.
Forearm Exercises with Weights
Dumbbells can be used in exercises such as wrist curls to target the forearms directly. You can also perform dead hangs by gripping a bar with dumbbells attached to it and holding yourself there for as long as possible with your elbows slightly bent. This will help develop grip strength. To increase the challenge, you can grip the bar more tightly or use a thicker bar.
Farmer's walks are another exercise that can be done with weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells, or weight plates. For this exercise, you walk 10 yards out and then back while keeping your shoulder blades pulled back and down.
Forearm Exercises with Machines
Pulley machines can be used to target the forearms. Hold the weight bar of the machine at shoulder level with your palms facing down. Draw your upper arms toward your torso, push the weight down, pause, and then return to the starting position.
Forearm Exercises without Equipment
You can perform effective forearm workouts without any weights or equipment. One option is to do forearm stretches. ExRx.net describes four forearm stretches that can be done without any equipment:
- Praying: Place your palms together in front of your body with your fingers pointing toward your neck. Lower your hands away from your body until your wrists separate.
- Seated: Sit on the floor with your palms facing down. Lean back with your arms straight and hold the stretch.
- Single Arm: With your palms facing down, hold the underside of your fingers with the opposite hand and straighten your elbow. Repeat with the other arm.
- Kneeling Wrist Flexor Stretch: Kneel on the floor and place your palms on the floor with your fingers pointing toward your knees. Shift your body back while keeping your elbows straightened and hold this position.
Another exercise that can be done without equipment is the plank. Start in a push-up position with your forearms resting on the ground and your elbows and shoulders bent at 90 degrees. Push up off your elbows, supporting your weight on your forearms, and keep your body in a straight line from ears to heels.
Additionally, hand grippers can be used to improve forearm strength and size. However, they should not be used daily to allow for proper muscle recovery.
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Targeting the brachioradialis muscle
The brachioradialis is a prominent muscle on the radial (thumb) side of the forearm. It is responsible for elbow flexion and gripping movements, especially when the forearm is in a neutral or pronated position. This muscle is also important for stabilising the elbow joint and assisting in forearm rotation.
Developing the brachioradialis can improve arm strength, endurance, and resilience, which can enhance performance in sports, lifting, and daily tasks. Training this muscle is the key to building bigger forearms.
To target the brachioradialis, it is important to focus on movements that involve the elbow, specifically flexing the elbow. This includes exercises such as the bicep curl, pullup, and chinup. To maximise the strength of the brachioradialis, exercises that require the palms to face down and/or inward, such as the reverse curl and hammer curl, are recommended. The Zottman curl is also an excellent option as it combines an underhand and overhand grip.
The Single-Arm Reverse Curl is another effective exercise to isolate and target the brachioradialis. This exercise minimises the involvement of the biceps by using a pronated (overhand) grip, allowing the brachioradialis to take on most of the load during elbow flexion.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with an overhand grip (palms facing down).
- Keep your elbow tight to your side, ensuring your upper arm remains stationary.
- Slowly curl the dumbbell upward until your forearm is vertical, keeping your wrist straight.
- At the top of the movement, pause for a second to fully engage the brachioradialis.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position, maintaining a controlled tempo.
- Perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions per arm.
Other exercises that target the forearms include wrist curls, farmer's walks, and fingertip pushups.
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Wrist curls and extensions
Wrist curls are an isolation exercise that targets the muscles in the forearm. They are an effective way to increase muscle thickness and improve the power of the joints being flexed. The forearms are stationary during this exercise, with only the wrists moving.
To perform a wrist curl, you can sit on a bench or a chair with your legs shoulder-width apart and feet flat on the ground. Rest your lower arms on your knees or the chair's armrests, letting your wrists hang over the edge. Curl your wrists upward, then lower the barbell back down. Do this slowly to engage the forearm and prevent the weight from straining your wrist. As you curl your wrist upward, exhale, and inhale when returning to the starting position.
Reverse wrist curls, or wrist extensions, involve the palms facing down toward the floor. This variation targets the wrists more than the forearms. Wrist extensions isolate the extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, and extensor carpi ulnaris muscles in the top of the forearm. These muscles help pull the hand towards the arm and enable you to maintain a closed fist when holding a weight. Training these muscles will enable you to lift heavier weights and delay fatigue in grip-dominant exercises.
It is important to note that wrist curls may not be the most effective exercise for building forearm muscles, as they can be ineffective when used as the sole means of forearm training. Therefore, it is recommended to include other exercises in your routine, such as the hammer curl and EZ-bar reverse curl, which target areas of the forearms that wrist curls may neglect. Additionally, exercises like farmers walks can be a fun and dynamic way to challenge your forearms and improve grip strength.
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Grip exercises
Wrist Rollers
Wrist rollers are ideal for building forearm strength. They come with adjustable straps and a carabiner clip, allowing you to attach weights and perform isometric holds. This exercise can be done with a weight plate, dumbbell, or kettlebell.
Dumbbells
Using dumbbells is another way to improve grip strength. Hold a light dumbbell (1-3 pounds) in each hand with your arms at your sides, elbows bent, and palms facing down. Move your wrists to lift the weights upward until you feel a gentle stretch inside your wrists.
Hand Grippers
Hand grippers or grip strengtheners are tools you can use for a few minutes each day to build grip strength. You can purchase these online or at fitness stores.
Therapy Putty
Therapy putty is another simple way to improve grip strength. Roll the putty into a ball and place it in your palm. Gently squeeze and release the putty, repeating 10 times on each hand every other day. You can also roll the putty into a cylinder and place it between your thumb and index and middle fingers, gently squeezing and releasing.
Forearm Pronation
The brachioradialis muscle, located just above the forearm, is responsible for forearm pronation and grip strength. To target this muscle, perform exercises that incorporate forearm pronation, such as the Prone Wrist Curl. Start by grabbing a cable handle attachment at shoulder height with an overhand grip and your palms facing away from you. Bend your elbow to take the bicep out of the movement, then flex your wrist forward and return to the starting position.
It is important to warm up before grip exercises, such as by doing wrist circles, and to allow for rest and recovery between sessions to prevent injury and give your muscles time to rebuild.
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Stretching the forearm
Stretching your forearms is an important part of maintaining flexibility and preventing injuries caused by overuse, such as tendinitis and tenosynovitis. It is a good idea to warm up with some simple stretches and wrist rotations before engaging in forearm exercises.
One stretch recommended by physical therapists involves raising your arm in front of you with your elbow straight and your palm facing the floor. Use your other hand to gently pull your palm towards the ceiling, keeping your fingers relaxed and mostly bent. Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds and then repeat with the other arm.
Another stretch begins with the same position: arm raised, elbow straight, and palm facing the floor. This time, use your other hand to push gently on the back of your raised hand until your fingers point down towards the floor. Keep your fingers relaxed and mostly straight as you hold this stretch.
You can also stretch your forearm by sitting in a chair with your forearm resting on a table and your hand hanging off the edge. Move your hand in a side-to-side motion, first moving your pinky side away from your body, and then moving your thumb side in towards your body. Keep your palm facing the floor throughout the stretch.
Finally, a simple stretch to do while standing involves holding your right arm straight in front of your body with your palm facing up. Grab your right fingers with your left hand and pull towards your right elbow until you feel a mild stretch. Hold for two seconds, relax, and repeat. Then, do the same with your left hand.
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Frequently asked questions
Some exercises that target the forearm muscles include wrist curls, pull-ups, farmer’s walks, and fingertip pushups. You can also use a hand gripper to improve strength and size in your forearms.
Forearms contain 20 muscles, which is more than the upper arm. They are made up of two main groups of muscles: the flexors and extensors. These muscles help to move your arms, hands, and fingers.
A mixture of both high and low reps tends to be the best for size and strength gains.
If you are experiencing forearm fatigue or a weak grip, you may need to target your forearm muscles.
Forearm flexion and extension exercises include wrist curls, dead hangs, and underhand chin-ups.
