Bodybuilders who train seriously know that well-developed forearms are essential for performing a wide range of exercises for the upper body. Strong forearms allow you to lift weights for longer and support more intense training for shoulders and biceps. With this guide, you too can start focusing on this muscle group.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Perform Loaded Carries
Step 1. Grab a dumbbell or ghiria with each hand and lift them up
This exercise is used to develop the resistance of the forearms by increasing the time they are subjected to traction. Start with the weights of your choice. Since the concept of "heavy" depends on your level of training, try dumbbells that are heavier than those you normally use for curls, but not so much that you are exhausted. You can later change the load according to your needs.
- If you really want to get the most out of this exercise, grab two barbell discs in each hand instead of dumbbells or ghirie. In this way you are forced to maintain a "difficult" grip so as not to drop the discs and work the muscles of the forearms.
- If you want to try heavier weights, you can do this exercise with a trap bar. Thanks to this tool you can stand in the center between the weights and lift them with both hands. By doing this you are able to carry a greater load than each hand can individually carry.
Step 2. Stand upright
To stress the right muscle groups with weights, you need to contract your abs, keep your chest wide open and push your shoulders back. If you lean forward, you will divert most of the effort to your arms and back.
Step 3. Start walking
The natural movement and inertia generated by walking will subject the forearms to more work than the simple immobile posture. You can perform this exercise in 60-foot sessions, or you can try your hand at an endurance test to see how far you can walk while carrying weights in a set amount of time (for example 10 minutes).
Method 2 of 3: Individual Wrist Curls
Step 1. Sit on the edge of the training bench
This exercise requires a sitting and steady position. The feet should be firmly on the ground and the knees should be as wide as the shoulders.
Step 2. Lift a dumbbell or dumbbell of the appropriate weight with each hand
Since this is a targeted forearm exercise, you need to start with lower resistance than you use for bicep curls. Start with 2.5kg weights in each hand and increase them as you improve and feel too light.
If you prefer, you can work with one arm at a time, which means you only have to grab one weight. Remember to do the same number of reps and sets for each forearm to ensure a balanced workout
Step 3. Rest the elbow on the thigh and leave the forearm flat on it
This position allows you to isolate the movement to only the forearm muscle group without involving the biceps; it also locks the arm minimizing the risk of injury.
Step 4. Lift the weight by moving only your wrist towards you
A repetition is considered complete when you have raised and then lowered the weight back to the starting position. Remember to breathe correctly, exhaling when you raise your wrist and inhale when you lower it.
To get the most out of the exercise, try to perform a series of curls both up and down. In upward curls, the palm of the hand is, in fact, facing the ceiling with the handlebar resting in the center of the hand. In downward curls, the exact opposite occurs and the dumbbell rests on the fingertips. Each position involves different muscle groups of the forearm
Step 5. Perform 12-15 repetitions
If you have chosen the correct weight based on your physical condition, you should be able to perform 12-15 repetitions, the last one should cost you a lot of effort.
Method 3 of 3: Barbell Wrist Curl
Step 1. Sit down and rest your forearms on the exercise bench, they should remain flat
Your hands and wrists must protrude from the edge of the bench. If you are using a regular exercise bench, you can simply kneel beside it and rest your forearms on it. Remember to put a pad under your knees.
Step 2. Lift the barbell with both hands
To maintain good weight balance, your hands should be as wide apart as your shoulders and you should grab the bar in this position. To start, turn your palms up.
Again, the ideal weight varies from person to person. You have to find the right compromise and be able to do at least 12-15 repetitions before you are exhausted
Step 3. Lower your wrists
The starting position requires that the barbell is "hooked" with the fingers and wrists facing down.
Step 4. Bring the barbell towards you and upwards
Perform a slow, controlled movement so you maximize the effort (and yield) of each rep. You need to fully bend your wrists by bringing the bar as close to you as possible before lowering it back down.
In the most intense moment of the movement, you will feel a strong contraction of the forearms
Step 5. Perform 12-15 repetitions
Just like in individual wrist routines, you should be able to do 12-15 reps before stopping. If you can't, try lower weights.
Step 6. Rotate your forearms and change your grip, palms down
This exercise can also be done with two types of holds: upwards and downwards. In this way, you stimulate different muscle groups of the forearm; simply rotate your hands and place your palms on the ground. Lift the dumbbell and bring it back to the starting position, you need to be able to see the back of your hands.
Advice
- You can stress your forearms even more by widening your grip on the barbell and dumbbells. You can also buy a custom-made tool that attaches to the bar or simply wrap it with a towel. A wider grip forces you to press harder with your hands, which translates into more strain on the forearms.
- When doing exercises for other arm muscles, you can use a hammer grip to engage your forearms as well. Basically you have to grab the dumbbells so that the palms of your hands are facing each other. If you use this grip while doing bicep curls, less weight on your palms forces you to have more control.
- A pair of "old fashioned" springs are great for working out your forearm muscles while doing other things.
- The muscles of the forearms are mostly slow-fiber; they are very strong muscles and recover very quickly, so you can easily do many repetitions without them getting fatigued.
- If you don't see results right away, keep exercising. The changes will be gradual, so you may need to measure the circumference of your forearms to see results.
- Eat a healthy, protein-rich diet.
- Increasing the mass of the forearms takes longer than other muscles, such as the biceps, because slow twitch fibers have less ability to increase their size. However, the results will be more lasting.
- Consider joining a gym, so you can take advantage of the most advanced machines to work specific muscle groups, and be able to count on the help of a personal trainer.
Warnings
- A very intense workout causes muscle pain, and if you overdo it you can damage the tendons and create other health problems.
- Weight training can cause severe tendon and muscle injury. If you are in severe pain, stop exercising and seek medical advice. It is best if you train with another person, because that way you can help and correct yourself.
- Work out every other day to give your muscles and tendons time to recover. Rest at least a full day between one exercise session and another or concentrate, each time, on different muscle groups.
- If you feel pain from exercising too much, you should slow down and only exercise every three days. After a few weeks you can increase the frequency of training sessions on alternate days and finally on a daily basis as well.
