4 More Exercises For Menacing Forearms

Bulk up those forearms for a complete physique

The forearms are muscles that many bodybuilders wish to improve, but for whatever reason have a hard time getting it done (kind of like your calves). The forearms are one of those muscle groups that aesthetically are truly impressive, yet aren’t included in the normal training split like push pull legs or upper lower or even the bro split. There are a number of exercises to work the muscle group of course, but they’re few and far between, especially when you compare them to other more major muscle groups in the arm like the biceps and triceps.

By training your arms there’s a good chance that your forearms will be getting a great pump as well. The time the muscles in your arms spend under tension will likely translate gains in the forearms as well. But what if it’s leg day and you want to target your forearms specifically? Does that mean you have to wait to train your arms again? Not at all. We’ve given you some must-have exercises before – but take a look at these additional exercises that will get your forearms into massive shape and add some diversity to your routine.

The Top 4 Exercises for Forearms

Now, let’s take a look at the top 4 exercises to do when it comes to hitting your forearms and really completing your physique.

Plate Curls

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Forget curling with a dumbbell or a barbell, and choose the plate curl instead. It’s the same motion as a regular dumbbell curl but requires you to grab onto the end of a plate by your fingertips which will engage your forearm muscles. This exercise is great because it functions on multiple different levels, not to mention it is simple and effective. For one thing it can work your biceps and it also is great at building grip strength.

Farmers Carry

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This is a staple for athletes who focus on strength training, like powerlifters or strongmen, those that really need a strong grip and solid forearms. The Farmer’s Carry, also referred to as the Farmer’s Walk is one of the best exercises for your forearms. Not only do you get the benefits of building considerable functional strength but building up your entire arm, forearm included, as well as core stabilization.

Finger Curls

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We all know about the classic bicep curl, but have you heard of the finger curl? While the target muscles are slightly different, these are in essence the same kind of exercise. But instead of contracting your bicep to lift the weight you’ll contract the wrist and utilize the forearm muscles to lift a bar gripping the iron with your middle and forefinger.

Straight Bar Wrist Rotations

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The straight bar wrist rotations are easy to do and effective for building the forearms. Start by holding a straight bar with palms facing down, hands about shoulder width apart. Then twist the bar with alternating hands as if you were rolling up a news paper. This one is a real forearm burner and will get the muscles looking impressively pumped in no time.

Forearm Exercises Wrap Up

Overall, the forearms are a muscle group that is often left out of training splits, yet they are so crucial for a complete physique. That being said, try out these four exercises to really blow them up.

What muscle groups do you have a hard time building? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.