Follow This 4-Week Forearms Workout Plan to Turn Your Tiny Twigs into Logs
Forearms are the under-loved siblings of the biceps and triceps. They are like the calves of the legs. The majority of people think that training biceps will automatically build their forearms. The said overlooking is why most people limit their forearm training to a couple of sets at the end of their arm workouts.
If you feel that your forearms are lagging as compared to your upper arms, it’s time you stop treating them as accessory muscles. A pair of beefed-up forearms can add to the symmetry of your arms and make them look bigger. Plus, when it comes summer time and you are rocking some t-shirts or 3/4 sleeve shirts, you don’t want to be caught with pencils for forearms.
Let’s dive in.
The Best 4-Week Forearm Building Workout
Week 1:
- Reverse Grip Barbell Curls – 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
- Dumbbell Hammer Curls- 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
- Preacher Curls – 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
- Towel Cable Rows – 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
- Behind the Back Barbell Crush – 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
Since the forearms are a small muscle group, you don’t necessarily need to dedicate an entire workout to training them (although you could incorporate them into an active rest day if you so choose). If you have weaker lower arms as compared to your bis and tris, you should begin or even finish your arm training with them, maybe even do them as a burnout. It can’t hurt to throw some forearms into one of your workouts!
We would recommend that you train bis and forearms or tris and forearms on a single day. Targeting the three muscles together on the same day isn’t going to be as effective as focusing on two.
If you don’t already carry a hand towel to the gym, you should get used to bringing not one but two wipers. Using the hand towels recruits all the muscle fibers in your forearms as it makes holding onto the weight harder.
Week 2
- Wrist Curls – 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
- Close Grip Bench Press – 5 Sets 10-8-6-5-4 Reps
- Cable Kickbacks – 5 Sets 10-8-6-5-4 Reps
- Barbell Skullcrushers – 5 Sets 10-8-6-5-4 Reps
- Farmer’s Walk – 5 Sets 1-Minute Walk
The second week’s workout will be a triceps and forearms session. In the first and third week, you can club the tricep workout with your chest session. Train your biceps with your back in the second and fourth weeks.
You’ll be performing a lower number of reps in your tricep exercises as compared to the bicep exercises. Triceps are mostly formed of fast-twitch muscle fibers and respond better to lower reps and heavier weights.
In all the exercises you perform, make sure you’re focusing on your forearms and maintaining a mind-muscle connection. While doing the farmer’s walk, hold onto a heavy pair of dumbbells so that you have to struggle past the 30-second mark.
Week 3
- Towel Kettlebell Curls – 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
- Reverse Grip 21s – 5 Sets
- Zottman Curls – 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
- Behind the Back Cable Curls – 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
- Wrist Rollers – 5 Sets 10 Rolls Up 10 Down
If you don’t have access to kettlebells in your gym, you can use the good-old dumbbells instead. You might have performed the 21’s but the reverse grip 21’s are a whole new game.
Zottman curls are one of the most underutilized arm training exercises. The Zottman curls are arguably the most brutal exercise on the list and you will certainly have to keep your ego in check while performing it.
Week 4
- Cable Pressdowns – 5 Sets 10-8-6-5-4 Reps
- Reverse Wrist Curls – 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
- Single Arm Overhead Tricep Extensions – 5 Sets 10-10-8-8-8 Reps
- Grip Crush – 5 Sets 20-20-15-15-12 Reps
- Dead Hangs – 5 Sets 1-Minute Each
Most people make the mistake of lifting too heavy when it comes to forearm training. Going overboard with the weights while training your lower arms can result in an injury as the wrists are relatively smaller joints and aren’t meant to take the constant tension produced by exercises like the wrist curls.
Supplements for Bigger Forearms
While lifting is certainly an important part of growing your forearms, you cannot forget that recovery is where the real growth is, your work does not end when you leave the gym. A good supplementation routing can help you grow your forearms to Popeye sizes, without ingesting too much spinach.
Creatine
Creatine is a very popular and widely researched supplement that is on the market for athletes of all experience levels. It aides in giving great potential to increase muscle growth, enhance focus, provide for better bulking, and boost recovery.
Protein Powder
Protein plays a vital role in maintaining, growing and repairing body tissue. While you can certainly get a good amount of protein from your diet, protein powder aides in making sure that you hit your macros for the day. While it may not always be a replacement for your meals, whey protein powder can be used as an emergency energy source. Protein is also essential for the production of a number of key hormones which promote growth and maturation from a protein powder.
BCAAs
Branch chain amino acids, or BCAAs, have long sat on shelves as popular supplements for athletes of all experience levels. BCAAs are used to boost their training and improve all aspects of a workout and recovery regimen. They work to enhance muscle growth, reduce muscle soreness and exercise fatigue, and prevent muscle wasting.
Multivitamins
Multivitamins are a beneficial aid for active people and those who need more vitamins in their diets, not just for muscle mass but for health overall. Vitamins are important for daily life and health functions of the body and you will find that some multivitamins can bring benefits like muscle maintenance and immune health to give you extra energy so you get all you need in your day to make you better.
Forearm Training Wrap Up
In the forearm training, your aim should be to go after the pump rather than trying to kill the muscles with heavier weights. There is not really any point in hitting massive weights for your forearms, a nice moderate weight and a good contraction will more than do the job.
You can push the envelope with the intensity in lower arm training with exercises like the grip crushes as there isn’t any wrist curling involved, and remember to always make recovery a priority.
How often do you train your forearms? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
