Weight Training Forearms Exercises


Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Place two dumbbells beside a flat bench and then kneel on the opposite side of the bench. Hold dumbbells with your palms down. Place forearms flat on the bench with the back of your wrists on the edge of the bench. Lower dumbbells as far as possible, keeping a tight grip. Curl dumbbells up as high as possible. Do not let your forearms move! Can also be done with a barbell.

Palms-Down Wrist Curl Over A Bench

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Place a barbell beside a flat bench and the kneel on the other side of the bench. Hold the bar palms down with your hands about 16 inches apart. Place your forearms flat on the bench and put the back of your wrists on the edge of the bench. Lower bar as far as possible, then curl bar up as high as possible. Do not move your forearms! Can also be done with two dumbbells.

Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Place a barbell beside a flat bench and the kneel on the other side of the bench. Hold the bar palms up with your hands about 16 inches apart. Place your forearms flat on the bench and put the back of your wrists on the edge of the bench. Lower bar as far as possible, then curl bar up as high as possible. Do not move your forearms! Can also be done with two dumbbells.

Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Place two dumbbells beside a flat bench and then kneel on the opposite side of the bench. Hold dumbbells with your palms up. Place forearms flat on the bench with the back of your wrists on the edge of the bench. Lower dumbbells as far as possible, keeping a tight grip. Curl dumbbells up as high as possible. Do not let your forearms move! Can also be done with a barbell.

Plate Pinch

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Other
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: The simplest way to train your pinch grip is to grab two wide-rimmed plates and put them together with the smooth sides facing outward. Now, put your thumb on one side, fingers on the other, and lift! The mark of a man with an excellent pinch grip is to be able to do this feat of strength with two, 45lb wide-rimmed plates. I assure you, it's much more difficult than it sounds. You can also try this using four, 10lb plates. Just try to hold them as long as possible.

Reverse Barbell Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: Biceps
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Grasp bar with a shoulder width over hand grip. With the elbows to the side, raise the bar until forearms are vertical. Lower until the arms are fully extended. Repeat. When the elbow is fully flexed, the elbow should only travel forward a few inches allowing the forearm to be no more than perpendicular to the floor to allow for a relative release of tension in the muscles between repetitions.

Reverse Barbell Preacher Curls

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: Biceps
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Sit on preacher bench placing back of arms on pad. The seat should be adjusted to allow the arm pit to rest near the top of the pad. Grasp curl bar with shoulder width overhand grip. Raise the bar until forearms are perpendicular to floor with the back of the upper arm remaining on the pad. Lower the barbell until arm is fully extended. Repeat.

Reverse Cable Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: Biceps
Equipment: Cable
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Grasp cable bar that is attached to a low pulley with a shoulder width over hand grip. With the elbows to the side, raise the bar until forearms are vertical. Lower until the arms are fully extended. Repeat. Do not move your elbows during the exercise!

Seated Dumbbell Palms-Down Wrist Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Works the outer arm part of the forearms. Hold dumbbells and sit at the end of a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor and about 20 inches apart. Lean foreward and lay your forearms on your upper thighs, palms down. Place your wrists over your knees. Lower dumbbells as far as possible keeping a tight grip. Curl dumbbells up as high as possible without moving your forearms. Can also be done with palms-up or with a barbell.

Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Works the inner arm side of your forearms. Hold two dumbbells and sit at the end of a flat bench with your feet on the floor about 20 inches apart. Lean foreward and place forearms on upper thighs, palms up. Place the back of your wrists over your knees. Lower dumbbells as far as possible keeping a tight grip. Curl dumbbell up as high as possible. Do not let forearms move at all. Can also be done with a barbell or cable.

Seated One-Arm Dumbbell Palms-Down Wrist Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Works your outer forearm. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and sit on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor, about 20 inches apart. Lean foreward and place your right forearm on your upper right thigh with your palm down. Place back of wrist on your knee. Lower dumbbell as far as possible, keeping a tight grip. Curl dumbbell as high as possible. Do not let your forearm move! Switch arms when done with one set. Can also be done with two arms at a time, one on each knee.

Seated One-Arm Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Works your inner forearms. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and sit on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor, about 20 inches apart. Lean foreward and place your right forearm on your upper right thigh with your palm up. Place back of wrist on your knee. Lower dumbbell as far as possible, keeping a tight grip. Curl dumbbell as high as possible. Do not let your forearm move! Switch arms when done with one set. Can also be done with two arms at a time, one on each knee.

Seated Palm-Up Barbell Wrist Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Hold a barbell with both hands and your palms facing up. Your hands should be about 16 inches apart. Sit at the end of a bench with your feet flat on the floor and about 20 inches apart. Lean foreward and place your forearms on your upper arms and the back of your wrists over your knees. Lower bar as far as possible, keeping a tight grip. Curl bar up as high as possible. Do not let your forearms move! Can also be done with two dumbbells.

Seated Palms-Down Barbell Wrist Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Hold a barbell with both hands and your palms facing down. Your hands should be about 16 inches apart. Sit at the end of a bench with your feet flat on the floor and about 20 inches apart. Lean foreward and place your forearms on your upper arms and the back of your wrists over your knees. Lower bar as far as possible, keeping a tight grip. Curl bar up as high as possible. Do not let your forearms move! Can also be done with two dumbbells.

Seated Two-Arm Palms-Up Low-Pully Wrist Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Cable
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Put a bench in front of low pulley. Move the bench far enough away to support the weight stack. Hold handle with both hands, palms up. Step back and sit on the bench with your feet about 16 inches apart firmly on the floor. Lean foreward and place forearms on upper thighs with the back of your wrists over your knees. Lower handle as far as possible, keeping a tight grip. Curl handle up as high as possible. Do not let your forearms move!

Standing Dumbbell Reverse Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: Biceps
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: After gripping the dumbbells firmly with a pronated (palms down) grip, the lifter stands erect, with each elbow pressed firmly to the side of his or her body. Without moving at the shoulders, and with each elbow locked firmly in place, the lifter flexes the arms at the elbow, raising the dumbbells in upward arc until both arms are completely flexed. The dumbbells are then lowered through the same path, and this movement is repeated for the desired number of repetitions. This exercise may also be performed one arm at a time, or in alternating fashion.

Standing Olympic Plate Hand Squeeze

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Other
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Hold a weight plate by the ridge in each hand. Stand straight up, with the plates at arm's length at sides of thighs with your palms in. Lower plates unti fingers are nearly extended but can still hold weights. Close hands, raising the plates a few inches. Continue raising and lowering the weights until your grip gives out. You can do both hands at the same time, alternate, or do one hand at a time.

Standing Palms-Up Barbell Behind The Back Wrist Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Hold a barbell behind your buttocks at arm's length, with your palms facing backwards and your hands about 20 inches apart. Curl your hands up as high as possible. Keep your arms straight. Lower bar back to starting position.

Wrist Circles

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Slowly moveyour hand drawing a circle with you finger tips.

Wrist Roller

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Forearms
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Other
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Hold a wrist roller device straight in front of you, with your arms completely straight and parallel to the floor. Rotate one wrist at a time in order to roll the rope around the roller. Go until the weight is all the way up to the top. Return the weight to the starting position and start again. Don't move your arms from the starting position.


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