In this post I will show you the best forearm workout to build massive forearms, thicker wrists and gorilla-like grip strength.

Forearms need to be trained just like every other muscle.

Sadly, forearms are often overlooked. How many people do you see in your gym training forearms?

In my gym, I’ve counted ZERO people training forearms in the past year (besides me).

I did not see a single wrist curl, farmer carry, or even one rep of reverse grip barbell curl. It’s no wonder why most men have underdeveloped forearms…

Strong forearms and good grip strength ward off health risks like carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis. Both conditions are becoming more and more common, so taking preventative measures is a smart move.

Not only that, but a weak grip limits the amount of weight you can pull, resulting in lost gains.

If your grip gives out before the muscles you’re training fatigue, you have a problem.

Imagine doing bent over barbell rows and your grip gives out before your back muscles fatigue.

Your lat training would be shit.

What About Lifting Straps?

“But I can just use straps to counter this problem, right?”

Wrong.

Straps will only make the problem worse unless you know what you’re doing.

The only time to use straps is if you already maxed out your grip for the day.

For example, I deadlift without straps until my grip gives out completely. Then, and only then, do I use straps to finish my deadlifts.

Get Fat Gripz for Enhanced Forearm Workouts

My suggestion is to forget about straps for now and buy yourself a pair of Fat Gripz.

I use Fat Gripz for every pulling exercise (rows, deadlifts, pull downs, etc.) with great success.

Fat Gripz are great if you want to supercharge your forearm development and improve grip strength quickly.

It’s honestly unreal how well they work, and cannot recommend them enough.

How to Train Forearms

Even if you’re an experienced lifter, there’s a good chance that your forearms are lagging.

Forearms are easy to overlook while training, and years of neglect leave people with tiny forearms, thin wrists and a weak grip.

Many people think that forearms get enough training indirectly. This is rarely the case. Forearms are incredibly durable and can take a ton of volume. AS a result, training them indirectly leaves your forearms way below their potential.

Everyone benefits from direct forearm training.

Forearm Training Benefits

Strong forearms make all your other lifts stronger.

Your grip is the anchor point for all upper body exercises. The more weight you can push and pull under control the better your training results will be.

Big forearms are also one of the main indicators of strength.

As George Foreman so eloquently put it: Forearms pack a Wallop.

Strong Forearms Look Amazing

Forearms that pop look great.

Forearms are one of the most visible muscles, and are therefore the main indicator people use to gauge your overall strength and fitness.

Hollywood knows this and uses it to their advantage. When getting a leading man in shape for a role, they train their ‘show muscles’, including forearms, to convey masculine strength.

The modeling industry knows this secret as well. Male models have giant forearms compared to the rest of their body.

Seriously, look at the male models in clothing ads. They all have huge forearms compared to their upper arms.

Don’t Neglect Forearm Training!

I neglected training forearms for a long time.

Like most people, I figured they got trained when I did my bicep curls and pull ups.

After a while it became obvious that my forearms where lagging behind.

They didn’t add anything to my physique, and in actuality, were undermining my potential to train and look my best.

But once I started training forearms diligently, they filled in quite nicely.

How to Train Forearms for Maximum Growth

Forearms require a lot of stimulation to grow.

Verity is key to training forearms: Heavy weight, light weight, fast reps and slow reps are best for maximizing forearm results.

Frequency is important too. Direct forearm training 2-4 times a week is optimal for most folks.

Or, you can train your forearms everyday, just like Bruce Lee and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Check out their forearms. Pretty impressive.

The Best Exercises for Bigger Forearms

These are the best forearm exercises for growth. Use them as a reference to create your own forearm workout.

Pick two of the following exercises and do 3 sets of each exercise as fast as you can, back-to-back. (superset fashion)

#1. Reverse Curls with Straight Bar or EZ Curl Bar

This lift is great for building the forearm ‘flair’ on the outside of the forearm that leads up the elbow on the thumb side.

Reverse curls create forearm width and add defined separation between your forearm and upper arm.

Reverse curls are a favorite of male models and Hollywood actors I mentioned previously. Perform reverse curls just like regular barbell curls, except grip the bar from the top, with your palms facing down.

Perform 8-12 repetitions per set.

#2. Behind-the-Back Barbell Wrist Curls

These are perfect for building the inside of your forearm.

To perform, stand up and have someone hand you the barbell behind your back.

Keep your arms fully extended, and grip the bar with a width that feels natural.

Let the barbell slowly roll down to your fingertips. Then curl your fingers to bring the bar into your palm.

Squeeze the bar as hard as you can bend your wrist like you are trying to touch your knuckles to your elbows.

Perform 15-30 repetitions per set.

#3. Seated Barbell Wrist Curls and Reverse Wrist Curls

Sit on bench with a leg on each side. Grab a barbell and put your forearms on the bench between your legs in front of you.

Press your elbows and forearms together, palms facing up. Position your arms so your hands so they are over the edge of the bench comfortably. Leave just enough space to bend your wrist back fully.

Let the weight pull your hands down, bending at the wrist until your hands are straight vertical with the floor.

There should be no pain in your wrist. Only a stretching sensation in your forearms.

Let the weight dangle, under control, to your finger tips. Then roll the bar up into your palm by pulling with your fingers. Clinch the weight into your fist, flex your forearms and curl your hands up toward your bicep.

Make sure your entire forearm is flat on the bench and are pressed together throughout the entire lift.

How to Perform Reverse Grip Wrist Curls

Perform reverse grip wrist curls the same way as regular wrist curls mentioned above, except grip the top side of the bar, so your palms face the floor.

You can set your forearms on top of your thighs if it feels better for your to do them this way.

Perform 15-20 repetitions of each exercises. These are extremely effective when done together as a superset.

#4. Farmer Carries

Farmer carries are an amazing forearm exercise, and get completely overlooked.

Heavy farmer carries set my forearms on fire.

Here’s what you do:

Pick up a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand. Squeeze the weight hard in your hands, and start walking.

Keep walking until you can’t hold the weight anymore.

Set the weight on the ground just before your grip gives out. Take a few seconds to catch your breath, then grab the weight and walk some more.

If these don’t light up your forearms like the Forth of July, nothing will.

Be sure to use a challenging weight. The thicker the grip the better. Thick grips put more tension on your forearms.

4 Tips for Building Bigger Forearms

Vary Lifting Tempo

Sometimes it’s good to mix up your lifting tempo. Go fast on some sets and go slow on others.

For reverse curls try going slow – take 4 seconds to lower the weight then take 2 second to raise it back up again.

Eliminate Momentum

Don’t use momentum at any time during the lift. This defeats the purpose by taking tension off the muscle.

Time under tension is critical for muscle growth.

Take as much time as you need to get the full range of motion for each exercise. Once you got the motion down, then you can speed things up and rep it out. But only once it feels right.

FLEX Your Forearms Hard

Before you even start the rep, focus on flexing your forearm as hard as you can and using only that muscle to move the weight.

Squeeze your grip as tight as you possibly can throughout the entire set.

This will help increase intensity of the exercises and help build mind-muscle connection.

Don’t Use Lifting Straps

If you don’t have the grip strength to handle a load then you have no business lifting it in the first place.

Don’t use straps to lift weights. A lot of people use straps for pull ups, rows and deadlifts.

Don’t do use straps if you want to increase your forearm size.

Train Your Forearms Frequently

Your forearms are tough muscles. They are resilient and can take a beating.

Think about it. The muscles in your forearms control your hands, fingers and help your elbow bend.

They are used to a lot of movement and a lot of work. So it’s only natural that forearms require a lot of stimulation to grow.

Keep Things Fresh

Mix up the exercises, weight used, and rep ranges every once in a while.

With some honest effort, you can build some pumped up, powerful forearms.

Footnotes:

Working your forearms strengthens the muscles that are damaged by working on a computer.  Training forearms regularly can help resist negative effects to your wrists caused by desk jobs.

This can help elevate pain caused by typing for long periods of time (as a side note I’d also recommend getting an ergonomic keyboard and mouse to keep your wrists healthy).

Bonus Tip: Get a power gripper for the home, office or both. Keep one at your desk and another in your man cave. You can even jog with one in each hand and get some reps in while doing your cardio. The best gripper on the market: (amzn)

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