Post: #1

There have been articles on ROK espousing obscure and strange grip exercises to train grip and by extension forearms. In powerlifting lore it's also sometimes insinuated that you'll get decent forearms once you deadlift XXX pounds.

From a bodybuilding perspective these pieces of advice do not make much sense. Every other muscle group is always carefully trained at its full ROM and yet some advocate limiting forearm training to static holds; it would be like advocating holding the barbell at a 90 degree angle instead of doing full curls for the biceps.
One can assume that some of this confusion stems from the fact that the wrist joint does not allow for a very large range of motion; extension or flexion but it's still quite noticeable and easily comparable to that experienced in calf training or when doing shrugs for traps.

For complete forearm development wrist curls to both directions should be incorporated as well as reverse or hammer curls; this will take care of all three major forearm muscles. I only recently started getting truly serious about forearms and am already seeing the results.

Post: #2

I'm sure full ROM wrist curls help somewhat, but every time you grip a heavy weight, you're engaging your forearm muscles by default whichever way you slice it.

Open your hand, then clinch your fist. See what happens? Now, curl your wrist back and forth. Same deal.

We have a lifters lounge here by the way.

Post: #3

This is definitely a post for the Lifter's Lounge, especially since you didn't pose a specific question, but I'll bite.

"Forearm training" for size can be accomplished with only wrist curls, hammer curls, etc. Bodybuilders have gotten by for years using this plan. However, to be truly successful, a well-rounded grip training routine should be implemented. Grip training is more complex than you'd think due to the anatomy of the hand. There are more than 30 individual muscles in the hand, so training is different vs. a standard ball and socket joint that only moves in two directions.

Beginner's should start with David Horne's Beginner Routine. These 4 exercises should take no more than 20 minutes yet still manage to hit all of the hand muscles in a highly effective way. 3x a week for 3-4 months, when gains plateau. Weights will go up very rapidly as your hands react to new training. When I got serious about grip training I was only lifting 3x a week, so I did the routine after lifting. This allowed me to minimize gym time and maximize recovery, but you can program it how you like IF you listen to your hands and don't pound them too hard.

Next step is to identify your weak points and determine a grip training goal. I do not suggest diving into grippers 3x a week because it's so easy to overtrain or injure yourself. A more diverse approach should be implemented to hit all the grip muscles.

To expand your grip toolbox, read Ross Enamit's Untapped Strength. The book covers every grip exercise out there in detail, but leaves programming up to the reader. This is where you have to get involved and experiment. As an example, lately I do one grip exercise everyday. Sometimes it's a an isolation exercise (like plate pinches, finger curls, etc.), other times it's built into my training as a "win-win." DOH deadlifts, farmer's walks, reverse curls count. Sledgehammer training doubles as HIIT. Last night, I was short for time and did a bunch of OHP, so I finished with dead hangs for shoulder health and grip strength. Win-win.

Post: #4

I've been lifting for over 10 years and have never targeted forearms for muscular development. Mostly just a by-product of dead lifting and heavy curls.

Literally last night I was talking with the girl I'm banging about forearms and she said "yeah, it's nice to touch and hold but I don't notice your arms just from looking at them. I like your shoulders, chest and biceps much more". Just my 2 cents.

Good luck to your pursuit, hopefully you don't hurt your wrists cause that would be extremely inconvenient in almost every facet of day to day life.

Post: #5

Engaging your forearms with compounds doesn't necessarily mean working them hard enough to induce hypertrophy.

Deadlifts also engage the biceps. So should you stop your curls, weighted chins, etc?

For some, heavy compounds are enough for forearm growth, but for many they're not.

I like:

-Reverse barbell curls (works the brachioradialis - the top of the forearm )
-Behind-the-back barbell wrist curls
-Hammer curls

I don't do the seated wrist curls with forearms on a bench/knees, as they seem to put a ton of torque on the wrist and tendons, and don't feel healthy. All the above feel good though.

(Would also like to see how pure deadlift-driven big forearms would do with direct forearm training. I suspect they would grow even more.)

Post: #6

I recommend the exercises in this article, of which there are one - wrist curls. You basically do one all out set of wrist curls to 50 reps, bump up the weight, rinse and repeat.



http://chaosandpain.blogspot.com/2010/08...f725fea5e0

Post: #7

Full ROM isn't necessary to grow. You can grow from isometric hlds alone. ROM is nice when it is feasible. I do some baoding ball spinning to keep hands mobile when pulling makes them stiff. Saw some video of a guy rotating a big stack of BaoDing balls. I bet it gets heavy if you add enough.

Post: #8

Might be helpful

(02-21-2015 05:31 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  Use a wrist roller to do this exercise (but see notes below):





Note, when done correctly it is one of the most intense and painful things you can do in the gym and it will burn muscle and build up your forearms. Here is the key:

Keep your elbows LOCKED at all times (unlike what the dude does in the video). Bending your arms at the elbow allows other and larger muscles to get involved. Keeping arms straight and elbows rigorously locked isolates the forearms.

Keeping the elbows locked will make this **much harder** -- you will be stunned at just how much -- so go to much lower weights, see how it feels to do sets with just 5 or 10 lbs. After enough reps your forearms will burn like hell, and you should just push through and keep going, always keeping elbows locked and a very complete rotational range of motion in your wrists.

If you're a badass this is a great thing to do at the very end of your lift after you've been gripping weights for an hour or more. Do that consistently and your forearms will get strong.

Post: #9

(11-23-2016 07:49 AM)blck Wrote:  Might be helpful

(02-21-2015 05:31 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  Use a wrist roller to do this exercise (but see notes below):





Note, when done correctly it is one of the most intense and painful things you can do in the gym and it will burn muscle and build up your forearms. Here is the key:

Keep your elbows LOCKED at all times (unlike what the dude does in the video). Bending your arms at the elbow allows other and larger muscles to get involved. Keeping arms straight and elbows rigorously locked isolates the forearms.

Keeping the elbows locked will make this **much harder** -- you will be stunned at just how much -- so go to much lower weights, see how it feels to do sets with just 5 or 10 lbs. After enough reps your forearms will burn like hell, and you should just push through and keep going, always keeping elbows locked and a very complete rotational range of motion in your wrists.

If you're a badass this is a great thing to do at the very end of your lift after you've been gripping weights for an hour or more. Do that consistently and your forearms will get strong.

I second that, wrist rollers are great, you don't need anything else, hold tight to the bar when you're doing heavy back exercises, and 2-3x a week use the wrist roller, you're forearms will thank you.

Doing one set rolling it foward, get it down, one set rolling it backwards. Best forearms pump ever.

Post: #10

The wrist roller is absolutely one of the best things you can do. A really excellent version I did every night for years is to hold it straight out from your shoulders (90 degrees from your body) with your elbows locked. It will build your shoulder, forearm and wrist strength tremendously. I can fire a 12 gauge 1 handed with a straight arm thanks to many years of doing this (not something to try until you know you're sinewy as hell). I learned it from an old boy I used to apprentice for when I was a kid.

Post: #11

(11-23-2016 02:31 AM)Hannibal Wrote:  I recommend the exercises in this article, of which there are one - wrist curls. You basically do one all out set of wrist curls to 50 reps, bump up the weight, rinse and repeat.



http://chaosandpain.blogspot.com/2010/08...f725fea5e0

I totally forgot about this routine. Did it today.

I Hannibal

Make sure you do extensor work after to balance out.

Post: #12

Forearm exercises are undoubtedly the most tedious form of lifting.

This weekend I went bouldering/climbing. Best forearm workout I ever had, fantastic for grip and upper body strength.

Also a brilliant way to meet chicks.

Post: #13

Farmers carries are your friend

Post: #14

I appreciate the replies and did not mean to come across as feigning superiority but I do have to wonder who came up with the idea that static holds are OK for forearms but not for triceps, biceps and everything else? The forearm flexors and extensors and apparently the brachioradialis are just like every other muscle; they can be taken to full ROM and ideally that's what people should do if that's what they do for every other muscle. I'm not saying that gripping things does not work but it seems to overcomplicate and obscure a simple thing and sell you short since the muscle is not being engaged in its natural ROM.

I for one will never be doing max deadlifts again (not that it would be ideal for forearms anyway) for safety reasons and I want aesthetic forearms above all.

Post: #15

If you want good looking forearms ,throw shingles for a roofing company.

That's what I did and now my forearms are the shit .the muscles around my wrist are much bigger now.

Post: #16

(11-23-2016 06:10 PM)redbeard Wrote:  

(11-23-2016 02:31 AM)Hannibal Wrote:  I recommend the exercises in this article, of which there are one - wrist curls. You basically do one all out set of wrist curls to 50 reps, bump up the weight, rinse and repeat.



http://chaosandpain.blogspot.com/2010/08...f725fea5e0

I totally forgot about this routine. Did it today.

I Hannibal

Make sure you do extensor work after to balance out.

The fucking forearm pump is unbelievable. The first time I tried it I could barely drive home, haha.

What do you guys recommend for extensor work? I used to do the Convict Conditioning thing with the fingertip pushups, apparently rubber bands are more effective for this purpose.

Unrelated-

I once watched my dad take a bathroom scale and break it with his hands. His hands are so fucking jacked from years of wrenching shit that he can barely open them. When he was sixteen he used to "train" his grip for wrestling by carrying two buckets of hog slop in each hand for his chores. Each bucket probably weighed anywhere from 50-80 lbs.

One time he had to wrestle this fat kid who probably had forty pounds on him. He just grabbed the kid's duke flap (I still have no idea what this is) until he cried.

@Saturn

Static holds are fine for everything else. It's just that with the grip, you have to deal with your fingers. It's not like you're going to tie dumbbells to each finger and flex them, a bad setup would break your hand.

I find that with grip, strength endurance applies to actual max strength more than with anything else. If you can hang from a bar for five minutes, if you can do swings nonstop with a certain weight, if you can do Kroc rows for thirty reps with a decent sized dumbbell, you're not suffering much in the way of grip.

Post: #17

I'm not sure if these are classified as extensor exercises, but I do these to balance grip development:

-Reverse bicep curls
-Hammer curls
-Wrist Pushups (start on your knees and work for reps)
-Rubber bands of course
-I have a homemade "Twist yo Wrist" - http://www.ironmind-store.com/Twist-Yo-W...info/1369/
-Wrist roller
-Finger curls
-Rice bucket

Post: #18

Towel pullups really helped my grip strength.

I also recently just ordered some 'Fat Gripz' to wrap around the bar to fatten it.

Post: #19

(11-20-2016 08:14 AM)redbeard Wrote:  This is definitely a post for the Lifter's Lounge, especially since you didn't pose a specific question, but I'll bite.

"Forearm training" for size can be accomplished with only wrist curls, hammer curls, etc. Bodybuilders have gotten by for years using this plan. However, to be truly successful, a well-rounded grip training routine should be implemented. Grip training is more complex than you'd think due to the anatomy of the hand. There are more than 30 individual muscles in the hand, so training is different vs. a standard ball and socket joint that only moves in two directions.

Beginner's should start with David Horne's Beginner Routine. These 4 exercises should take no more than 20 minutes yet still manage to hit all of the hand muscles in a highly effective way. 3x a week for 3-4 months, when gains plateau. Weights will go up very rapidly as your hands react to new training. When I got serious about grip training I was only lifting 3x a week, so I did the routine after lifting. This allowed me to minimize gym time and maximize recovery, but you can program it how you like IF you listen to your hands and don't pound them too hard.

Next step is to identify your weak points and determine a grip training goal. I do not suggest diving into grippers 3x a week because it's so easy to overtrain or injure yourself. A more diverse approach should be implemented to hit all the grip muscles.

To expand your grip toolbox, read Ross Enamit's Untapped Strength. The book covers every grip exercise out there in detail, but leaves programming up to the reader. This is where you have to get involved and experiment. As an example, lately I do one grip exercise everyday. Sometimes it's a an isolation exercise (like plate pinches, finger curls, etc.), other times it's built into my training as a "win-win." DOH deadlifts, farmer's walks, reverse curls count. Sledgehammer training doubles as HIIT. Last night, I was short for time and did a bunch of OHP, so I finished with dead hangs for shoulder health and grip strength. Win-win.

I second this.

Also, here's a good routine for wrist mobility/warming up your wrists: