Question:
Regarding Deadlifting and forearms, I use an alternating grip, should I occasionally switch which arm is palm up and palm down?
I havent noticed any imbalance in my forearms but will it eventually cause one?
Thanks
[quote]Shoebolt wrote:
Lorne wrote:
Hello. I’d really appreciate any feedback on how to increase the size/thickness of my forearms.
Thanks a lot.
If you want to go an alternate route, I got impressive forearms from the following:
- My grip is always slow to catch up on deadlifts, so I do dumbell deadlifts for a while, and when I get back to the barbell, my grip’s stronger, and I find that size increases as well.
-Hand balancing (handstands, planches and one arm bar hangs). Handstands made my forearms insane.
-One arm barbell lifts. Period. [/quote]
also maybe try stayin away from wrist wraps if you have them. do deads and shrugs without wraps. also maybe throw in a day where you seperatly hit the forearms if you feel they are really lagging. also, read the past articles on high frequency training.
e
[quote]B rocK wrote:
why has no one suggested masterbating?
my right forearm is rediculous. [/quote]
So true
You should do farmer walks a couple of times a week. As long as you consistently challenge yourself with them and improve either the amount of weight or the distance or time you carry you should see some gains.
If you have somewhere to swing it sledgehammer work is the best thing I’ve ever done for my forearms. I use a 20 lb hammer and hit a tree stump. I either have a goal of a number of strikes I’ll do for the day using as many sets as I need or I do about 10 sets of 15 swings from each side with very short rest periods. If you’re serious about it you’ll see a huge improvement very quickly. The first couple of times the little muscles in your hands will be sore but you’ll adapt and I guarantee your forearms will blow up. just make sure to swing from both sides equally and strike as hard as you can.
[quote]jbodzin wrote:
Question:
Regarding Deadlifting and forearms, I use an alternating grip, should I occasionally switch which arm is palm up and palm down?
I havent noticed any imbalance in my forearms but will it eventually cause one?
Thanks[/quote]
i wouldn’t think so. as long as you are holding the same amount in each hand you’ll work the forearms.
basically what everyone is say is, that if you lift heavy, your forearms will grow with the work you do. there isn’t a massive flock of thought that wrist muscle exersices are needed.
if you need to do something give this a shot. get a 24" rod and some string. attatch said rod to said string, attach 5-10lbs at the end of said string.
now start with the weight/string unraveled. hold rod out in front of your chest with elbows LOCKED. roll up the string onto the rod
i used this for hockey when i used to play and it BURNS and really works well.
[quote]B rocK wrote:
jbodzin wrote:
Question:
Regarding Deadlifting and forearms, I use an alternating grip, should I occasionally switch which arm is palm up and palm down?
I havent noticed any imbalance in my forearms but will it eventually cause one?
Thanks
i wouldn’t think so. as long as you are holding the same amount in each hand you’ll work the forearms.
basically what everyone is say is, that if you lift heavy, your forearms will grow with the work you do. there isn’t a massive flock of thought that wrist muscle exersices are needed.
if you need to do something give this a shot. get a 24" rod and some string. attatch said rod to said string, attach 5-10lbs at the end of said string.
now start with the weight/string unraveled. hold rod out in front of your chest with elbows LOCKED. roll up the string onto the rod
i used this for hockey when i used to play and it BURNS and really works well.
[/quote]
Thanks.
Also I made one of those wrist rollers and donated it to my gym.
I saw a guy trying to do curls with it, in the squat rack no less, lol!
[quote]Lorne wrote:
I have read that DL’s without straps are a good way to build forearms. Unfortunately, I have a permanent injury in my left wrist (torn ligaments), which makes it impossible to DL heavy weights without straps (my wrist can’t handle the weight).
Any suggestions, perhaps, how I can get around this. Again, thanks for the feedback.[/quote]
I agree with all that heavy DLs are great for grip strength. However, I don’t believe them necessary for size and thickness, which is what you asked about in the first place.
I had a giant cell tumor removed from the end my right radius in 2001 and a reoccurrence slightly further down the bone in 2005. Both surgeries involved minor reconstruction of my wrist.
My grip has never gotten up to its pre-tumor strength, but my forearms are larger than ever. I typically use a very progressive application of wrist curls and reverse wrist curls often supersetted with reverse and hammer curls (or each other).
Slow and strict is the order of the day, esp. with your ligaments. My favorites include reverse wrist curls supersetted with reverse curls. Toss some wrist curls in after that superset for a great forearm workout in minutes. Squeeze your grip harder as you raise the weight, maxing out at the top, and relax it as you lower. DON’T keep a vice grip on the bar throughout.
Do your forearms AFTER your most grip-intensive back work. DON’T do the heavy-grip back work one day and forearms another. Try to progress in weight and/or reps every time you work the forearms — even if it’s only 2.5 lbs/workout (I started rev. wrist curls with only 25 or 30 lbs and a 2.5-lb jump is decvent enough).
Hit the forearms hard for a few weeks with supersets and then drop direct forearm work for 1-2 weeks. When you start back, go to about one step below your previous peak and start climbing again.
Good Luck,
Scott
[quote]simon-hecubus wrote:
Lorne wrote:
I have read that DL’s without straps are a good way to build forearms. Unfortunately, I have a permanent injury in my left wrist (torn ligaments), which makes it impossible to DL heavy weights without straps (my wrist can’t handle the weight).
Any suggestions, perhaps, how I can get around this. Again, thanks for the feedback.
I agree with all that heavy DLs are great for grip strength. However, I don’t believe them necessary for size and thickness, which is what you asked about in the first place.
I had a giant cell tumor removed from the end my right radius in 2001 and a reoccurrence slightly further down the bone in 2005. Both surgeries involved minor reconstruction of my wrist.
My grip has never gotten up to its pre-tumor strength, but my forearms are larger than ever. I typically use a very progressive application of wrist curls and reverse wrist curls often supersetted with reverse and hammer curls (or each other).
Slow and strict is the order of the day, esp. with your ligaments. My favorites include reverse wrist curls supersetted with reverse curls. Toss some wrist curls in after that superset for a great forearm workout in minutes. Squeeze your grip harder as you raise the weight, maxing out at the top, and relax it as you lower. DON’T keep a vice grip on the bar throughout.
Do your forearms AFTER your most grip-intensive back work. DON’T do the heavy-grip back work one day and forearms another. Try to progress in weight and/or reps every time you work the forearms — even if it’s only 2.5 lbs/workout (I started rev. wrist curls with only 25 or 30 lbs and a 2.5-lb jump is decvent enough).
Hit the forearms hard for a few weeks with supersets and then drop direct forearm work for 1-2 weeks. When you start back, go to about one step below your previous peak and start climbing again.
Good Luck,
Scott[/quote]
I agree here with simon. I like the supersets alot. I like the upright row and the zottman curl. Also the reverse wrist curl, wrist curl, and hammer curl. I tend to shy away from the wrist curling so much because of the tendonitis that could come about. That’s why I don’t do rollers either; although they give you a nice pump. Gripping is one way to build them like most people say with statics and deads. But I fell you can really do it other ways as well.
I do love those supersets though. Pick two exercises that you just love to do and superset them, and you get such a nice breakdown going on.
http://www.nicros.com/New%20Training%20Center/heavy-finger-rolls.shtml
I’ve gotten excellent size and strength gains doing this exercise, but you have to go as heavy as possibe. Great when paired with wrist rollers.
[quote]Go heavy fool wrote:
I agree here with simon. I like the supersets alot. I like the upright row and the zottman curl. Also the reverse wrist curl, wrist curl, and hammer curl. I tend to shy away from the wrist curling so much because of the tendonitis that could come about. That’s why I don’t do rollers either; although they give you a nice pump.[/quote]
Thanks for the corraboration!
I forgot to mention that I cannot fully supinate my right hand anymore and seated wrist curls are out of the question (though the seated reverse/pronated WCs are fine).
For regular wrist curls, I do them with my hands behind my back. The pivot point of my wrists rest against the tops of my glutes and I lean forward with my torso at about a 60-degree angle with the floor. I also sometimes incorporate finger rolls into the wrist curls (see Tony’s post), though I’m not sure if Lorne’s wrists would tolerate that.
And YES, I do these in the squat rack sometimes. There’s 4 of 'em at my gym and only 2 are being used at any given time, so sue me!
My devil’s advocate question when people raise the Deadlift Battle Cry: Then why don’t we use isometrics to build everything else too?
I’m just asking. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but the greatest respect for all the heavy DLs, rack lifts, static holds, farmer’s walk work that people do. I just had to take another route myself.
Scott
I forgot about that one, I used one when I was racing motocross, which is also great for grip strength and forearm size/strength.
I have friends that ride/race every weekend and have big muscular forearms but dont lift and are not muscular
Thanks for all the excellent replies. The advice has been very helpful.
Can someone explain to me what Static Holds are. I can’t find any information on them. Are they like “Plate Pinches?”
Thanks again for the feedback,
Lorne
To follow up on my original question about skinny forearms…
1)how many times a week would it be appropriate to train forearms?
2)I’ve started to do plate pinches, using two ten pound weights. They seem awfully easy, but the next highest plates are 25lb wheels, which are impossible for me to grip together. Any suggestions?
3)lastly, can anyone explain how to do a “static hold”
Thanks again for all the feedback.
Shit, just do some direct forearm work. If you’re trully handling decent weights and have some muscle to show for it then do some forearm curls and extensions. Use a tiny db or plate to thoroughly warm up and then pump out a few sets. Be sure to increase volume and/or weight weekly. Done and done.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
beebuddy wrote:
I see a lot of big guys with little forearms.
I don’t. [/quote]
Your glasses are on your forehead again professer.
hmmm, i guess i’m in the minority here but i don’t feel deads do much for forearm size (increase supporting grip strength…absolutely). heavy presses anecdotally seems to work best for me, but i’m not exactly popeye haha. how many big benchers have skinny forearms? none that i can think of. however i could very well be way off here.
that said, i can also see hammer curls working well & i recently got a ‘twist yo wrist’ from ironmind & it may help forearm size some.
[quote]BarneyFife wrote:
Professor X wrote:
beebuddy wrote:
I see a lot of big guys with little forearms.
I don’t.
Your glasses are on your forehead again professer.[/quote]
Doubtful. I am wondering what you all consider “big” when you say you see big guys with small forearms. It takes strong forearms to lift enough weight to get big in the first place. Here’s a hint, someone under 200lbs isn’t all that big unless they are VERY short.
rows,deadlifts,chins,farmers and wheelbarrow walks,grip training,wrist curls,jerking off.
I’ve been working on the same problem. My forearms are my weakpoint in climbing.
Wherever possible I switched up lifts to be more taxing to the forearms (fat bars, hammer curls, rope chins, etc).
Once to twice a week I do an EDT-style PR-zone of:
10 minutes dumbbell wrist curls and wrist extensions or “reverse wrist curls”.
10 minutes plate pinches
10 minutes Captains of Crush
It’s only been three weeks, but the skin on my forearms is noticeably tighter and my numbers have been going up every forearm session.
Climbing’s also getting easier.
Beef
[quote]Professor X wrote:
BarneyFife wrote:
Professor X wrote:
beebuddy wrote:
I see a lot of big guys with little forearms.
I don’t.
Your glasses are on your forehead again professer.
Doubtful. I am wondering what you all consider “big” when you say you see big guys with small forearms. It takes strong forearms to lift enough weight to get big in the first place. Here’s a hint, someone under 200lbs isn’t all that big unless they are VERY short.[/quote]
I don’t think people over 200 pounds are big either. I am 205, and 5’10", and people normally wonder wether I am tiny tim the crippled kid or one of the smurfs.