alright guys i need help developing a routine for strengthening my forearms. a routine, or tips would be mucho appreciated. i am seeing small imrovements as it is with rows, deads, chins and reverse curls, but my forearms are still pathetic.
Do a search for “Can’t add size to your biceps? Try training the forearms” by Poliquin.
Chad Waterbury has a whole program for this published at T-mag. I don’t recall the title, but you should be able to find it in previous issues, or search for “Waterbury” at T-mag.
Personally, I’d use HST principals on your forearms. The technique really added to my calves.
If you use straps, stop!!! Keep deadlifting that really helps them. Here are a few exercises hat really helped me. Grab a barbell behind your back with your hands abou 8-12 inches apart. Your palms will be backwards, the front of your hands will be forward. And just culr the bar with your forearms!!! Next is take a pair of 10lb dumbells in each hand arms hanging down and twist the dumbells fast but controlled. Keep doing these and eat big and in no time you’ll have some bowling pins!
At the end of your back workout hang from a thick chinning bar and do 4 sets of close to failure. Each time either thicken the grip using a towel wrapped a little more each time, hang on longer, or do more sets, just add progression in some form and your forearms will grow.
do you mean your forearms are pathetic in size or stregth. If your other lifts are improving such as deads, rows, curls, shoulder raises, etc… then what do you have to fear? If you want to add size then you have to do specific heavy forearm curls forward and backward grip and then give them good rest. Or you could just do a few sets after each workout. Remeber that forearms get hit while doing most excercises because of the emphasis on grip. laters pk
i never use straps, but have been tempted. i know for a fact that my grip limits my deads and pullups as it probably does all pulls (rows, the occasional shrugs too). im looking for size and strength. I am also lookin for tips, specifically because of the fact that forearms are hit so often.
Every post above this is right. You’re gonna have to suck it up and be patient. You could also add some farmer walks to the end of your workout. Don’t ever give in and use straps. You said small improvements. That’s exactly what we want, small improvements, the rest of our lives.
Is it ever ok to use straps? I’m personally getting sick of having my forearms limiting my workouts all the time. For instance, when I was doing barbell shrugs yesterday my forearms quit before my traps. This is extremely frustrating. I feel that if I do extra forearm work they’ll never have time to recover and get stronger.
Finish your last set until your grip gives out. Immediately strap up and finish that set again. This will help you physically but not mentally. The straps will feel so good on your traps/wrists that you will want to use them all the time. Straps are nice so you can lift more weight. However, they become a crutch. It took me at least a year to dead maximum weights w/o straps. It was a humbling experience. My training partner was continuosly deadlifting over 400 barehanded. He gave me so much shit I had to lose the straps. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. Now I give him shit because we lift the same weights and he weighs 50 more lbs than me. Good luck.
Try dbs farmers walk. After performing those for a while try using a barbell, sandbag , or any non-conforming object. Another movement you can try is tick-tocks. Holding two wt plates at your side use a pinch grip and squeeze them together. Now swing the plates at a 30-40 degree angle in relation to starting point. The momentum of the swing creates a very diffcult stimulus for holding the plates. To increase intensity simply pinch grip the plates with joints closer to the end of the finger. Perform 20-30seconds.
ThankYou
Coach Hale
The best work out for your forearms. Instead of using the cordless drill to install and remove skills. Why not use a regular screw driver. Sure it will take a long time to finish the job but the workout alone with burn those forearms.
I did this yesterday,when you do pull-ups take two towels and roll them up longways. put them over the pullup, bar 6 to 8 inchs wider then your shoulders. now grab the towels just under the bar and do your pullups.that’s all grip good luck!
contrary to the above posts, there are times where straps can be used. what i do, for example with bent barbell rows, is usually only use straps on the last set. specically, i pyramid 5 sets, starting from 15 reps down to 6, by the last set there is no way i can do 6x315, so i’ll use straps, BUT! i’ll only do that for 2 back sessions, then i try to finish the 6x315 without straps, most times i’m able to, sometimes not, i just go till i can then bump the weight. my grip strength has gone up dramatically because of this. maybe give it a try.
Some things that work for me are plate pinches as recommended by Coach Hale, Thor’s hammer (grab a broom stick to start, choke up as needed, lift the broom handle by rotating your wrist, rotate in each direction as far as is comfortable. Put a mark on the broom and increase the distance from the bristled end to make the resistance increase). Towel pull ups (two towels draped over a chin up bar, grip the towels and pull, I think Chad Watebury has a good description in one of the archived T-mag articles). Ax Choppers with a rope (in a cable pully machine, set up the upper pully with a rope. Grab the rope, if there is a knot in the rope move you hands up a few inches so that your grip is doing the work, for ax chopper technique do a search. To detailed to go into, and I wouldn’t want to steer you wrong). The idea that another member posted to use a towel around bars to thicken the grip can be extended to any exercise that involves pulling. Hammer curls may be a nice change of pace for the reverse curls. Sledgehammer holds and farmers walks are both options as well. One other exercise that really lights me up is, get a bar, some rope and a weight, attach the weight to the rope, attach the rope to the bar, so that it can not spin freely on the bar. Rotate the bar to lift the weight. Hold the arms out at should level. When the weight is wound, unwind it. I also agree that staps should be avoided when forearm development is desired. However, if you want to stimulate the other muscles that are not limiting your other lifts then using straps will allow you to do so, otherwise you are selling them short. Then you could do grip work another day while you are fresh. Perhaps in an ancillary workout. I suspect that higher frequency training of forearms would work well also. And as always, eat for your goals. You may also have some good luck searching the internet for grip strength. I’ll bet you find some sights dedicated to it!
although my methods are rather unconventional. i find that spanking the old monkey works wonders for the flexors. and if you want to target the extensors use a pronated palms facing the ground grip. youll get a great burn.
Thanks. I finally have the answer to why my grip is stronger on my right side. Turns out I need to “train” my left side more often.
Deads, chin bar hangs, and at least one ballistic lift.
After lifting the major exercises like the others said, do direct forearm and wrist ex. with flexion and shoot I can’t remember what the other is called: use an empty db bar 1st to get the feeling, then load only one side of the db, holding the unloaded side in your palm. With the loaded side in front of you, arms down, and palm facing your side, lift the loaded side of the db with ONLY your wrist and forearms, then back; you’ll see em working. Then hold the unloaded side of db with the loaded side facing behind you, and lift the loaded end with just your wrist and forearm. Both movements are very small, especially the one facing behind you! Watch the forearms grow while you work em!