Building Forearms

[armageddon69]

To build forearms, do you do them just like anything else, like 5 sets of 8 to failure, or somthing like that.

[Ares]

I do 1-3 sets to failure once a week with the wrist curl.

[bigpoppapump979]

i do wrist curls behind my back but my main excercise is wrist rolls with about 20lbs for 2 sets...forward backward backward forward then reverse for another set

[fixationdarknes]

I like doing high reps with forearms (3 sets a week) with one of those grip crusher squeezy things. It helps a lot I think. But probably my main source of forearm work comes from indirect work (e.g. Deadlifts, Shrugs, Pullups).

[bigpoppapump979]

imo grippers tend to help your grip not build your foreams very much

[fixationdarknes]

imo grippers tend to help your grip not build your foreams very much

That's probably true. But then again my forearms have been getting bigger because of all the indirect work, so I can't really tell. But yeah, my grip is getting stronger, and that's mainly what I'm concerned with.

[Gordo]

Try doing wrist curls to failure with a barbell. Sit on the end of a bench with your arms resting on your legs and roll the bar towards you with your palms up to failure, immediately switch your grip after you fail so your palms are down and curl it until you fail again, then stand up and hold the bar behind you with your palms facing away and curl it up until you fail. By fail I mean you can't hold the bar. Do that for one or two sets a week and your forearms will grow. Another good exercise is sweeps. Sit on the end of a bench with a DB like you are going to do concentration curls. Just rotate your wrist from side to side keeping the rest of your arm still.

[Hatred]

I like doing high reps with forearms (3 sets a week) with one of those grip crusher squeezy things. It helps a lot I think. But probably my main source of forearm work comes from indirect work (e.g. Deadlifts, Shrugs, Pullups).

I agree. Heavy deads and anything requiring grip is sufficient for me.
Static holds work well too.

[Geeper]

I'm not that big of a guy yet, but I'm often asked about my forearms cause they do stand out, and I do no direct work on them. That being said I do do a lot of DB work and I think that is the main reason. With Db you are always balancing and supporting the weight with your forearms where with a BB you could loosen your grip quite often and it would just sit in your hands. (ex. Benching)
Good genes could help too I guess.

[ancom41]

Do those grip devices really work that well? they dont seem like they provide that much resistance? My friend would carry around one of those stress balls when he was in high school and by the end of his senior year his forearms were amazing.

[trich daddy]

Deadlifts, pullups, heavy rows, hammer curls... all you need.

[Titanium_Jim]

I use a wrist roller. When I got it, it worked nicely, just a thin little piece of a rod, with a 5lb weight tied to the end. Eventually, that got too easy so now it's 15lbs, and I put half a pound of tape (duct and masking) on the rod to make it way thicker, and I can still roll it both ways twice in a row on the first set. If my upper arms weren't so big, I would have Popeye arms.

[JSully]

I agree. Heavy deads and anything requiring grip is sufficient for me.
Static holds work well too.

:withstupi

Forearm work, ie wrist curls, have done nothing but fcuk up my wrists. So my only forearm work are heavy deads, shrugs, pullups, rows, etc. Anything requiring a grip. I only use wrist straps on super heavy deads and shrugs. Anything over 450 and I start using my straps so I can concentrate on my back.

For more grip work, grab some heavy ass dumbbells and just walk around until they pry your fingers open and fall. Make sure you don't drop 'em on your feet though. Do this for 4 sets and that should be sufficient.

EDIT: also you could take a broom stick or something a little thicker, drill a hole through the middle of it and tie a small rope to it. Attach the rope to a "hook" one of those cable things you use to attach the attachments and put the 5 or 10 or whatever lbs on it and just rotate your wrists till the weight reaches the top then lower it back down. That kills.

[fixationdarknes]

I use a wrist roller. When I got it, it worked nicely, just a thin little piece of a rod, with a 5lb weight tied to the end. Eventually, that got too easy so now it's 15lbs, and I put half a pound of tape (duct and masking) on the rod to make it way thicker, and I can still roll it both ways twice in a row on the first set. If my upper arms weren't so big, I would have Popeye arms.

Jim, how often do you do the wrist roller?

[Mission]

I do 2-3 sets of hammer curls in high reps... usually about 15.

[Gutz981]

anyone think about farmer walks...anyone have any success on those? I think they build forearms

[BCC]

I work them just like any other muscle. 4-6 working sets. Regular and reverse wrist curls. Sometimes behind the back as well. I like static holds too.

[Max-Mex]

I stopped doing direct forearm work a while ago. Just felt like it was a waste of time. Since I don't use straps now for anything, I felt that the indirect work has been good enough. Maybe direct work would have made them bigger, but I doubt it would have made a huge difference.

[Brotherofiron]

i have never ever done direct forearm work...i think that doing deads and heavy DB work has developed my forearms...my genetics also play a large role