Forearms are one of the most frustrating body parts to train. Many people find it difficult to increase muscle growth in this area, which can be frustrating, as underdeveloped forearms can be a frustration and insecurity for some.
But is there really a way to specifically target forearm growth? Or are you stuck with small forearms for life?
This article will explain how to get bigger forearms by following particular forearm workout exercises and habits than can increase forearm strength.
Are Forearms Hard to Grow?
Forearms are one of the hardest muscle groups to add mass.
While there of course is a genetic component to forearm muscles, there are steps you can take to help increase forearm growth, even if you have naturally skinny forearms.
If you want to know how to get bigger forearms, know that it's not the easiest muscle group to target.
Having strong forearms can help develop grip strength, and forearm workouts can be done in a variety of ways either using machines, equipment, or your own body weight.
Considerations With Building Massive Forearms
There are several individual muscles in the forearm which serve different purposes, such as allowing your hand and fingers to open and close, controlling the wrist joint and assisting elbow movement.
Increasing muscles in your forearms is not just about building massive forearms, but it's also about significantly improving forearm strength. The flexor muscles and extensor muscles are the two main muscle categories to target when focusing on your forearm workout.
Stronger forearms often correlates to improved grip strength, and overall improved upper body strength.
Wrist Flexors vs Wrist Extensors: What's the Difference?
Wrist flexors are the muscles that allow the wrist to bend towards your forearm. These muscles are located on the inner part of the forearm.
Wrist extensors on the other hand are the muscles that allow the wrist to straighten, bringing your palm away from your forearm. These muscles are on the back of the forearm.
In short, flexors help flex the wrist, while extensors help extend the wrist.
Strengthening these two muscles is integral when building forearm strength.
Wrist and Finger Extension
The flexor muscles on the backside of the forearm are responsible for finger flexion, in addition to wrist flexion.
Stronger forearms are linked to improved wrist and finger extension and ultimately improved grip strength.
As people age, grip strength tends to naturally decrease. However, with targeted forearm workouts, the strength, flexibility, and extension of wrists and fingers can dramatically improve.
Forearms Have Complex Anatomy
With how complex the forearm anatomy is, and how they're naturally smaller than many other muscle groups, it's somewhat difficult to isolate and target them with resistance training.
The muscles found in the forearms are responsible for five key movements: wrist flexion, finger flexion, ulnar deviation, radial deviation, and forearm pronation.
That's not to say it's impossible to get bigger forearms, just more difficult. By following dedicated forearm exercises forearm exercises, you may even be able to build massive forearms.
Why Forearm Strength and Size is Important
Is building bigger forearms really worth it? Generally speaking, yes.
Big Forearms Improve Aesthetic
First, forearms are important for aesthetics. Forearm definition is one of the easiest things for people to notice. Stronger forearm muscles is also important for overall upper arms aesthetic.
Stronger Forearms Improves Upper Body Strength
Second, big and strong forearms help you do other lifts more effectively, and the benefits carry over into functional activities and sports.
That said, it's not always necessary to do isolation exercises specifically for forearms. They're involved in some way in almost every lift, so you'll naturally get bigger forearms just through a regular training regimen of efficient compound lifts.
How to Build Stronger Forearms
Most people will naturally get bigger forearms through normal lifting.
For example, if you do upper body exercises like deadlifts, bench press, barbell curls or rows, it's impossible not to involve your forearms somehow.
But those with naturally smaller forearms may want to add one or two exercises to their forearm workout, or switch up your existing exercises to put more work on forearms and grip strength.
Alongside specific forearm training, regular principles for muscle growth apply; make sure you eat adequate protein, and maintain a calorie surplus if you want to add muscle mass.
When to Train Forearms
Should you have a day where you specifically train forearms? If not, where should a forearm workout fit into your training splits?
Unless you're a serious bodybuilder, there's no need for a dedicated forearm workout, rather, just incorporate some forearm exercises to your normal routine.
Like we said earlier, all you need is to supplement your normal workouts with one or two forearm exercises. That should be enough to ensure your forearm growth keeps pace with the rest of your body.
Best Exercises to Increase Forearm Size and Strength
Here are some of the best forearm workouts that are going to help you build massive forearms, plus forearm strength that translates to other lifts and activities outside the gym.
1. Farmer's Carry
The farmer's carry (or farmer's walk) is one of the best forearm workouts.
For this exercise, you simply hold a weight in each hand (like dumbbells or kettlebells), and walk around.
Farmer's walks work the hands and forearms, plus upper arms and full-body core strength.
They're easy and versatile. You can also substitute individual weights for a trap bar or weight plates, which will allow you to load more weight.
2. Plate Pinch
Plate pinch (or pinch carry) is an alternative way to do the farmer's carry or trap bar carry that isolates the forearms.
Grab a plate in each hand, pinching the plate between your fingers and thumb, and walk around.
This puts the bulk of the work on your forearms. To make it tougher, try taking two plates in each hand, using your fingers and thumb to pin them together.
Another way to level up this exercise is to lift heavier weights by increasing the size of the plates you are using.
3. Reverse Grip Curl
Different curl variations can deliver a better workout for your forearms, and grip intensive exercises are particularly helpful for forearms.
The first type of curl variation is the reverse grip curl. With this, instead of the typical way where you hold your palms up, have your palms facing the ground, then do a regular curling motion. Return to the starting position before repeating the exercise.
Do it with a barbell or dumbbells, and see which works best for you.
The reverse grip curl can also lead to improved grip strength. Having a stronger grip is often correlated with stronger forearms. Reverse grip curls are just one of many ways to develop a stronger grip and help develop bigger forearms.
4. Wrist Curls
A standard wrist curl is the most common isolation exercise for forearms that really work the forearm extensors.
Unlike other curl variations, you're really not working any other muscles with a wrist curl.
To properly do a wrist curl, you just sit with your arms resting on your knees, a dumbbell in each hand (it can be palm up or palm down), and lift the weight using only your wrists.
This also targets full wrist extension and muscle activation of the joint.
Wrist curls put the entire workload on your forearm muscles which is why it's one of the best ways to improve forearm muscles. Wrist curls also strengthen the muscles in the forearm that improve wrist flexion. Wrist flexion is important for overall flexibility and mobility of your wrist joint.
If you really want to build powerful, massive forearms, it's essential to target all of the major forearm muscles, particularly the forearm extensors.
5. Hammer Curls
Alternatively, you can switch out your regular biceps curl for hammer curls, to emphasize the forearms more.
Hammer curls are just like regular curls, except you hold the dumbbells upright with your palms facing inwards, recruiting the forearms more than the classic grip.
This exercise is also great for elbow flexion, strengthening the muscles around the joint.
6. Zottman Curls
Another great exercise to get bigger forearms are Zottman curls. This exercise does a good job of hitting the biceps and forearms in one exercise.
You'll do the first half like a regular biceps curl, lifting the weight to your shoulder with palms facing up, then turn your palms down as you lower the weight again, hitting the forearms more on the way down.
7. Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings are an excellent all-round exercise - along with working the posterior chain and core, the forearms are recruited in each swing, meaning this exercise is another that's great for grip strength and building forearm muscles.
To properly do this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold a kettlebell with both hands. Swing the weight between your legs, followed by an explosive swing forward, using the strength of your lower body. Use the momentum of the swing to bring the kettlebell back down between your legs to the starting position before repeating.
8. Pull Ups
Like the previous exercise, pull ups are another that doesn't isolate the forearms, but definitely requires them to play a part. If your workout includes a lot of pull ups, there's quite a low chance you'll have to deal with skinny forearms.
When doing pull ups, it's important to maintain an overhand grip. Keeping an overhand grip is essential for forearm muscle engagement.
9. Dead Hang
You can also do something as simple as hanging from a bar and build stronger forearms. This is sometimes called a pull up bar hang.
Dead hangs are more difficult than they look, but the exercise is relatively simple. Hold a pull up bar with a shoulder-width grip, pinch your shoulder blades together, and focus on holding yourself up as long as you can.
In a dead hang, you keep your arms straight while you hang. If you want to make your dead hang more difficult, you could try something called a fat grip, in which you space your hands further apart, therefore forcing you to hold the bar with a stronger grip.
You'll recruit the core and lats to hold the position, but your forearms will really feel it.
To level up your dead hang, try switching to a pronated grip by holding the bar with the backs of your wrists facing up while your palms face down. This takes pressure off your bicep muscles and instead transfers most of that tension to the forearm muscles.
10. Rock Climbing/Bouldering
Rock climbing or bouldering is another way to get bigger forearm muscles. If you've done one climbing workout, you'll know why, as it takes serious grip strength and muscular endurance to keep yourself on the wall. It's not just a coincidence that mountaineers and climbers have huge forearms.
It's not always necessary to focus on gym exercises like lifting heavy weights and working on your biceps curl. Rather, getting outside for an adventurous activity can be a great way to naturally build forearm muscles and get effective forearm engagement.
Rock climbing is a great way to target the forearm extensor muscles as well.
11. Grip Strength Trainer
Finally, you can also get a grip strength trainer to isolate and give more work to the forearms.
Though the benefits are not as broad as you'd get from lifting weights, a grip trainer is super convenient - you can take it anywhere and get some reps in while you're watching Netflix, on the train, on a walk, or any other time you've got a hand to spare.
To complement your forearm workout routine, adding in a grip strength trainer is a great way to enhance the work you're already doing.
Extra Trip: Modify Your Pull Exercises with a Towel Grip
Another great way to work the forearm muscles is to add a towel to your regular pulling motions.
Instead of pulling a bar, dumbbell, kettlebell, cable pulley, or weight plates directly, attach a towel to it and pull the end of the towel instead.
It's important to draw your shoulder blades together as you pull the towel towards your chest in a rowing motion. Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise.
This puts more work on your grip strength and forearms, while maintaining a lot of the other benefits.
Towel grips are great with exercises like:
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Pull ups
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Lat pulldowns
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Dead hangs
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Rows (regular and inverted rows)
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Farmer's carries
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Curls
You could even attach a towel to a pair of dumbbells and do towel grip deadlifts.
So, if you've been wondering “how to get bigger forearms?”, hopefully we've given you some ideas you can take away and add to your workout routine.
While there's no need for an entire forearm workout that is separate from your regular workout, you can simply add on some key exercises to grow your forearm muscles.
Use these tips to build better aesthetics and more functional strength with killer forearms.
Building Forearms Without Equipment
Is it possible to build forearm strength without access to a gym or fitness equipment?
If you do not have access to certain equipment or tools as outline above, you can absolutely still work on training forearms and reach your goals.
Bodyweight exercises are some of the most effective forms of exercise, and luckily the only tool you'll need is your own body.
Bodyweight exercises such as push ups and finger-tip planks are great ways to get stronger and reach your forearm goals.
Safety Tips With Forearm Workouts
With all of these workouts it's vital to keep your core tight to protect your lower back and maintain proper form. If you have a history of wrist injuries, it might be a good idea to consult with a physical therapist or athletic trainer before engaging in some of these forearm training exercises.
It's also a good idea to do a small warmup before strength training. You could simply get your heart rate up by doing a quick walk or jog. This helps with blood flow to your joints and helps you warm up before lifting heavy weights.
Nutrition Considerations For Bigger Forearms
Whenever you're working towards building muscle, it's important to consider your nutrition – and forearms are no different.
To build muscle, the body needs to be in an anabolic state, meaning that it is getting enough energy to build and repair muscle tissue. Ensuring adequate caloric intake and protein intake is key for building muscle.
Everyone has unique energy and protein needs, but a good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.
Eating high quality protein within 30 minutes of strength training is helpful to build and repair muscle fibers and ensure appropriate muscle protein synthesis.
Key Takeaways on How to Get Bigger Forearms
You should now know some of the key tips on how to get bigger forearms.
If you are born with naturally small forearms, you may not find yourself with massive forearms, but there are definitely ways to increase your forearm size with some consistent and effective forearm training.
The best way to get bigger muscles in your upper body is to slowly work on muscle development through various forearm training techniques.
This article explained specific exercises for an effective forearm workout such as pull pus, pull up bar hang, reverse wrist curl, and a trap bar carry, for example. By following this protocol you too can develop bigger forearms.
