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Do you train your forearms?

Do you train your forearms?

  • Yes

    Votes: 89 56.7%

  • No

    Votes: 68 43.3%
  • Total voters
    157
planetfuzz

planetfuzz

Active member
I've never really trained my forearms. I just don't think it's needed since your grip is strengthened in many different exercises but I do know people who do workout their forearms. Sometimes it doesn't sound like a bad idea. Just wondering what other peoples thoughts on this are.
 
I used to do wrist rollers with a barbell, now I consider DB concentraion curls to be enough. theres no cramping with those.
 
As far as functionality, you probably get the gist of your forearm strength work on back days and bi's day. However, for aesthetic purposes, training the forearms are a good idea, but if your primary concern is functionality, heavy back movements and biceps work should suffice.

I personally train the absolutely hades out of my forearms, but its for aesthetic purposes.

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Phil Heath has terrific forearm development, particularly in the brachioradialis region. It adds a thick, strong look that big bi's alone cant' achieve. Although I'm not certain if Phil Heath actually concentrates on forearms, it could be 90% genetics. The only bodybuilder I know that's famed for intensive forearm development is Lee Priest. There are others, but I can't think of them right now.

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The bulk of Lee's development are in his flexors. Developed flexors like Lee's offer a little bulkier look, while developed extensors and brachioradialis like Phil's, offers a more muscular look. Which is more appealing to myself, very subjective of course.
 
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theBIGcactus said:
i love training forearms, its really the only body part i get "the pump" with, its GREAT
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I get the best pump from doing chest. I might just try squeezing forearms into my training. When's the best time to train them. Maybe on a back day since you're already using them significantly?
 
planetfuzz said:
I get the best pump from doing chest. I might just try squeezing forearms into my training. When's the best time to train them. Maybe on a back day since you're already using them significantly?
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you should be asking what's best for them. and it's NOT, in my opinion wrist curls. they're ok, but if you really wanna get big forearms, pinch some plates. they are killer. the vascularity is fun to watch, too.
 
Manimalia said:
you should be asking what's best for them. and it's NOT, in my opinion wrist curls. they're ok, but if you really wanna get big forearms, pinch some plates. they are killer. the vascularity is fun to watch, too.
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pinch some plates??? :think:

care to elaborate?
 
try holding 50 kg plates in your hand. well fingers..........only joking. to be honest my forearms went big when i was just doing those barbell wrist curls and using my older brothers grip thingymajigs! plus to be honest whenever i do curls my forearms hurt more than my biceps, which has always pi**ed me off. anyway peace x.
 
i like using cable extensions with a straight bar at the very bottom level and standing straight up and doing wrist curls with it, you can also do it from behind grab the bar and hold it behind ur back/buttox and take a step or two away from the machine and do wrist curls from behind. if that makes any sense i get great pumps from them. i train forearms with shoulders, i use to do them with bi/backs but i have enough time to throw them on shoulder day.
 
I hit my forearms once a week with giant sets of barbell wrist curls, reverse cable curls, and dumbbell wrist curls. I don't like doing them on bicep day b/c they are already too tired after bi's and I can't go as heavy as I like to. I usually have one day at the end of the week where I hit calves, forearms, abs, and do some cardio.
 
I train my forearms both for grip and aesthetics. I just think that most bodybuilders look really funny with these huge upper arms and comparitively skinny forearms. But then again, I'm used to skinny rockclimbers with giant forearms.

i love the pinch grip work, I think that it has done the most for me in terms of strength. My favorite is pinch grip wrist curls. Pinch two ten pound plates (or three, or four) flat side out and do your curls like that.
 
i love working forearms. I feel building them up will give a more muscular look. I focus more on the brachioradialis region as i feel it looks better and flexors are worked more with grip in other excercises anyway.

OP, what is your routine look like as far as split? Maybe i can give you a better suggestion on when to train forearms if i see your split.

Phil and Priest both have great forearms with very prominent development. MacGrath too i think. Big arms with tiny forearms looks really off imo. People see forearms everyday for the most part why not make them look even better by training them individually. I train mine after chest and bi's.
 
AUTO said:
forearms are the hardest muscle to build up.
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Which, in my opinion, is a good reason to want to train them even harder! Most people get a lot of indirect forearm training, but to fully develop the forearms I think they need extra, specific training. I do a little forearm work after my leg workout (maybe just a few working sets), and then two days later do the bulk of my forearm training, after upper arms. Four sets of BB wrist curls, followed by four sets of DB wrist extensions. Or sometimes I might superset wrist curls with wrist extensions, for extra intensity and/or to save time. After a set for forearms I like to flex as hard as possible, to really get the muscle acclimated to forceful contractions.
 
the majority of my forearm work comes from rev bb curls and hammer curls for the brachi... bb wrist curls or standing cable wrist curls for the flexors.
 
My forearms got big from baseball and deadlift. My forearms are a just about an inch smaller than my biceps.
 
I used to train mine using wrist curls but then started getting a bit of RSI so had to stop. TBH I didn't really notice a huge increase when training them so prob not much of a loss in my case.
 
yeah I train mine with reverse grip curls with the ez bar. Otherwise it's hell on your wrists.

I get little bumps on my forearms after I do it though, anyone know what those are? Sort've like the size of a small green pea around 7.5mm across
 
i love doing forearms and i tried holding a 45 pound plate using just my fingers. i dont feel as much as doing BB wrist curls
 
cam22 said:
i love doing forearms and i tried holding a 45 pound plate using just my fingers. i dont feel as much as doing BB wrist curls
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this is especially effective if you using the rubber plates for olympic lifts, my gyms got real thick 45's that are impossible to hold for more that 20 sec.
 
I actually train my foreamrs on my bicep day, usually once a week, you have too, is like doing legs and no calfs.
 
Knowbull said:
I used to do wrist rollers with a barbell, now I consider DB concentraion curls to be enough. theres no cramping with those.
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i do,i've found that my grip isbetter and i can curl more weight and lat work is so much easier...pull ups build massive forearms
 
I like the barbell wrist curls, but i have variations that i use to keep the weight off my biceps, otherwise i go to hell :(
 
I generally hit em once a week, usually after bi's. Pinch 10# plates and walk laps around the gym is killer. My fav for forearms is the wrist curl with the back side of my forearm on a flat bench and just the wrist hanging off the edge, allows for a great ROM with full stretch...
 
I train my forearms on biceps day by holding dbs to my side and curling them inward with my wrist and while watching certain videos on the internet :chick:
 
I train my forearms.

I used to rock climb and I never noticed but apparently I had huge forearms because everyone used to tell me i did.

I definitely notice how small they are since i stopped.

I'm about 20 lbs heavier now but my forearms are at least 2 inches smaller :think:

I used to do wrist rollers with 25lbs for sets of 10
Now I can barely do 10lbs for sets of 5

I never had a grip problem in any of my lifts but now I can tell my grip is really weak especially in my deadlift:

Regular Overhand Grip: 315
Over/Under: 375
Straps: 420

It's really pissing me off now so I'm working them 2-3 times a week but I know nothing is going to compare to rock climbing again.:rant::whiner:
 
planetfuzz said:
I've never really trained my forearms. I just don't think it's needed since your grip is strengthened in many different exercises but I do know people who do workout their forearms. Sometimes it doesn't sound like a bad idea. Just wondering what other peoples thoughts on this are.
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yes would defo train forearms ...the shape is necessary..:thumbsup:
 
I guess I am naturally blessed in the forearm dept. Everyone has that one muscle that they don't really need to train I guess. My forearms measure over 14" and my wrists are only 7 1/8". I don't train them at all.
 
I never did, then I started being unable to hold the barbell for shrugs even with straps, now I do them any days that I need to use straps.
 
Aggravated said:
I guess I am naturally blessed in the forearm dept. Everyone has that one muscle that they don't really need to train I guess. My forearms measure over 14" and my wrists are only 7 1/8". I don't train them at all.
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masturbating counts as training.....


LOL haha just playin
 
IMO if you're moving enough weight and working hard enough during your back workout you shouldn't need to work your forearms.
 
Rugger said:
IMO if you're moving enough weight and working hard enough during your back workout you shouldn't need to work your forearms.
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this is pretty true imo but then again you dont get much ROM with you forearms with back workouts, you just get the grip and the flexing but not neccassarily a pump.
 
I train them sometimes but dont have them fit into my routine. I love the pump that I get, but sometimes I cant hardly turn a door knob or sink faucet afterwards.
 
i bought the Heavy Grips 300.
it's a torsion spring hand gripper, but one with knurled billet handles that takes 300lbs of pressure to fully close.

i have been working with it for about two months and can now fully close it.

so far i have found NO ONE else who can fully close it on their first try. even guys who are 30+lbs more than i... and my forearms only tape at 12 inch.

buy one of these, and you will develop a super strong grip.

i also do lots of hammer curls,

and sometimes i like to just go for a walk with a pair of 60lb dumbbells for a few laps of a couple hundred feet each. believe me, they will kill you. my buddy does "plate walks," where he grabs two of his 45lb plates that actually have handles on them. then you just go for a walk down the street, clutching a plate in each hand :)
 
Yep! I train forearms every eight days and I also use all those forearm gadgets one can buy. They are pretty big and you can definitely notice I train them hard!

I have to wear suits and the suit and the shirt are custom made (probably like anyone else on this board :think: ). The forearm section always freaks out the tailor, since he is used to normal clothing.

The advantage I have found is the GRIP! When I shake someone's hand (a non-workout person), the grip is very intimidating!

I have shook hands with law enforcement "tough" guys and after I do, the whole attitude changes...of course, I am always cordial and pleasant.

I agree with EatMeat...it takes a while to close those Heavy Grips. It took me about 3 months to close the 400 ones. (I think mine are the Gladiator Grips). The prohands are also great!

A great one is also the E-Flex Forearm Bar. The Hercules Bar is also a blast.

If you are interested, I will post my workout and the equipment I use. I can now rip a telephone book in two (I know that there are guys doing it in 4 etc. etc), but for a guy like me that couldn't even hang on a bar 25 years ago...it's a HUGE accomplishment!
 
lsteele said:
I agree with EatMeat...it takes a while to close those Heavy Grips. It took me about 3 months to close the 400 ones. (I think mine are the Gladiator Grips). The prohands are also great!


I can now rip a telephone book in two (I know that there are guys doing it in 4 etc. etc), but for a guy like me that couldn't even hang on a bar 25 years ago...it's a HUGE accomplishment!
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I think that heavy grips and md gladiators are made in the same place but have different packaging. they look identical.

My goal is to rip phone books in half :)
 
I'm stuck on Captain of Crush #1. I've had them for like a year and still can't close them all the way especially with my left hand :aargh: . I think its because I work my forearms a lot in the gym directly and indirectly with heavy deads and shrugs. Its still aggravating I was hoping to move up to CoC #2 this year.
 
My forearms never needed training for some reason. I do not use straps for any exercise and that in itself stimulates enough muscle growth for them to stay strong and huge. They really developed when I started deadlifting (like 12 years ago).
 
MoTiV said:
I'm stuck on Captain of Crush #1. I've had them for like a year and still can't close them all the way especially with my left hand :aargh: . I think its because I work my forearms a lot in the gym directly and indirectly with heavy deads and shrugs. Its still aggravating I was hoping to move up to CoC #2 this year.
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The forearm muscle is dense, just about identical to your calf muscles and similar to abdominals. these kind of things can be worked almost every day, or every other day.

I keep mine in the car most of the time, and crush it while im driving.

you just have to keep working with it, try every day, then give it a rest for a day or 2 per week. close it as far as you can and do sets of maybe 6 reps like that, squeezing as hard as you can. let it back out real slow too. i always do at least one extra set just left handed to compensate.
 
MoTiV said:
I'm stuck on Captain of Crush #1. I've had them for like a year and still can't close them all the way especially with my left hand :aargh: . I think its because I work my forearms a lot in the gym directly and indirectly with heavy deads and shrugs. Its still aggravating I was hoping to move up to CoC #2 this year.
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Forearms get easily overtrained (for whatever reason). I alternate between the forearm workout "toys" every eight days, so usually it will take about + one month before I redo the same forearm exercise. I found it best when you get all your gear ready and just BLAST those forearms in approximately 10 - 15 minutes. Basically NO rest. Just pump them up!

Then it is IMPORTANT to stretch the forearms. Palm flat on bench at an angle (20 - 30 degrees from the bench - almost parallel to the bench) and then "walk yourself" so the forearms become perpendicular to the bench. This WILL burn!

After this, unless you are doing calves or neck (without the assistance of your hands)...go home!

Happy Holidays
 
lsteele, good info. i would like to see more of how you train forearms/grip. ripping a telephone book in half would be nice :D
 
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