Exercises · Muscle group · Updated
Forearm exercises
Forearm exercises train the wrist and finger flexors and extensors and the brachioradialis. They make the forearm thicker and improve grip strength, which helps in deadlifts, pull-ups and rows. The forearms work in every pulling exercise, so direct exercises are an addition rather than the foundation.
- Exercises
- 12 exercise pages
- Most common equipment
- Dumbbell, Barbell, Cable
- Most logged exercise
- Farmers walk
Forearm muscles: what forearm exercises train
- Wrist and finger flexors (flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum)
- The muscles on the inside of the forearm flex the wrist and fingers, in other words they squeeze. They produce grip strength, and they grow from wrist curls, farmer's walks and dead hangs.
- Wrist and finger extensors (extensor carpi radialis, extensor carpi ulnaris, extensor digitorum)
- The muscles on the outside of the forearm extend the wrist. They work in reverse-grip curls and wrist extensions, and they balance the work of the flexors.
- Brachioradialis (brachioradialis)
- The large muscle at the top of the forearm bends the elbow with a hammer or overhand grip. Hammer curls and reverse-grip curls build it.
Most-logged forearm exercises among SisuLift users
The order comes from how many SisuLift users have logged sets of each exercise. It includes exercises that have a guide page in the exercise library, and it updates as people log their workouts.
How to train your forearms
Grip strength grows when you hold a weight for a long time: farmer's walks, dead hangs from a bar and deadlifts without straps. For forearm size, add wrist curls, wrist extensions and hammer curls.
Forearms recover quickly and tolerate high reps. Two or three sets at the end of a workout twice a week is enough for most people. In wrist curls, let the bar roll down to your fingertips and squeeze it back up for a full range of motion.
How many weekly sets for the forearms
These are the numbers SisuLift starts your weekly volume from before you have any training history. As your logs build up, the app moves the target based on how your strength develops. Only hard sets count: a direct exercise counts as one set, and an exercise where the muscle assists counts as half a set.
| Experience | Minimum | Target | Upper limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 5 sets | 9 sets | 14 sets |
| Intermediate | 7 sets | 12 sets | 17 sets |
| Advanced | 8 sets | 14 sets | 20 sets |
Minimum is the amount that usually still drives progress. Upper limit is the amount beyond which recovery usually starts to suffer. Split the weekly sets across two or three workouts.
Example workout from the most-logged exercises
The most-logged exercises from different exercise families, compound movements first. Sets, reps and rest are the same ones SisuLift uses for a muscle growth goal.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers walk | 3–4 | 8–12 | 2 min |
| Barbell Reverse Curl | 3 | 10–15 | 1.5 min |
| Dead Hang | 3 | 10–15 | 1.5 min |
| Cable Wrist Curl | 3 | 10–15 | 1.5 min |
Done twice a week, this adds up to 24–26 sets per week. The rep ranges are those for a muscle growth goal.
Main exercises and their variations
These exercises have their own page with variations, sets and reps and the most common questions in one place.
All forearm exercises (12)
Every exercise with a guide page in the exercise library, grouped by equipment. The equipment heading takes you to all exercises for that equipment.
Dumbbell4 exercises
Cable3 exercises
Bodyweight2 exercises
Frequently asked
What is the best forearm exercise?
The most-logged forearm exercise among SisuLift users is Farmers walk. For grip strength the best are dumbbell farmer's walks or dead hangs, and for forearm size wrist curls and hammer curls. Together they train the flexors, the extensors and the brachioradialis.
How do you improve grip strength?
Do heavy pulls without straps for as long as your grip holds, and add farmer's walks or dead hangs to your week. A thicker grip, such as a towel around the bar, makes holding harder. Grip improves quickly when you load it regularly.
Do you need to train forearms separately?
Many people do not, because the forearms work in all pulling and biceps exercises. Direct training helps if your grip fails before your back in deadlifts or you want thicker forearms. Then two short exercises a week are enough.
How many sets for the forearms per week?
At intermediate level SisuLift starts the forearms at 12 sets per week, with a minimum of 7. For beginners the target is 9. Pulling exercises where the forearms assist count as half sets, so few direct sets are needed.
Are forearm exercises good for tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow is a tendon problem of the extensors on the outside of the elbow. Light, slow wrist extensions can be part of rehab, but the load must be tolerable. If your elbow gets sore, take a break from heavy pulls and see a physiotherapist who can design a suitable program.