Target Details for Forearm Muscle Exercise for Men
Body Part: Arms
Target Muscle: Forearms
Category: Exercise for men
Most men are excited to do forearm exercises to strengthen this part of the arm muscle.
The reason is that having the maximum strength and thickness of the biceps or triceps only in the arms is not enough. However, one of the simple rules that govern any strength training is that if you don’t grip it, you can’t lift it. In forearm exercises for men we will cover this gap to gain additionally a strong grip.
Gaining grip strength is very important. In some cases, you may deal with your hands trembling and unsteady while using a bar or dumbbells, however, if you have a weak grip, you are about to face some severe medical issues and arm pain during exercise. Unless you perform forearm exercises the right way to increase the strength of this muscle.
In easy terms, you can do well in the weight room if you’re having trouble carrying what you want to lift. Unless you rely on lifting straps to get through every workout, your ability to grasp the heavy weight after a longer period of time can be the biggest difference between a great built-in good physique, and using fitness equipment to aid your workout.
Before starting to list the different exercises, let’s quickly review the structure of the forearm muscle, so that we are familiar and focus on the parts that you need to be exercised, then the benefits of the exercise, and finally the warm-up steps to ensure that the muscles begin to build properly.
Forearm Muscles Structure
The components of the forearm are made up of a group of smaller muscles that move in different ways, each dependent on it’s role and location. Working in all ranges of motion will help improve the balance of forearm development and performance in an efficient manner.
- Brachioradialis: An important muscle that is part of the forearm that is responsible for bending the forearm at the elbow. It also provides support for the elbow while moving the arm.
- Flexors: It is a group of muscles located on the underside of the forearm. Responsible for flexion of the wrist and fingers.
- Extensors: Muscle groups located in the upper part of the forearm. Participating in forearm flexion and rotation (moving the arm from side to side).
Benefits of Forearm Workout
There are many benefits to forearm workouts for men, which target the upper body and tone the major muscles in the arms. Here is a list of the main benefits:
- Gain powerful Grip Strength: The forearm muscles are used in many exercises, including the Deadlift, Workout Bench press and barbell row. Having a stronger forearm translates to an increase in grip strength. This will lead you to have a stronger firm grip, engage additional hand muscles and generate more strength during your workouts.
- The flip side is that when you have a weak arm or wrist, it can limit some of your exercises and make it difficult to train other muscle parts of the body, or even the exercise itself in the right way.
- Increased Stability during Workout: For example, for an unstable bench press workout, developing the muscles of the forearm and biceps will be the solution that will provide more stability to the arm.
- Develop more defined and toned Arms Muscles.
- Increased ability to hold objects for longer.
- Increased ability to build muscle for weightlifting after periods of time.
- Minimize the possibility of injuries to the wrist and elbows.
Do we need to Warm-Up the Forearm?
In general, warming up and stretching are an important part of exercising every part of the body before start. Here are helpful warm-up exercises that will build your forearm muscles and get them ready for your workout.
- Squeeze Ball: Use a small ball to press in different positions (the first time with the palm is facing up, then down) Repeat 20-25 presses and then repeat on the opposite hand side for 2-3 sets.
- Resistance Band:
- Wrist Extension: Hold the loop band with the palm facing the floor, pull your wrist up, pause slightly, and then slowly come back. Repeat for 15-20 reps.
- Wrist Flexion: Holding the band with your palms facing upwards, pull your wrist up and slowly come back. then repeat.
Safety Equipment while Workout
Before starting, it is highly recommended that you wear elbow handles and Crossfit hand Grips to avoid any tissue damage or bone dislocation. Upper forearms exercises often require these safety precautions.
Forearm Exercises for Men to Gain Strength
Including the following 8 forearm exercises for men will help you get a firm grip to build upper body strength.
1: Dumbbell Reverse Curl
» (Equipment: Dumbbells)
This exercise targets the biceps brachii (the two heads of the biceps consist of a small head and a large head) and the brachioradialis muscle (forearms). It does a great job of strengthening the muscle fibers using a strong contraction. It will help build elbow flexion.
How to Perform Workout?
- Step 1: Hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand.
- Step 2: Stand with your back straight, while keep the feet at shoulder width.
- Step 3: Put your arms by your side and palms facing you. (the starting position)
- Step 4: Gradually begin to bend your elbows outward by slowly bending the weights up to get close to your shoulders. (hold for 1-2 seconds)
- Step 5: Reverse the movement to return to the starting position by lowering the weight, and then repeat.
2: Barbell Reverse Curl
» (Equipment: Barbell)
This is a similar exercise to the previous one, but the difference here is that you use the bars as alternate weight options, to give you more control for the balance during the movement.
How to Perform the Workout?
- Step 1: Stand with your back straight, holding a barbell, hands shoulder-width apart and elbows beside to your torso. The direction of the palm should be towards the torso. (starting position)
- Step 2: Begin by rolling the bar up outward by contracting the biceps as you exhale, only the forearms should move. Keep moving until the bar is at shoulder level. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds.
- Step 3: While breathing, slowly return the bar to the starting position by lowering the weight. then repeat.
This is an excellent movement to work with high repetitions, and gives a great muscle pumping. You have to keep the reps in control and smooth. Your focus should be to move a large amount of blood in the forearms.
3: Palm Plank Lift
» (Equipment: Exercise Mat or Floor)
This exercise is excellent for strength and endurance in the forearm, back and core, and also provides support for proper posture and improves balance.
How to Perform Workout?
- Step 1: Lie on the Exercise Mat with your palms on the floor while squeezing the muscles of the buttocks and straight trunk.
- Step 2: Gradually raise your torso by pressing your palms to the floor. (starting position)
- Step 3: Then lift your right side up by shifting your body weight to the left hand.
- Step 4: Now lower the right palm to ground level and repeat on the left side.
- Perform 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions with 20 seconds intervals between each set.
4: Suitcase Carry
» (Equipment: Dumbbells, or Kettle-bell)
This is a unique exercise that will test the stability of the lateral torso, and increase the strength and consistency of the arms, forearms, and grip.
How to Perform Workout?
- Step 1: Choose a dumbbell or kettlebell of an appropriate weight.
- Step 2: While in a squat position, lift it with one hand, then stand up and bring it close to your thighs.
- Step 3: While keeping your back straight and your torso taut.
- Step 4: Start walking forward, and resist the urge to tilt your torso to one side to balance the weight, by keeping your torso straight.
- Step 5: Walk 25 to 50 yards. Once done, squat down to put and return the weight on the floor.
- Step 6: Switch and hold the weight on the opposite hand side, start repeat the exercise.
5: Overhead Carry (Waiters Carry)
» (Equipment: Dumbbell, or Kettle-bell)
This will improve your ability to carry weights and stabilize over the head, and this will increase the strength of your upper trap, shoulder, and forearms muscles.
How to Perform Waiters Carry Workout?
- Step 1: This is similar to the Suitcase Carry workout, but the only difference you have to do is lift the weight with one hand by one side above your head, to be in line with your shoulder, and start walking.
- Step 2: Repeat the exercise on the other hand side.
6: Dumbbell Wrist Flexion
» (Equipment: Dumbbells)
You can perform this exercise with one hand at a time, or with both hands together, it depends on you, if you can control the movement and perform it in the right way. The steps below will explain how to perform using one hand at a time.
How to Perform Workout?
- Step 1: Hold a Dumbbells in your right hand.
- Step 2: Sit on the edge of the workout bench and put your forearm on your right thigh, and resting your wrist on top of your right knee.
- Step 3: Make sure moving the palms of your hands only across the wrist, slowly begin to lower the dumbbells toward the floor as far as you can, maintaining a firm grip throughout the movement.
- Step 4: Without moving your arm from your thigh, roll the dumbbells up toward the ceiling, hold for two seconds and then slowly lower the dumbbells to the floor.
- Step 5: Repeat the exercise, alternating with your other left hand.
7: Dumbbell Wrist Extension
» (Equipment: Dumbbells)
How to Perform Workout?
- Step 1: This is similar to dumbbell wrist flexion, but the only difference is that you need to turn your palm to be pointing toward the floor. Then start the similar exercise steps, to extend forearm muscles.
- Step 2: Once done, repeat the exercise with the other hand side.
8: Pull-Up Bar Hang
» (Equipment: Pull-Up Bar)
This exercise uses body weight which not only helps build the muscles in the wrist and fingers, but is a great opportunity to build different muscles like upper back, shoulders and torso, using other pull-ups variations.
As an alternative to pull-up bar equipment in case you don’t have it, you can replace it with a stationary door or wall and put a towel on the top surface or wear gloves to eliminate surface roughness, then start the exercise.
How to Perform Workout?
- Step 1: Hold a pull-up bar with both hands, with a shoulder-width grip.
- Step 2: Put your palms facing forward.
- Step 3: Hold with the straight arms for 20-30 seconds, while keeping your ankles crossed behind you.
- Step 4: Breathe and rest for a while, then repeat.
Conclusion
As you can see, the muscles of the forearm are necessary to maintain increased grip strength, allowing you to work out with heavier weights and develop stronger upper body muscles, while also increasing the stability of the hand during exercise.
Furthermore, the forearm muscles play an important role in maintaining arm muscle balance, allowing wrist extension and flexion in a smooth movement, and increased grip of the fingers for stability, all of which are required steps for a better performance in the forearm exercises.
Make sure to warm up and stretch your forearm muscles before starting intense exercises to prepare the muscles and avoid any injuries.
Challenge enough to Boost your Body to the Next Strength level!
There is (much) more! In the following article, we will cover different body muscle exercises.
You will be pleased to see more muscle building results over time.