Best Forearms Exercises

56 forearms exercises across 3 difficulty levels. Step-by-step instructions, targeted muscle groups, and the equipment you need, pulled from Sculpt's training catalog.

Overview

About forearms training

The forearm contains over 20 muscles responsible for wrist flexion, wrist extension, pronation, supination, and grip strength. The main groups are the wrist flexors (inner forearm), wrist extensors (outer forearm), and the brachioradialis (the thick muscle on top of the forearm). For most lifters, heavy pulling work (deadlifts, rows, pull-ups) provides substantial forearm stimulation. Direct forearm training accelerates grip strength development and fills out the lower arm.

Training tips

How to train effectively

Wrist curls (palms up) and reverse wrist curls (palms down) are the core isolation movements. Use moderate weight and higher reps (12 to 20).
Farmer's carries build grip endurance and forearm thickness simultaneously while training core stability.
Dead hangs from a pull-up bar for time are a simple way to build grip strength with zero equipment.
Use a fat grip or grip sleeve on pulling movements to increase forearm recruitment during compound exercises.

Common mistakes

What to avoid

Ignoring the forearm extensors. Only training wrist curls creates an imbalance that can contribute to elbow pain.
Using straps on every pulling exercise. Straps help move more weight but prevent the forearms from being challenged.
Overtraining the forearms before heavy pulling sessions. Train forearms at the end of the workout or on separate days.

56 exercises

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Best Forearms Exercises

About forearms training

How to train effectively

What to avoid

Barbell Curl

Barbell Deadlift

Barbell Drag Curl

Barbell Rack Pull

Barbell Romanian Deadlift

Barbell Row

Barbell Shrug

Barbell Sumo Deadlift

Cable Bicep Curl

Cable Hammer Curl

Cable Pullover

Cable Shrug

Close-Grip Barbell Curl

Close-Grip Cable Row

Close-Grip Chest-Supported T-Bar Row

Close-Grip Preacher Curl

Close-Grip Pulldown

Dumbbell Alternating Curl with Pause

Dumbbell Arnold Curl

Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Dumbbell Cross-Body Curl

Dumbbell Deadlift

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Dumbbell Row

Dumbbell Shrug

Dumbbell Spider Curl

Dumbbell Wrist Curl

Dumbbell Wrist Rotation

EZ Bar Curl

Hanging Knee Raise

Hanging Leg Raise

Incline Dumbbell Row

Inside-Grip EZ Bar Curl

Lat Pulldown

Machine Preacher Curl

Parallel-Bar Pull Up

Reverse-Grip Cable Curl

Reverse-Grip Dumbbell Wrist Curl

Seated Cable Row

Seated Dumbbell Concentration Curl

Seated Dumbbell Curl

Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Seated Incline Dumbbell Curls

Single-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

Single-Arm Dumbbell Rotating Curl

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

Single-Arm Seated Cable Row

Smith Machine Bent-Over Row

Smith Machine Shrug

Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Standing Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Underhand-Grip Barbell Row

Underhand-Grip Pull Up

Wide-Grip Chest-Supported T-Bar Row

Wide-Grip Pull Up

Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row

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