Best Forearms Exercises

60 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.

60 exercises

Barbell Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Barbell Curl

Biceps·Barbell·Beginner
Barbell Deadlift exercise
Back muscle illustration

Barbell Deadlift

Back·Barbell·Advanced·Compound
Barbell Drag Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Barbell Drag Curl

Biceps·Barbell·Intermediate
Barbell Rack Pull exercise
Back muscle illustration

Barbell Rack Pull

Back·Power Rack·Intermediate·Compound
Barbell Romanian Deadlift exercise
Hamstrings muscle illustration

Barbell Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings·Barbell·Advanced·Compound
Barbell Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Barbell Row

Back·Barbell·Intermediate·Compound
Barbell Shrug exercise
Back muscle illustration

Barbell Shrug

Back·Barbell·Beginner
Barbell Sumo Deadlift exercise
Glutes muscle illustration

Barbell Sumo Deadlift

Glutes·Barbell·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Bicep Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Cable Bicep Curl

Biceps·Cable Machine·Intermediate
Cable Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Cable Curl

Biceps·Cable Machine·Beginner
Cable Hammer Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Cable Hammer Curl

Biceps·Cable Machine·Beginner
Cable Pullover exercise
Back muscle illustration

Cable Pullover

Back·Cable Machine·Beginner
Cable Shrug exercise
Back muscle illustration

Cable Shrug

Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate
Close-Grip Barbell Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Close-Grip Barbell Curl

Biceps·Barbell·Intermediate
Close-Grip Cable Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Close-Grip Cable Row

Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Close-Grip Chest-Supported T-Bar Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Close-Grip Chest-Supported T-Bar Row

Back·T-Bar Row Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Close-Grip Preacher Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Close-Grip Preacher Curl

Biceps·Barbell·Intermediate
Close-Grip Pulldown exercise
Back muscle illustration

Close-Grip Pulldown

Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Dumbbell Alternating Curl with Pause exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Dumbbell Alternating Curl with Pause

Biceps·Dumbbells·Intermediate
Dumbbell Arnold Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Dumbbell Arnold Curl

Biceps·Dumbbells·Intermediate
Dumbbell Bicep Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Biceps·Dumbbells·Beginner
Dumbbell Cross-Body Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Dumbbell Cross-Body Curl

Biceps·Dumbbells·Intermediate
Dumbbell Deadlift exercise
Back muscle illustration

Dumbbell Deadlift

Back·Dumbbells·Beginner·Compound
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift exercise
Hamstrings muscle illustration

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings·Dumbbells·Intermediate·Compound
Dumbbell Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Dumbbell Row

Back·Flat Bench·Advanced·Compound
Dumbbell Shrug exercise
Back muscle illustration

Dumbbell Shrug

Back·Dumbbells·Beginner
Dumbbell Spider Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Dumbbell Spider Curl

Biceps·Incline Bench·Beginner
Dumbbell Wrist Curl exercise
Forearms muscle illustration

Dumbbell Wrist Curl

Forearms·Dumbbells·Intermediate
Dumbbell Wrist Rotation exercise
Forearms muscle illustration

Dumbbell Wrist Rotation

Forearms·Dumbbells·Advanced
EZ Bar Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

EZ Bar Curl

Biceps·E Z Curl Bar·Beginner
Hanging Knee Raise exercise
Abs muscle illustration

Hanging Knee Raise

Abs·Pull Up Bar·Beginner
Hanging Leg Raise exercise
Abs muscle illustration

Hanging Leg Raise

Abs·Pull Up Bar·Beginner
High Iso Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

High Iso Row

Back·Seated Row Machine·Beginner·Compound
Incline Dumbbell Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Incline Dumbbell Row

Back·Incline Bench·Advanced·Compound
Inside-Grip EZ Bar Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Inside-Grip EZ Bar Curl

Biceps·E Z Curl Bar·Intermediate
Iso Row Machine exercise
Back muscle illustration

Iso Row Machine

Back·Seated Row Machine·Beginner·Compound
Lat Pulldown exercise
Back muscle illustration

Lat Pulldown

Back·Lat Pull Down·Intermediate·Compound
Machine Preacher Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Machine Preacher Curl

Biceps·Preacher Curl Machine·Beginner
Parallel-Bar Pull Up exercise
Back muscle illustration

Parallel-Bar Pull Up

Back·Pull Up Bar·Advanced·Compound
Reverse-Grip Barbell Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Reverse-Grip Barbell Curl

Biceps·Barbell·Intermediate
Reverse-Grip Cable Curl exercise
Forearms muscle illustration

Reverse-Grip Cable Curl

Forearms·Cable Machine·Intermediate
Reverse-Grip Dumbbell Wrist Curl exercise
Forearms muscle illustration

Reverse-Grip Dumbbell Wrist Curl

Forearms·Dumbbells·Advanced
Seated Cable Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Seated Cable Row

Back·Cable Machine·Beginner·Compound
Seated Dumbbell Concentration Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Seated Dumbbell Concentration Curl

Biceps·Dumbbells·Beginner
Seated Dumbbell Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Seated Dumbbell Curl

Biceps·Dumbbells·Intermediate
Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Biceps·Dumbbells·Intermediate
Seated Incline Dumbbell Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Seated Incline Dumbbell Curl

Biceps·Incline Bench·Intermediate
Single-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Single-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

Biceps·Dumbbells·Intermediate
Single-Arm Dumbbell Rotating Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Single-Arm Dumbbell Rotating Curl

Biceps·Dumbbells·Intermediate
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

Back·Flat Bench·Intermediate·Compound
Single-Arm Seated Cable Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Single-Arm Seated Cable Row

Back·Cable Machine·Advanced·Compound
Smith Machine Bent-Over Row exercise

Smith Machine Bent-Over Row

Rhomboids·Smith Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Smith Machine Shrug exercise
Back muscle illustration

Smith Machine Shrug

Back·Smith Machine·Beginner
Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Biceps·Dumbbells·Intermediate
Standing Dumbbell Hammer Curl exercise
Biceps muscle illustration

Standing Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Biceps·Dumbbells·Beginner
Underhand-Grip Barbell Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Underhand-Grip Barbell Row

Back·Barbell·Advanced·Compound
Underhand-Grip Pull Up exercise
Back muscle illustration

Underhand-Grip Pull Up

Back·Pull Up Bar·Advanced·Compound
Wide-Grip Chest-Supported T-Bar Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Wide-Grip Chest-Supported T-Bar Row

Back·T-Bar Row Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Wide-Grip Pull Up exercise
Back muscle illustration

Wide-Grip Pull Up

Back·Pull Up Bar·Advanced·Compound
Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row exercise
Back muscle illustration

Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row

Back·Cable Machine·Advanced·Compound
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