How many of you do grip training / direct forearm work ? If so what is your routine ?

[soloartist56]

I have been concentrating a lot on my grip strength / forearm work for the last year and IMO a lot of people neglect these little muscles but I can tell you it dramatically made my upper body look more powerful (though I'm nothing special compared to some of you). I see at my gym a lot of people with huge biceps/triceps but have candy canes for forearms. It doesn't look right. A short sleeve shirt can hide the best chest / back / abs etc but forearms are exposed for everyone to see. Nothing spells power when I see someone with well developed forearms.

Also some people say well I do heavy back training with no straps so I get indirect forearm training so I don't need it. <<== This may be true but from my experience direct forearm/grip training does make your forearms grow significantly more. Lastly genetics obviously plays a role on forearms if you have high insertions but I still believe with direct grip/forearm training you can still get it pretty beefy.

Pics below are some exercises I started incorporating into my routine. I do it 2x a week on days where my forearms are fresh so I can hit it with full power. 2 sets each exercise to failure with emphasis on progressive overload. I know its working because my forearms got much bigger than previous years without direct work.

Would like to hear what you guys do for development of your forearms. Thanks for your inputs !

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[BushMan]

Heavy deads with no straps

 

[jm425]

I do direct forearm work after I'm doing working my back. I do db wrist curls, bb wrist curls, cable wrist curls, and farmer's walk with dbs. I have a gripper as as well that I use. My forearms are shitty therefore I have to do direct work on them. My grip strength and forearm size have improved significantly as a result.

 

[MuscleEmporium]

I do direct work on my forarms every now and then but I still rely on wrist straps. A good exercise is grasp some dumbells in your hand that are a decent weight. Now, either sitting or standing, imagine pointing your thumbs straight back behind you. Then you rotate them toward you and then out till your thumbs point straight out to your side.

using a clock and right hand as an example. thumbs points at 6, move it to 9/12/ and then 3.

Experiment with that movement with decent weight for 3 x 15-25 reps.

Hope that helps

 

[soloartist56]

Heavy deads with no straps

I do direct forearm work after I'm doing working my back. I do db wrist curls, bb wrist curls, cable wrist curls, and farmer's walk with dbs. I have a gripper as as well that I use. My forearms are shitty therefore I have to do direct work on them. My grip strength and forearm size have improved significantly as a result.

Hey I don't disagree with no straps can build ones forearms but it could be possible for example you started a routine directly hitting your forearms when your fresh and your body can respond to this new direct stimulus in a way where the size could increase tremendously.

Jm, I tried doing forearm/grip work after doing back but I realized my forearms/hands were too tired from doing any real weight. Then I switched up to doing 2 days out of the week when they are the freshest (ex: after chest and/or shoulders) and visually it increased in size substantially where it made me look much more muscular.

I strongly believe having muscular forearms greatly enhances ones physique especially when your just wearing a t-shirt or any short sleeve shirt. Case in point, my neighbor is a construction worker and uses his grip strength all day. He has huge forearms but doesn't have a big back / big chest etc but people keep asking him how much does he lift or if he workouts alot because they keep staring at his forearms(he doesn't lift). Like I said in my OP besides stepping on stage when you are just walking around outside in the warm weather everything is pretty much covered except for the most part your forearms so I treat it just like any bodypart and hit it directly more so now because of the enhanced visual effect which I feel is highly underrated

 

[jer]

Just started directly training them again. I agree that big forearms look powerful.

 

[BushMan]

Hey I don't disagree with no straps can build ones forearms but it could be possible for example you started a routine directly hitting your forearms when your fresh and your body can respond to this new direct stimulus in a way where the size could increase tremendously.

Jm, I tried doing forearm/grip work after doing back but I realized my forearms/hands were too tired from doing any real weight. Then I switched up to doing 2 days out of the week when they are the freshest (ex: after chest and/or shoulders) and visually it increased in size substantially where it made me look much more muscular.

I strongly believe having muscular forearms greatly enhances ones physique especially when your just wearing a t-shirt or any short sleeve shirt. Case in point, my neighbor is a construction worker and uses his grip strength all day. He has huge forearms but doesn't have a big back / big chest etc but people keep asking him how much does he lift or if he workouts alot because they keep staring at his forearms(he doesn't lift). Like I said in my OP besides stepping on stage when you are just walking around outside in the warm weather everything is pretty much covered except for the most part your forearms so I treat it just like any bodypart and hit it directly more so now because of the enhanced visual effect which I feel is highly underrated

Honestly, I'll admit that I don't have the largest forearms. But they have made great progress since I started lifting. I also do farmers walks with towels wrapped around DBs.

 

[blacktoppete]

Deadlifts,Power rack no straps=big forearms and grip strength. Throw in some hammer curls your GTG.

 

[soloartist56]

Deadlifts,Power rack no straps=big forearms and grip strength. Throw in some hammer curls your GTG.

I might be wrong in thinking this way but my thought process is for example during squats you work your calves also (to a lesser degree obviously) but people also do seated calve raises, standing calve raises, dropsets, rest pause etc and absolutely smash their calves..... wouldn't you treat your forearms the same since it is part of the entire arm just as the calves are part of the entire leg plus its the body part which is literally the most visible?

 

[anarchocapitalist]

I do direct forearm work. I'm a competitive powerlifter and just starting to dabble in strongman. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If you can deadlift and shrug heavy without straps its probably not necessary.

I just enjoy having a strong grip.

I often do "thumbless" chins or shrugs just trying to hold the bar with my fingers. My gym has some nice 100lbs plates that are good for standing finger curls. I just hold the 100lbs plates to my sides and try to touch my fingers to the palms.

Toss a towel/chain over a chin bar and try to do pullups gripping the towel/chain.

Pinch grip two 25lbs plates together.

One arm deadlifts and snatchs with a barbell.

I also have a quick link / chain hooked up to some plates that I try to hold with my fingers.

I have several thick handled kettlebells that I try to swing around or even do hammer curls with. Its hard because the cannon ball thingy is a few inches out from the handle significantly increasing the resistance.

I have pretty thick forearms and its kinda cool when someone points it out.

 

[prescot316]

Just got a set of fat gripz. They really work your forearms pretty hard and are good to build up grip strength. Everything feels about 15-20lb heavier when using them.

 

[cal]

The fat grips are good.

Got away from using them. I think they take away from regular lifts but good for timed holds with barbell or attach to pullup bar and do timed holds or do deadlifts with them or even better stiff legged deadlifts. .im lazu and grip is fine so dont do it as much as I should



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[soloartist56]

Just got a set of fat gripz. They really work your forearms pretty hard and are good to build up grip strength. Everything feels about 15-20lb heavier when using them.

The fat grips are good.

Got away from using them. I think they take away from regular lifts but good for timed holds with barbell or attach to pullup bar and do timed holds or do deadlifts with them or even better stiff legged deadlifts. .im lazu and grip is fine so dont do it as much as I should



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I was looking into this as another option... I am assuming you guys use the blue fat gripz right? The 3" red ones are crazy big. My friend was mentioning that when he used these that he was struggling with curling 20 pound dumbbell for reps.

 

[soloartist56]

Nothing like a pair of huge shredded forearms to compliment the upper arm !!
I rather take a pair of huge forearms for a mediocre pair of upper arms if that's even possible !

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[prescot316]

I was looking into this as another option... I am assuming you guys use the blue fat gripz right? The 3" red ones are crazy big. My friend was mentioning that when he used these that he was struggling with curling 20 pound dumbbell for reps.]

Yeah I got the blue ones. Didn't know they had an extreme version. Those look crazy hard to grip

 

[cal]

The extreme version I think are so big they just limit handling any real weight too much. Id stick to the blues

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[scottswald]

Anyone here (who actually has really big forearms) worked them 5+ times a week like people have been talking about doing with calves?

How did it work?

 

[soloartist56]

I do direct forearm work. I'm a competitive powerlifter and just starting to dabble in strongman. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If you can deadlift and shrug heavy without straps its probably not necessary.

I just enjoy having a strong grip.

I often do "thumbless" chins or shrugs just trying to hold the bar with my fingers. My gym has some nice 100lbs plates that are good for standing finger curls. I just hold the 100lbs plates to my sides and try to touch my fingers to the palms.

Toss a towel/chain over a chin bar and try to do pullups gripping the towel/chain.

Pinch grip two 25lbs plates together.

One arm deadlifts and snatchs with a barbell.

I also have a quick link / chain hooked up to some plates that I try to hold with my fingers.

I have several thick handled kettlebells that I try to swing around or even do hammer curls with. Its hard because the cannon ball thingy is a few inches out from the handle significantly increasing the resistance.

I have pretty thick forearms and its kinda cool when someone points it out.

Anyone here (who actually has really big forearms) worked them 5+ times a week like people have been talking about doing with calves?

How did it work?

Anarcho, I incorporated some of your techniques yesterday that you posted.. The "thumbless" chins and shrugs plus the plate finger curls. Man I can tell ya my forearms felt so pumped it was going to explode. I LOVE IT

Scottswald, there has to be someone on here who got their forearms really huge from multiple direct forearm training each week.. I am hoping they see this thread and chime in. I do not believe that using no straps for back is enough for maximum growth. Also think about it, forearms like a mentioned is the most visible out of ANY bodypart yet it is an after thought when it comes to training them.

Look at Stallone's forearms. I remember reading somewhere that he mentioned he does a lot of direct forearm work. Perfect example right here. He is wearing jeans and shirt where everything is covered except his forearms which that alone makes him look a lot bigger than he really is.
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[zee-man]

I recently bought some CoC grippers. Hitting those twice a week as recommended. I dont know if theyll spur any noticeable forearm growth, but Ive already noticed improved forearm and grip strength in the past three weeks.

Ive talked to some folks about fat grips. They say its an ego check to use them at first, but once your body adjusts its great. They all swear by them. Plan on picking me up a pair.


At my place of work, the pipe fitters all have massive forearms like popeye style. Turn a wrench a few hours a day, especially torqueing and youll get big forearms, promise.

 

[soloartist56]

I recently bought some CoC grippers. Hitting those twice a week as recommended. I dont know if theyll spur any noticeable forearm growth, but Ive already noticed improved forearm and grip strength in the past three weeks.

Ive talked to some folks about fat grips. They say its an ego check to use them at first, but once your body adjusts its great. They all swear by them. Plan on picking me up a pair.


At my place of work, the pipe fitters all have massive forearms like popeye style. Turn a wrench a few hours a day, especially torqueing and youll get big forearms, promise.

CoC grippers are the best portable forearm equipment you can get. How many pounds of pressure is yours ? If somehow I "graduate" and go up to the 365lbs CoC's I should have popeye forearms by then !


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Pipe fitters, jackhammer operators, some sanitation, welders all have massive forearms. I don't believe it is that easy to "overtrain" them as easy as some people make it out to seem.

Heck look at these arm wrestlers !!

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