13 Forearm Exercises To Do At The Gym Or At Home - Healthline

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13 Forearm Exercises to Do at the Gym or at Home

Medically reviewed by Micky Lal, MA, CSCS,RYT — Written by Emily Cronkleton — Updated on October 18, 2024

With dumbbells
With machines
Without weights
At home
Building a routine
Cautions
FAQ
Takeaway

Forearm exercises can help you develop grip strength. Exercises can be done using dumbbells, machines, or your body weight whether you’re at home or in the gym.

Forearm exercises stretch and strengthen the muscles crossing your hands, wrists, and elbows.

These muscles are used daily for tasks like opening a glass jar or carrying a suitcase up a flight of stairs. They’re also used in many sports, such as golf, hockey, racquetball, and basketball.

Strengthening your forearms increases grip strength, which is associated with upper body strength, function, and mobility.

Keep reading to learn more about 13 forearm exercises.

Before performing forearm exercises

Each forearm exercise should be done to failure. This means you know your set is complete once you can no longer lift with good form.

Before you do forearm exercises, consider warming up by turning your wrists in circles in both directions and moving them side to side and up and down.

This can help loosen up your wrists and improve blood flow to prevent injuries.

With dumbbells

Begin with 5- to 10-pound dumbbells. Gradually increase the weight as you get stronger. Grip the dumbbells tightly throughout the movement. If you don’t have weights, you can use a can of soup or a bottle of water.

Palms-up wrist curl

male performing forearm exercise with dumbbells — GIF by Active Body. Creative Mind.

While seated, rest your wrists on your knees or a flat surface, with your palms facing up.
With a dumbbell in each hand, raise your hands as high as you can, keeping your arms still. Your wrists should not rise up off the surface they are resting on.
After a slight pause, lower your hands to the starting position.

Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions each.

Palms-down wrist curl

While seated, rest your wrist on your knees or a flat surface with your palms facing down.
Holding a dumbbell in each hand, raise your hands as high as you can, keeping your arms still. Your wrists should not rise up off the surface they’re resting on.
After a slight pause, return your hands to the starting position.

Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions each.

Grip crush

While seated, rest your left wrist on your knee or a flat surface, holding a dumbbell.
Relax and open your hand so the dumbbell rolls toward your fingertips.
Tighten your hand and curl your wrist up as you squeeze the weight as tightly as possible.
After performing 8 to 15 reps, repeat on the opposite side. Perform 2 to 3 sets on each side.

Farmer’s walk

To increase the difficulty, wrap a towel around the dumbbell handles.

Use an overhand grip to carry heavy weights or bags, with your arms alongside your body.
Maintain good posture, keep your chest open, and draw your shoulders down and back.
Walk for 30 to 40 feet per set. If you’re in a smaller space, you can walk in circles or back and forth.
You can also perform this exercise by walking backward. Before trying the reverse farmer’s walk, make sure your space is clear of obstacles.

Perform 2 to 3 sets.

With machines

Behind-the-back cable curl

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Hold the handle of a low pulley with your left hand, and walk a few steps away from the machine.
Place your right foot slightly in front of your left.
Slowly curl your left arm to bring your hand up toward your left shoulder.
Pause here before lowering your arm to the starting position.
After performing 8 to 15 reps, repeat on the opposite side.

Perform 2 to 3 sets on each side.

Towel cable row

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Attach a towel to a cable pulley and stand in front of it.
Hold one end of the towel in each hand.
Draw your shoulder blades together as you bring the towel to your chest in a rowing motion.

Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions each.

Without weights

Pullups

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For this exercise, it’s back to the basics. You’ll need a bar or something that can support your weight.

The ideal hand position is with your palms facing away from you, but if it’s easier, you can face your palms toward you.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together and down to engage your lats and keep your core tight throughout the exercise.
Pull yourself up toward the bar until your chin goes over it, then lower yourself down slowly.

To activate your forearms more, try gripping the bar more tightly or using a thicker bar. You can also increase the size of a bar by wrapping a towel around it.

Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions each.

Dead hangs

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Dead hangs help develop grip strength and are an easier alternative to doing pullups.

Grip the bar and hold yourself there for as long as possible, with your elbows slightly bent.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together and down to engage your lats. Keep your core tight throughout the exercise.

Hold the dead hang for 30 seconds to 1 minute for one set. Perform a total of 2 to 3 sets.

Forearm pull

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Hold the weight bar of a pulley machine at shoulder level, with your palms facing down.
Draw your upper arms in toward the side of your torso.
Push the weight all the way down.
Pause, then return to the starting position.

Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions each.

At home

Forearm squeeze

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Use a pair of forearm grips or another object you can squeeze, such as a tennis ball or a sock.

Extend and then flex your fingers to squeeze the item.
Hold for 3 to 5 seconds, then relax your grip for a few seconds.
Continue for 10 to 15 minutes.

Do this 2 to 3 times per arm daily.

Fingertip pushups

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Kneel down by a bench or sturdy object and bring your fingertips down on the surface.
Slowly and with control, bring your chest to the bench, bending your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
Return to the starting position.
For an extra challenge, try this exercise with your fingertips on the floor instead.

Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions each.

Crab walk

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Come into reverse tabletop position.
Place your hands under your shoulders, with your fingers facing toward your feet.
Align your ankles directly under your knees.
Walk forward on your hands and feet for up to 1 minute at a time.

Perform 2 to 3 sets.

Plank with shoulder taps

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Kneel down on the floor or on a yoga mat.
Place your hands directly under your shoulders — like you’re about to do a pushup.
Curl your toes under and lift your body into plank position. Steady your core.
Lift your right hand from the ground and touch your opposite shoulder. Then, return your hand to the floor.
Lift your left hand from the ground, touch your opposite shoulder, and return your hand to the floor.
Do this exercise for 30 to 60 seconds, or however long you can.

Perform 2 to 3 sets.

Building a routine

You can do these forearm exercises on their own or along with your workout routine. Start with a few and then change up your routine after a few weeks by incorporating more exercises.

If you’re doing the exercises in addition to strenuous activity, make sure you don’t fatigue your muscles. You can do some of these exercises for a short time each day, then devote time for a longer session one to two times per week.

Allow for one full day of rest between longer sessions to allow your muscles time to recover.

Cautions and modifications

When performing these exercises, only go to the degree that’s appropriate for your body. Be gentle, and make sure you can maintain smooth, controlled breathing that mimics your movements. Avoid any jerky motions.

Stop if you’re feeling forearm pain or anything beyond a mild sensation. If you experience soreness after these exercises, try icing the affected area and doing light stretching to reduce tension.

If you’re not sure where to begin or would like some guidance, consider speaking with a fitness expert. They could address specific concerns you may have, set you up with a routine, and make sure you’re doing the exercises correctly.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best forearm workout?

An effective forearm workout will target the two groups of muscles in your forearms, which are the extensor and flexor muscles. Some exercises target the forearms directly, such as wrist curls. Others incorporate other muscles to maximize balance, such as pullups, farmer’s walks, and fingertip pushups.

Are forearms hard to grow?

Forearms are not necessarily hard to grow. However, there are more muscles in the forearms than the upper arm, so results may not show as quickly. Many exercise programs also target larger muscle groups like the core, legs, and chest, so people may not be as consistent with doing forearm exercises as they are with exercises that target these other, larger muscle groups.

Can I use hand grippers every day?

Using a hand gripper could help improve strength and size in your forearms. However, using a hand gripper daily may prevent your forearm muscles from fully recovering. Consider using a hand gripper every other day to let your muscles recover properly.

The bottom line

Forearm exercises can build strength and increase grip strength, both of which benefit a wide range of physical activities. To see the best results, be consistent in your practice and commit to your routine.

Give yourself plenty of time to recover between workouts and vary your workout routine on a weekly basis.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Bohannon RW. (2019). Grip strength: An indispensable biomarker for older adults.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6778477/
How to get bigger forearms with a few simple exercises. (2024).https://www.issaonline.com/blog/post/how-to-get-bigger-forearms-with-a-few-simple-exercises
Mitchell B, et al. (2023). Anatomy, shoulder and upper limb, forearm muscles.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536975/

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Medically reviewed by Micky Lal, MA, CSCS,RYT — Written by Emily Cronkleton — Updated on October 18, 2024

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Fitness

Before performing forearm exercises

With dumbbells

Palms-up wrist curl

Palms-down wrist curl

Grip crush

Farmer’s walk

With machines

Behind-the-back cable curl

Towel cable row

Without weights

Pullups

Dead hangs

Forearm pull

At home

Forearm squeeze

Fingertip pushups

Crab walk

Plank with shoulder taps

Building a routine

Cautions and modifications

Frequently asked questions

What is the best forearm workout?

Are forearms hard to grow?

Can I use hand grippers every day?

The bottom line

How we reviewed this article:

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