11 Best Forearm Exercises That Can Build And Improve Grip Strength

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The best forearm exercises can help build and strengthen the muscles in the lower half of your arm, from your elbows, through the wrist to your hands (1).

The best forearm exercises can also help build upper body strength, making it possible to partake in many sporting and physical activities, including basketball and golf.

Building your forearm muscles can help increase grip strength, making it easy to lift, hold, and carry light and heavy items when working out or going through everyday activities. Building your grip strength can be beneficial as you get older (2).

Strengthening your forearms can help you perform better during strength training, lift more weight, and build muscle mass.

Thus the best forearm exercises can help build grip strength and make it manageable to go through many everyday tasks.

Best Forearm Exercises For Grip Strength and Power

Below is our pick of the best forearm exercises that can help strengthen your arm and upper body muscles.

Seated Barbell Wrist Curl

You will need a flat weight bench for the exercise.

The seated wrist curl is one of the best forearm exercises for targeting and strengthening the lower arms.

They are some of the best forearm strengthening exercises that train wrist flexion, improving your ability to bend your hand at the wrists.

Steps to follow

• Grap the barbell using a supinated grip, with your palms facing upwards
• Sit at one end of a flat weight bench and plant your feet firmly on the floor and rest your forearms on your thighs.
• Exhale, and using only your wrist, curl the barbell as far as possible in the direction of your body. Ensure your forearms remain still.
• Pause, inhale, and then slowly lower the barbell to your starting position
• Repeat 8-15 reps for a set and 3-4 sets in a session

Trap Bar Farmers Carry

The farmer’s carry or farmer’s walk is popular in CrossFit, functional training, and those preparing for the strongman competition.

It is one of the best forearm exercises for working and challenging grips, legs, core, traps, upper back, and shoulders.

The exercise can also strengthen the core muscles, biceps, and triceps, and help to reduce back pain and improve balance.

The farmer’s carry is also some of the best forearm exercises that can burn calories, build willpower and muscular coordination, and improve cardiovascular health.

The exercise involves holding a heavy object in each hand and walking for a time or distance.

You can use heavy dumbbells, kettlebells, loaded barbells, a trap bar, or any heavy object with a handle for the exercise.

Steps to follow

• Step inside the trap bar, arms by your side and feet at hip width.
• Bend at the hips and knees and grasp the trap bar handles with a neutral grip.
• Lift the trap and extend your knees and hips to stand upright. Keep your head up and back straight.
• Walk for 50-100 feet, or as far as possible, using quick steps. Breathe normally.

One Arm Seated Dumbbell Wrist Curl

The one-arm seated wrist curl is one of the best dumbbell forearm exercises that allows you to independently train and strengthen your wrist and other lower arm muscles in one hand.

The single-arm wrist curl can help correct imperfections and weaknesses, making it possible to build a more balanced body.

Using a lighter weight will help you get the technique right.

Steps to follow

• Grasp a dumbbell in one arm with your palm facing up and sit at one end of a flat weight bench.
• Place the back of your working forearm on your thigh, ensuring the wrist is off your thigh. Keep your non-working hand on your lap for balance.
• Using your wrist, slowly curl the dumbbell as far as possible. Keep your upper arm still.
• Pause, squeeze the forearm muscles for a count of two, and return the dumbbell to your starting position in a slow and controlled manner. Allow the dumbbell to drop as far as possible to get a full range of motion.
• Repeat 8-12 reps on one side
• Change hands and go through the motions with the other hand
• Aim for 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per side in a session

Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench

The palms-down wrist curls over a bench are forearm exercises with dumbbells for building mass and strength in the lower arms.

They are some of the best forearm exercises for building flexibility in the writs and improving grip strength.

You can use a barbell for the exercise. But using dumbbells instead of a barbell reduces the stress on your writs, helping to reduce the risk of injury.

You will need a pair of lightweight dumbbells and a flat bench for the exercise.

Steps to follow

• Place the dumbbells on one side of the flat weight bench
• Go down on both knees on the opposite side, facing the weight bench and the dumbbells.
• Reach over and grasp the dumbbells in each hand with a pronated grip (with your palms facing down)
• Bring the dumbbells up and rest your forearms against the weight bench, ensuring your wrists hang over the edge furthest from you.
• Start exhaling and slowly curl your wrist up as far as possible. Keep your forearm still and move only your wrist.
• Pause, start inhaling, and lower the dumbbells slowly and under control, ensuring only your wrist does the movement.
• Repeat 10-15 reps per set and 2-3 set in a session.

Reverse Concentration Curl

Concentration curls are one of the best exercises for working the biceps in each arm.

The reverse concentration curl is a variation that requires you to hold the dumbbell with your palms facing upward. Switching your grip direction allows you to emphasize the muscles in your forearms.

Thus the reverse concentration curls are some of the best forearm exercises for strength and mass and can be a great addition to your arms day training.

Steps to follow

• Grasp the dumbbell in your right hand and sit at the end of a weight bench.
• Keep your feet on the floor and shoulder-width apart.
• Position the back of the upper arm of your working hand (upper right arm) on the inside of its thigh (right thigh). Rest your non-working arm (left arm) on its knee to keep you stable.
• With your palms facing up (supinated grip), slowly curl the dumbbell as far as possible toward your shoulder while inhaling.
• Pause at the top of the movement and lower to your starting position in a slow and controlled manner
• Repeat 8-15 reps on one side
• Switch hands and repeat the motions with the other hand
• Aim to do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps on each side per session

Dead Hang

If you are one of the many who find it challenging to do pull-ups, then dead hang could be for you.

Dead hangs are some of the best bodyweight forearm exercises that work many other muscle groups, including the upper back, shoulders, and core.

Training these muscles can help you master pull-ups.

The exercise will also stretch your spine and greatly benefit those who spend many hours seated.

Dead hangs are some of the best forearm exercises to improve grip strength, which can help you undertake many physical activities.

They are one of the most effective forearm exercises without weights. Thus you can do them anywhere at your convenience.

You will need a pull-up bar or an overhead bar for the exercise. You also need a step or bench to stand on to help reach the bar.

Steps to follow

• Reach out and gasp the bar, using an overhand grip. Keep your arms at shoulder-width, and your palms must face away from your body. NB: Do not jump to reach the bar.
• Shift your feet off the bench, allowing you to hang on to the bar. Keep your elbows locked with your hands straight, and relax your body.
• Remain in the position for 10 seconds, to start with, and gradually increase the duration to 45 seconds or more over time.
• Get your feet back onto the bench and let go of your grip.
• Repeat 1-3 reps in a session

Reverse Grip Preacher Curl

The reverse grip preacher curl is a variation that requires you to grasp the weight with your palms facing downward.

Switching from the overhand to the underhand grip allows you to emphasize the muscles in your forearms, making the reverse preacher curls good forearm exercises for your workout regimen.

You can use an EZ curl bar, a straight barbell, or a pair of dumbbells for the exercise. An EZ curl bar or pair of dumbbells will reduce the stress on your wrists.

Steps to follow

• Grap the EZ curl bar with a pronated grip, ensuring your palms face downward. Keep your grips at shoulder width.
• Place the back of your upper arms on the pads of the preacher curl bench and extend your arms.
• Exhale and curl the bar as far as possible to shoulder height using your biceps.
• Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement for a second.
• Inhale and lower the bar until your elbows are locked to return to your starting position.
• Repeat 8-15 reps for a set and 2-3 sets per session

Standing Dumbbell Reverse Curl

The reverse curl is a variation that involves grasping the free weights with your palms facing downward.

The unusual wrist direction allows you to target and build your forearms and grip strength, in addition to your biceps.

The dumbbell reverse curl is one of the best forearm exercises that target the brachioradialis muscle in the forearm and the brachialis muscle in the upper arm.

Aside from using dumbbells, you can also opt to do the movements with an EZ curls bar or a straight barbell.

Steps to follow

• Grasp a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing down (using a pronated grip).
• Stand upright with feet at shoulder width and arms fully extended.
• Exhale, keep your forearm still, and use only your forearms to curl the weights as far as possible to shoulder level. Contract your biceps as you curl upward.
• Hold for a second at the top of our movement while squeezing your contracted biceps.
• Inhale and lower the dumbbells to your starting position slowly and under control
• Repeat 8-15 reps for a set and 2-3 sets per session

Inverted Row

The inverted row is one of the best bodyweight exercises that strengthen your upper muscles, making it possible for you to do the more challenging pull-ups exercise.

Inverted rows involve putting your body in a horizontal position, helping you to work various upper and lower body muscles, including the forearms, traps, lats, biceps, rhomboids, and delts.

They are some of the best forearm exercises that improve grip strength and scapular retraction. Scapular retraction helps with the stabilization of the shoulder joints.

A Smith machine is one of the best gym equipment for inverted rows. You can also use a rigid, bar set at a reasonable height, or TRX suspension straps for the exercise if you are training from home.

Steps to follow

• Set the bar on the Smith machine to a reasonable height, possibly at waist height.
• Lie under the bar and look straight at the ceiling.
• Reach out and grasp the bar using an overhand grip.
• Extend your arms fully with your heel on the floor and allow your body to suspend under the bar.
• Brace your lower back by contracting your glutes and core muscles and put your body, from feet to toes, in a straight line. Maintain this form throughout the movement
• Bend your elbows and pull yourself up to chest height. Do not lift your heels from the floor. Your chest should not touch the bar, either.
• Pause briefly, retract your shoulder blades, and slowly lower to your starting position.
• Repeat.
• Aim for 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per set in a session.

Final words from LiveLIfe

The best forearm exercises can help build lower and upper arm strength, improve grip strength, and make it easy to partake in many physical activities.

Do not let the training of your lower hand muscles be an afterthought, or do not assume that the pull-ups, deadlifts, and presses will automatically strengthen your wrist and grip strength.

Incorporate these forearm exercises in your training regimen to help isolate and train your lower arm muscles. They can help you get an all-around fit body and improve your quality of life.