Big, strong forearm muscles can really set off a physique. They can also improve your grip strength, which can be valuable in contact sports like wrestling, judo and football. Working your forearms isn't complicated. You just have to make sure you target as much muscle fiber as possible. This requires you to move your wrists through multiple planes of motion.
Reverse Wrist Curls
Reverse wrist curls require the use of a dumbbell and weight bench. To do these, sit on a flat bench, place your right forearm on the end and hold a dumbbell in your hand with your palm facing down. Your elbow should be bent 90 degrees at this point, your wrist should be just over the edge of the bench and the dumbbell should be on the left side of the bench. Slowly lower the weight down by bending your wrist. Lift back up as high as possible and squeeze your forearm muscles for a full second. After doing a set of reps, switch sides. This exercise works the extensors on the top of the forearm.
To work the flexors on the underside of the forearm, place the top of your forearm on the bench straight in front of you with your wrist just hanging over the edge. Now lower the dumbbell down and up by bending your wrist. When you raise the dumbbell with this exercise, your palm will be facing you.
Reverse Curls
Reverse curls work the long strip of muscle called the brachioradialis that runs from the biceps down to the middle of the forearm. To do these, hold a barbell or set of dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing you. Keeping your upper arms tight to your sides, raise the weights up by bending your elbows. Once your palms face forward, slowly lower the weights and repeat.
Wrist Flippers
Wrist flippers involve supination and pronation. Supination is a position where your palms face up, and pronation is where your palms face down. To do this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder width apart, dumbbells in your hands and elbows bent 90 degrees. Hold the weights straight in front of your body with your palms facing up. Keeping your upper arms still, twist your wrists so that your palms are facing down. Alternate back and forth in a steady motion.
Radial Flexion
Radial flexion is performed with a plate-loaded dumbbell. After fastening a plate to one side of the dumbbell handle, grasp it with your right hand. Your thumb should be facing the plate and your arm should be hanging at your side. In a steady motion, bend your wrist laterally to move the weighted end upward. Squeeze your forearm muscles for a second, bend your wrist to lower the weight, and repeat. After doing a set of reps, switch sides.
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