Forearm exercises
The 8 staple movements, taken from the 3,215 exercise guides in the SETR app: technique, recommended volume, cues and classic mistakes.
The forearms bend and straighten the wrist and, above all, close the hand. Grip often limits heavy pulling long before the back does, so strengthening it moves everything else forward. Wrist curls train the flexors and extensors; heavy carries and hangs build grip strength.
1. Wrist curl
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 10-15
- Tempo
- 3-0-1-0
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Level
- Beginner
- Muscles worked
- Forearms
How to do it
- Sit or stand with your forearm resting on your thigh or a bench, wrist past the edge, palm up.
- Hold a light weight in your hand.
- Curl your wrist up through its full range.
- Lower under control to a full stretch.
Tips
- Keep your forearm still and isolate only your wrist.
- Use a light load and high reps — the flexors are a small muscle group.
- Hold a firm squeeze at the top of each rep.
Mistakes to avoid
- Moving your forearm or elbow to help the movement.
- Using too heavy a load that limits your range.
- Rushing through reps without a full stretch or squeeze.
2. Barbell reverse wrist curl
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 10-15
- Tempo
- 3-0-1-0
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Level
- Beginner
- Muscles worked
- Forearms
How to do it
- Stand or sit, holding a barbell with an overhand grip in front of your thighs.
- Keep your forearms still, elbows slightly bent and fixed.
- Raise your wrists, leading with the backs of your hands.
- Lower under control to a full stretch.
Tips
- This movement targets the extensors, often the weak spot compared with the flexors.
- Use a light load — the useful range is small.
- Keep your forearms fixed; all the movement comes from your wrists.
Mistakes to avoid
- Moving your forearms or elbows to help the movement.
- Using too heavy a load that prevents a full range.
- Rushing through reps without control.
3. Dumbbell reverse wrist curl
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 10-15
- Tempo
- 3-0-1-0
- Equipment
- Dumbbells
- Level
- Beginner
- Muscles worked
- Forearms
How to do it
- Sit on a bench, forearms resting on your thighs, wrists past your knees.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing the floor.
- Raise your wrists by contracting the top of your forearms.
- Lower slowly to a full stretch of your extensors.
Tips
- Use a much lighter load than for wrist curls: the extensors are weaker.
- Keep your forearms pressed against your thighs from start to finish.
- Excellent for preventing tennis elbow-type pain.
Mistakes to avoid
- Lifting your forearms off your thighs to help.
- Choosing a load that stops you from raising your wrists all the way.
- Swinging through reps with no real range.
4. Reverse barbell curl
Barbell Reverse Curl
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 10-15
- Tempo
- 3-0-1-0
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Level
- Beginner
- Muscles worked
- Biceps · secondary : Forearms
How to do it
- Stand holding a barbell with an overhand grip (palms down) in front of your thighs.
- Keep your elbows close to your body.
- Bend your elbows to raise the bar toward your shoulders, keeping the overhand grip.
- Lower under control to full extension.
Tips
- This movement works your brachioradialis and forearms more than a classic curl.
- Use a lighter load than for a classic curl — the overhand grip is mechanically weaker.
- Keep your wrists firm, without letting them bend down.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting your wrists bend down under the load.
- Swinging your torso to help the movement.
- Using the same load as a classic curl, which breaks your technique.
5. Farmer's walk
Dumbbell Farmers Walk
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 10-15
- Tempo
- 3-0-1-0
- Equipment
- Dumbbells
- Level
- Beginner
- Muscles worked
- Forearms · secondary : Traps, Quads
How to do it
- Place a heavy dumbbell on each side of you and pick them up by bending your hips and knees, back flat.
- Stand up, arms straight at your sides, shoulders down and shoulder blades squeezed.
- Walk with short, steady steps, keeping your torso vertical.
- Set the dumbbells down by bending your hips, back flat.
Tips
- Count in distance or time rather than reps.
- Grip the handles hard: your grip usually gives out before your legs.
- Keep your chest open, without letting your shoulders roll forward.
Mistakes to avoid
- Rounding your back as you pick up or set down the weights.
- Taking long strides and losing your balance.
- Letting your shoulders slump forward.
6. Dead hang
- Sets
- 2-3
- Reps
- 3-5
- Tempo
- 0-30-0-0
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Level
- Beginner
- Muscles worked
- Back · secondary : Shoulders, Forearms
How to do it
- Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your feet off the floor and hang with your arms straight.
- Fully relax your shoulders and let your spine lengthen under your body weight.
- Hold the position while breathing, then slowly set your feet down.
Tips
- Count in seconds of hanging: 20 to 45 seconds is enough.
- Keep your shoulders slightly engaged if you have a history of instability.
- Excellent for decompressing your spine after a heavy session.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting go of the bar abruptly at the end of the hang.
- Swinging during the hang.
- Hanging until your grip suddenly gives out.
7. Wrist roller
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 10-15
- Tempo
- 3-0-1-0
- Equipment
- Plate
- Level
- Beginner
- Muscles worked
- Forearms · secondary : Shoulders
How to do it
- Hold the roller handle with both hands, arms extended in front of you at shoulder height.
- A weight hangs from the end of the rope, at floor level.
- Wind the rope by turning the handle, one hand after the other, until the weight comes up.
- Then unwind slowly all the way down, controlling the descent.
Tips
- The controlled descent is as important as the lift: don't let the rope unwind freely.
- Keep your arms at shoulder height; that's what makes the exercise so tough.
- A single full wind up and down is already a serious rep.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting your arms drop to give your shoulders a break.
- Letting the weight unwind in free fall.
- Choosing a load that stops you from reaching the top.
8. Plate pinch
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 10-15
- Tempo
- 3-0-1-0
- Equipment
- Plate
- Level
- Beginner
- Muscles worked
- Forearms
How to do it
- Place two plates on the floor smooth side to smooth side, or use a single plate depending on thickness.
- Pinch the plate between your thumb and fingers, without letting it rest on your palm.
- Lift the plate off the floor, holding it only with your finger pinch.
- Hold the standing position as long as your grip allows, then set the plate down under control.
Tips
- Keep your wrist neutral; don't let it bend to compensate.
- Start with a light, thin plate — a pinch grip is harder than a standard grip.
- Breathe normally during the hold rather than holding your breath.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting the plate rest against your palm instead of holding it only with your fingertips.
- Choosing a plate that's too thick or too heavy right away.
- Swinging your arm to make up for a failing grip.
Tempo is read in seconds: lowering, pause at the bottom, lifting, pause at the top. “3-1-1-0” means three seconds down, a one-second pause, one second up, then straight into the next rep.
How to combine them
There is no need to do them all in one session. Two or three exercises per muscle are enough: a heavy compound lift first, while you are fresh, then one or two more targeted moves.
Aim for roughly 10 to 20 sets per muscle per week, spread over two sessions, with sets taken to within 1 to 3 reps of failure. Beyond that, fatigue grows faster than results.
Keep the same main lifts for at least eight weeks: it is the only way to tell whether you are genuinely progressing.
59 exercises for this muscle in the app