Trying to Build Bigger Forearms? Start With These 7 Exercises

I used to think bigger arms were mostly about building bigger biceps and triceps.

Then I started paying attention to forearms.

A pair of well-developed forearms can make your arms look thicker, stronger, and more muscular—even when you’re not flexing.

The problem is that forearms can be stubborn.

You use them during curls, rows, pull-ups, and other exercises, but that doesn’t always mean they’re getting enough direct work to grow.

If you’re trying to build bigger forearms, these 7 exercises are worth adding to your routine.

1. Hammer Curls

Hammer curls are one of the simplest ways to add more forearm work to your arm workout.

They place a lot of emphasis on the brachioradialis, a muscle that runs along the upper part of your forearm and contributes to its thickness.

How to do them

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
• Keep your palms facing each other.
• Keep your elbows close to your body.
• Curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders.
• Lower them slowly.

Try: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps.

Don’t swing your body to lift heavier weights. Keep the movement controlled.

2. Reverse Curls

If your goal is thicker-looking forearms, reverse curls deserve a place in your workout.

Instead of holding the bar with your palms facing upward, you use an overhand grip.

This changes the muscles doing much of the work and gives your forearms a different challenge.

How to do them

• Hold a barbell or EZ bar with your palms facing down.
• Keep your elbows close to your sides.
• Curl the bar toward your shoulders.
• Pause briefly at the top.
• Lower it slowly.

Try: 3 sets of 10–15 reps.

Start lighter than you would with regular curls. The overhand grip can make the exercise considerably harder.

3. Wrist Curls

Your forearms aren’t just one muscle.

Wrist curls specifically train the wrist flexors, which can contribute to overall forearm development.

How to do them

• Sit down and rest your forearms on your thighs or a bench.
• Hold a dumbbell or barbell with your palms facing upward.
• Let your wrists move downward.
• Curl your wrists upward.
• Slowly return to the starting position.

Try: 3 sets of 12–20 reps.

You don’t need extremely heavy weights. Focus on feeling the muscles working through the movement.

4. Reverse Wrist Curls

There’s another side of your forearm that is easy to forget.

Reverse wrist curls target the wrist extensors, helping you train your forearms more evenly.

How to do them

• Rest your forearms on your thighs or a bench.
• Hold a light dumbbell or barbell with your palms facing down.
• Keep your forearms still.
• Raise your hands using your wrists.
• Slowly lower them.

Try: 3 sets of 12–20 reps.

Keep the weight light enough that you can perform every repetition with control.

5. Farmer’s Walk

This exercise looks almost too simple.

Pick up heavy weights and walk.

But while you’re walking, your forearms are working constantly to keep your grip.

That’s what makes the farmer’s walk such a useful exercise for grip strength and overall forearm conditioning.

How to do it

• Pick up two dumbbells or kettlebells.
• Stand tall with your chest up.
• Keep your shoulders controlled.
• Walk slowly and steadily.
• Maintain a strong grip.

Try: 3 rounds of 30–60 seconds.

Increase the weight or walking time gradually as your grip gets stronger.

6. Dead Hangs

A dead hang doesn’t look complicated.

Grab a pull-up bar and hang.

But after a while, your grip will tell you exactly how hard your forearms are working.

Dead hangs are particularly useful for developing grip endurance.

How to do them

• Grab a pull-up bar.
• Let your arms extend naturally.
• Keep your body controlled.
• Hold the position for as long as you comfortably can.
• Step down before your grip completely fails.

Try: 2–3 sets of 20–60 seconds.

As you get stronger, gradually increase your hanging time.

7. Plate Pinches

Your grip isn’t just about squeezing something.

Your fingers and thumb also need to work together.

Plate pinches train this type of grip while giving your hands and forearms a different challenge.

How to do them

• Take two weight plates.
• Hold them together using your fingers and thumb.
• Stand tall.
• Hold them for time.
• Switch hands.

Try: 2–3 sets of 20–40 seconds.

Start with lighter plates and focus on maintaining the pinch rather than immediately going heavy.

How Often Should You Train Your Forearms?

You don’t need to train your forearms every day.

For most people, 2–3 sessions per week can be enough, especially because your forearms already work during exercises such as rows, pull-ups, deadlifts, and curls.

Remember that muscles need time to recover.

More training isn’t automatically better.

A Simple Bigger Forearm Workout

If you want to keep things simple, try this routine:

Hammer Curls: 3 × 8–12
Reverse Curls: 3 × 10–15
Wrist Curls: 3 × 12–20
Reverse Wrist Curls: 3 × 12–20
Farmer’s Walk: 3 × 30–60 seconds

You can add dead hangs at the end if you want extra grip work.

How to Make Your Forearms Grow

Doing the exercises is only the beginning.

Your muscles need a reason to adapt.

That’s where progressive overload comes in.

Over time, try to gradually:

• Increase the weight.
• Perform more controlled reps.
• Hold weights for longer.
• Increase your dead-hang time.
• Improve your technique.
• Challenge your grip with slightly heavier loads.

And don’t forget nutrition.

If you’re trying to build muscle, getting enough overall calories and protein can help support muscle growth and recovery.

Don’t Make This Common Mistake

One mistake I see often is trying to train forearms with extremely heavy weights.

Your goal isn’t to impress yourself with the heaviest dumbbell in the gym.

It’s to make the target muscles work.

Use a weight that allows you to maintain good form and control the movement.

Your wrists, elbows, and shoulders shouldn’t have to compensate just because the weight is too heavy.

Start with the basics.

Hammer curls, reverse curls, wrist curls, reverse wrist curls, farmer’s walks, dead hangs, and plate pinches can give you plenty of ways to challenge your forearms.

Stay consistent, gradually increase the difficulty, eat enough protein, and give your muscles time to recover.

Because bigger forearms aren’t built in a week.

They’re built through months of consistent training.