Hi, I'm new to this forum but I hope I've got this in the right place.
I read somewhere that a guy injured himself due to overworking his biceps, but not working his forearms. I've tried several exercises to work the forearms/wrists, but they seem really ackword to do. Does anyone know of any good workouts for this area?
Forearm workouts
Moderators: Boss Man, cassiegose
Re: Forearm workouts
Forget Forearm stuff.
If you want Bicep / Brachailis / Forearm activation, go for meaty exercises like E-Z Bar Curls, Reverse E-z Bar Curls, Hammers, (standing or inclined), Zottmans would be potentially a good choice too.
You'll get that sort of effect doing some types of Back exercises as Row exercises stimulate the Bicep area anyway.
If you want Bicep / Brachailis / Forearm activation, go for meaty exercises like E-Z Bar Curls, Reverse E-z Bar Curls, Hammers, (standing or inclined), Zottmans would be potentially a good choice too.
You'll get that sort of effect doing some types of Back exercises as Row exercises stimulate the Bicep area anyway.
Re: Forearm workouts
I work forearms (they are the one muscle group that is visible when wearing civilized appareal).
The basic movements are:
Dumbbell hammer curls
Reverse EZ-Curls
Squeeze grip
Weighted twists
The weighted twists is a short bar with grips on each end and a rope suspending a light weight. You twist the bar to roll up the weight.
What was the nature of your injury that you are blaming the weak forearms for?
The basic movements are:
Dumbbell hammer curls
Reverse EZ-Curls
Squeeze grip
Weighted twists
The weighted twists is a short bar with grips on each end and a rope suspending a light weight. You twist the bar to roll up the weight.
What was the nature of your injury that you are blaming the weak forearms for?
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mike_jones104
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Re: Forearm workouts
I have never been seriously injured while working out. I've always been pretty athletic and active but I'm really just getting into weight lifting. I just read where someone hurt his arm and couldn't lift much weight and I want to reduce that risk
I tried the zottmans today and that seemed to work pretty well. I'll try to improvise a twist bar you talked about.
Thanks for the advice guys
I tried the zottmans today and that seemed to work pretty well. I'll try to improvise a twist bar you talked about.
Thanks for the advice guys
Re: Forearm workouts
Isolation exercises have long been a part of lifting and body building. Why abandon that now?ATribeCalledFit wrote:
...Dont waste your time with single joint wrist movements.
Re: Forearm workouts
IronMind,Captain of Crunch hand grippers,Packard recommended these on a previous post. I tried them out and I've since worked way up to doin' reps with the #3.These are an essential tool in arm workout. I'm pretty low-tech, son calls the grippers only hand-held device.
Re: Forearm workouts
The hand grippers go up to like a number 10; I think I'm using a #3 or #4. I can't imagine ever getting to a number 10.sawhaler wrote:IronMind,Captain of Crunch hand grippers,Packard recommended these on a previous post. I tried them out and I've since worked way up to doin' reps with the #3.These are an essential tool in arm workout. I'm pretty low-tech, son calls the grippers only hand-held device.
Re: Forearm workouts
I agree on the wrist stuff though.
Frankly things like Wrist Curls and hand grippers, (the V shaped ones with a spring coil design), run the risk of possibly creating Tendonitis issues, nerve imingement, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or other issues with the Scaphoid and Ulna, in opinion, as it's stressing a very thin area, with not a massive amount of muscle support, which especially if the person had inadequate tolerance in the Bones, possibly from inadequate nutrition, an old injury that never properly healed, or some mild malformation, could be made worse.
The same kind of effect on Forearm muscles, can be achieved with things like Hammers, Reverse E-Z bar and to a similar extent regular E-Z Bar, plus other exercses too, which will also stimulate Brachialis and Biceps. Thereby using arm exercise that promote more efficiency.
Frankly things like Wrist Curls and hand grippers, (the V shaped ones with a spring coil design), run the risk of possibly creating Tendonitis issues, nerve imingement, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or other issues with the Scaphoid and Ulna, in opinion, as it's stressing a very thin area, with not a massive amount of muscle support, which especially if the person had inadequate tolerance in the Bones, possibly from inadequate nutrition, an old injury that never properly healed, or some mild malformation, could be made worse.
The same kind of effect on Forearm muscles, can be achieved with things like Hammers, Reverse E-Z bar and to a similar extent regular E-Z Bar, plus other exercses too, which will also stimulate Brachialis and Biceps. Thereby using arm exercise that promote more efficiency.
Re: Forearm workouts
If you do want "big ones" include the grippers in your arm workout.
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mike_jones104
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- Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 1:35 pm
Re: Forearm workouts
I'll try like 2.5lbs or something really low to start with and see how that goes. I think for guys the big veiny popeye forearms look good, I can see how it would be a problem on females though.
I know from playing guitar that carpal tunnel can be very serious, but can be avoided if you just don't overwork the hand or wrist. I think you're right about working an area without much muscle suppport, it can be risky but the whole idea is to take a small muscle and make it bigger.
Thanks for the advice, I think I'll work with the equipment and exercises listed, and I'll be very careful.
I know from playing guitar that carpal tunnel can be very serious, but can be avoided if you just don't overwork the hand or wrist. I think you're right about working an area without much muscle suppport, it can be risky but the whole idea is to take a small muscle and make it bigger.
Thanks for the advice, I think I'll work with the equipment and exercises listed, and I'll be very careful.
Re: Forearm workouts
Yes, small muscles could get bigger as you say, but as I explained, there's no need to use things that waste time Isolating Forearms, when other Biceo Exercises, can help you achieve the kind of results you're looking for.
Just opinion.
Just opinion.
Re: Forearm workouts
Well, by that logic the only exercises you really need to do are deadlifts and power cleans/presses, benches and pullups.Boss Man wrote:Yes, small muscles could get bigger as you say, but as I explained, there's no need to use things that waste time Isolating Forearms, when other Biceo Exercises, can help you achieve the kind of results you're looking for.
Just opinion.
Almost every other exercise is an isolation exercise.
Curls, triceps extensions, leg extensions, leg curls, cable cross overs (pecs) etc.
I don't see the essential difference between these exercises (that isolate to a small area) and forearm exercises.
For that matter we might as well skip the calf work too.
I believe we should work all muscles in our body equally. It makes for a harmonious physique that works well. The risk in lifting is to make a body that looks impressive but is functionally deficient. The way to avoid that is to train the entire body equally.
Re: Forearm workouts
With respect, that's not really what I'm saying. I'm all for things that work Biceps / Triceps etc etc. I favour compound + some of what people would call Isolatory stuff, but I don't favour Forearm stuff, as mostly it involves using stress inducing equipment, on a very small area, around the base of the Hands.
The end result here is, something like a reverse E-Z Bar Curl, or an inclined Hammer Curl, does the job, but is only using the Elbow not the Wrist, as a fulcrum and the ability to utilise Biceps and Brachialis as Agonisers, makes more sense.
Plus some muscles in the Forearm, paticularly the little Anconeus by the Elbow, may never get targeted with Wrist Curls and gripper type stuff, because certainly in that instance, the muscle does not extend down to the Wrist where you're working. Most forearm muscles go all the way or most of the way and connect with an associated Tendon.
As the multi-muscle movements involved with something like Hammers, eminate from the Wrist, the forces applied go through the muscles in the Forearm anyway, hit the Agonisers in the upper Arm, and use the Elbow as leverage, and the Elbow is almost certainly a much more tolerant structure than the Wrist, as it's surrounded by already fairly strong muscles, Ligaments and Tendons, even in the majority of novices.
In your case, and not said with disrespect, using grippers may possibly have contributed to your mild Arthritis.
I used to do Wrist Curls, but never again. Since I just went for other stuff like Hammers many years ago, I have not suffered any noticable loss of quality in the Forearms, which I would have, if I'd noticed very slow or reversed lifting increases on some exercises, particualrly in the Arms, from atrophy of Forearm muscles.
As most of the muscles in the Forearm, extend up from the Wrist, though some don't like Anconeus; training the Forearms, Biceps and Brachialis with sold Arm exercises, utilising a more potent structure like the Elbow, is more bio-mechanically sound in mind, than training less Forearm muscles and taking longer on workouts, by incorporating Wrist risking exercises.
You may have your point to make, which I highly respect, especially for it's objective expression, as opposed to an inflammatory stance, but I must respectfully disagree with it, because I cannot conceive any justifiable logic to rationalise it.
P.S. to Les, apologies about your last post. For some reason there was a double post that obviously occured when you posted, but when I tried to remove one of the posts, both got deleted. That's not a normal thing to happen when an occasional double post occurs, one should be deleted with one remaining intact, so apologies again for that unusual anomelie. It was not something that should happen, if I encounter it again after trying to rectify a double posting, I'll have to alert Admin who will tell tech.
I believe the gist of your post was, that you tried more isolatory stuff for 3 months, found noticable differences in muscle conditioning and concluded you preferred Compund exercises.
The end result here is, something like a reverse E-Z Bar Curl, or an inclined Hammer Curl, does the job, but is only using the Elbow not the Wrist, as a fulcrum and the ability to utilise Biceps and Brachialis as Agonisers, makes more sense.
Plus some muscles in the Forearm, paticularly the little Anconeus by the Elbow, may never get targeted with Wrist Curls and gripper type stuff, because certainly in that instance, the muscle does not extend down to the Wrist where you're working. Most forearm muscles go all the way or most of the way and connect with an associated Tendon.
As the multi-muscle movements involved with something like Hammers, eminate from the Wrist, the forces applied go through the muscles in the Forearm anyway, hit the Agonisers in the upper Arm, and use the Elbow as leverage, and the Elbow is almost certainly a much more tolerant structure than the Wrist, as it's surrounded by already fairly strong muscles, Ligaments and Tendons, even in the majority of novices.
In your case, and not said with disrespect, using grippers may possibly have contributed to your mild Arthritis.
I used to do Wrist Curls, but never again. Since I just went for other stuff like Hammers many years ago, I have not suffered any noticable loss of quality in the Forearms, which I would have, if I'd noticed very slow or reversed lifting increases on some exercises, particualrly in the Arms, from atrophy of Forearm muscles.
As most of the muscles in the Forearm, extend up from the Wrist, though some don't like Anconeus; training the Forearms, Biceps and Brachialis with sold Arm exercises, utilising a more potent structure like the Elbow, is more bio-mechanically sound in mind, than training less Forearm muscles and taking longer on workouts, by incorporating Wrist risking exercises.
You may have your point to make, which I highly respect, especially for it's objective expression, as opposed to an inflammatory stance, but I must respectfully disagree with it, because I cannot conceive any justifiable logic to rationalise it.
P.S. to Les, apologies about your last post. For some reason there was a double post that obviously occured when you posted, but when I tried to remove one of the posts, both got deleted. That's not a normal thing to happen when an occasional double post occurs, one should be deleted with one remaining intact, so apologies again for that unusual anomelie. It was not something that should happen, if I encounter it again after trying to rectify a double posting, I'll have to alert Admin who will tell tech.
I believe the gist of your post was, that you tried more isolatory stuff for 3 months, found noticable differences in muscle conditioning and concluded you preferred Compund exercises.
Re: Forearm workouts
I wasn't aware I'd double posted. Just copied the conent of the post and then deleted one of doubles, to find both went. Good job I copied the content, as the post has been replaced now.
I will have to alert Admin to this.
I will have to alert Admin to this.