Praemonitus Praemunitus

"Forewarned is forearmed." Many people are limited by weak forearms when attempting heavy lifts, such as deadlifts, rows, and pullups.

Of course, you can use straps or hooks, but that will just perpetuate the weakness. ( Yes, there is a time and place for assistance, but that's fodder for another discussion.)

Powerlifters, climbers, and grapplers have long performed isolation work for hands and forearms, but many litters avoid this type of work to their detriment. Strong hands and forearms not only improve lifts, they can help prevent injury. And big, vascular forearms can be very intimidating. Let's look at a few exercises to build hand and forearm strength.

HAND STRENGTH : There are three basic types of hand strength we will address- support, crush, and pinch.

Support Strength A few good exercise are: BB suitcase dead lift from the power rack ( perform until failure!)
Farmer's walk( With DB, BB or plates), and static plate hold ( no. 9 in picture below)



You can also use FAT GRIPZ( see right) on many lifts to help with forearm and hand strength.



Crush Strength
1. Hand-over-hand climbing or pulling
2. Heavy rope pulls
3. Supine rope climbs
4. Walking pull ups on a power rack,
5. Towel T-bar rows or pull ups
6. Rice digs!

Pinch Strength
1. Plate clocks
2. Bar or sledgehammer finger ladders
3. Hexagonal DB static hold

FOREARM STRENGTH

For anti-flexion and extension, try bottoms-up kettle bell presses and carries.

Perform ulnar and radial deviations with a dumbbell (see no. 7 in the picture above)

Zottman curls are excellent, as are behind-the-back wrist curls. Or, pronate and supinate a sledgehammer to build killer forearms.

And, as with the hands, rice digs can fry your forearms beyond belief.

You have been forewarned; now get forearmed!




Popeye, King of Forearm Development