Building Forearm Muscle

A useful guide on "Building Forearm Muscle".

Muscles are an important part of the body as they are responsible for the body's movement. They are also responsible for holding some of the parts of the body in place while generating heat which helps to keep the body warm. There are three types of muscle: skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles; each with their special functions and structure. Forearm muscle is a part of the skeletal muscle group and makes up a third of the mass of the arms. Building Forearm muscle should not be ignored as this prevents the arm from looking out of proportion.

Training the Forearms

To most people, especially those who are long limbed feel that their forearms are the skinniest parts of their body and therefore needs some building. Building forearm muscle is quite easy and can be done with a few exercises. Wrist curls, forearm curls and reverse wrist curls are some of the exercises that can be undertaken to build the forearms. Wrist curls work at the underside of the arm while reverse wrist curls work on the outside of the forearm. One can use a barbell or a dumbbell while performing the wrist and reverse wrist curls.

How to Build Forearm Muscles

The weights to be used don’t have to be too heavy, as long as there is a burning sensation when the exercise is being performed, then it is doings its job. It is also important to plan a workout schedule as the exercises need to be undertaken regularly. One may opt for daily workouts or workouts in alternate days to give the arm time to rest, alternatively if the forearm exercises are too painful, every third day should suffice. The exercises you carry out should emphasize on building forearm muscle and strength of the wrist. These exercises should be comfortable to perform without causing any strain. You may also consider joining a health club or gym to get the benefits of advanced equipment to work the specific forearm muscles as well as to get access of a professional trainer.

The Forearm Curl

In general, the three types of forearm exercises work in the same way. The difference is in the position of your palm. The motion is the same but one exercise may require the palms to be facing away from you, while another will require the opposite. It’s possible to perform this exercise either sitting or standing so whatever preference you decide should be suitable. This example will consider the person to stand:

First Example:

1. Pick up two dumbbells and hold them in front of you with your palms facing toward you.
2. Keep your arms straight down, linear with your body.
3. Slowly release your fingers so the weight slides a little towards your finger tips.
4. Tighten your grip and roll your wrist forward (toward the inside of your forearm) to put strain on the forearm muscle.
5. Repeat.

Second Example:

1. This exercise needs to be performed while standing.
2. Attach string or rope to a heavy weight. The other end of the string should be wound around a cylindrical handle.
3. Hold the handle with both hands and quickly roll it so that the string or rope gets wound around the handle.
4. This will cause the weight to rise towards your hands which will create strain for your forearms.
5. Lower the weight and repeat.

This is the general concept of the forearm curl and can even be done with a barbell behind your back. Remember that it is also possible to build forearm muscle with the standard barbell bicep curl; in this case simply hold the barbell as tight as you can.