Hello friends. Today we will talk about a very controversial but interesting topic - how to pump up your forearms. The material turned out to be very practical, I tried not to pour a lot of water. If you're ready, let's go)
I strongly advise you to first read the recent article. There are many important points that will intersect with today's information.
How to pump up your forearms. About training small muscle groups
Many people, especially those who have just become acquainted with iron sports and have embarked on the path of improving their physical appearance, make one very serious mistake - they focus on training small muscle groups, losing sight of large ones.
It would seem that in order to pump up your forearms or biceps, you need to pump them up as often as possible. But it's not that simple, friends.
Training such small muscle groups often does not provide adequate stress and a strong release of anabolic hormones necessary for subsequent growth.
Of course, when you see Sylvester Stallone in an action movie in a shirt with rolled up sleeves and are stunned by his forearms, then you want to get the same arms as quickly as possible.
Only man misses one important point– THE REST OF SYLVESTER STALONE!
Look at his other muscle groups! THEY ARE ALL DEVELOPED!!!
You will not meet a single person with developed forearms, but completely undeveloped in everything else.
All this happens for one simple reason: when you train muscle groups such as legs, back or chest, the stress on the body is much greater (since there are more fibers working), so you have to release much more anabolic hormones into the blood.
This excess amount of hormones is more than enough for the development of small muscle groups too.
Conclusion: If you are a complete beginner, then separate training forearms make NO SENSE!
Train large muscle groups first at the very beginning of your training journey.
How often should you train your forearms?
I have often heard the opinion that the forearms need to be trained often, because... they are very durable, due to the fact that they are constantly used throughout the day.
I don't agree with this.
All the movements we perform with our forearms every day are very low volume and low intensity.
Well, let’s say, hold a spoon, click on the keyboard, bring bags from the store. Actually, that's all.
For such movements, it is quite possible to use cheaper methods of energy supply, which is what our body does.
When we begin to specifically train our forearms with apparatus in the gym, our load turns into a narrowly focused one, unfamiliar to our forearm muscles.
I don't see any special program for training the muscles of the forearms. They also obey the same rules of growth as other muscles:
- LOAD PROGRESSION(training volume must increase). Perhaps the main rule, because THERE IS NO SENSE FOR MUSCLES TO INCREASE IF THE LOAD DOES NOT INCREASE.
(need to learn that you want to develop).- NECESSARY RESTORATION (fractional meals 6-12 times a day + sleep 8-10 hours).
The forearms are smaller than all other muscle groups, so they can recover a little faster, in theory. But in practice, no one trains the forearms more often than all other muscles.
Most professionals don't train their forearms at all, because... they get enough exercise on biceps training day.
Conclusion: We train the forearms with the same frequency as all other muscle groups. More often it’s not worth it, less often it’s possible.
The number of repetitions for the forearms should be slightly higher than for other muscle groups, because the AMPLITUDE OF MOVEMENT is much smaller!
Compare the range of motion when doing squats (roughly speaking, half of the body needs to bend) and when doing barbell curls. The difference is huge!
The number of repetitions itself is not as important as the time the muscle is under load.
Developed forearms are the key to a strong, masculine grip, as well as a good and aesthetically attractive appearance of the hands. Lifting heavy weights in various pulling exercises will also be much easier if you have a strong grip.
It’s probably not worth saying that the greatest results in training can be achieved by working out in the gym, but if for some reason you decide to work out at home, read this article carefully and perhaps you can get a little closer to Popeye’s forearms.
Anatomy of the forearm
This part of the arm includes a large number of small and larger muscles: pronator-supinators, brachioradialis, flexors and extensors of the wrist and fingers. The most voluminous, brachyradialis, determines the size of the arm, its width below the elbow.
Exercises for the muscles of the forearms
On the horizontal bar
![](https://i0.wp.com/gym-people.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/20547-e1434358537456.jpg)
You can also use a rope thrown over a horizontal bar. When hanging on a rope, your knuckles should point upward in a tense state, and forward in the original state.
- "Pull-ups on fingers." We hold on to the horizontal bar only with our fingers, and bending them we raise the weight own body. The execution should be slow to avoid injury and not to shift the load from the muscles to the tendons. You need to do 6-8 repetitions per set.
Dumbbells and forearm weights
![](https://i0.wp.com/gym-people.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/s-gantelyami-e1434358752207.jpg)
In general, all exercises for “stubborn” and strained muscles are performed at a slow pace, for example, if you decide to pump up your forearms with an expander:
- at a fast pace, after a week of training you can easily do more than 100 repetitions, but you will not see any gain;
- do 15-20 repetitions for 4 sets at a slow pace and growth will not be long in coming.
Rubber bandages
Quite conveniently, you can pump your forearms with a rubber bandage, which can be found in many pharmacies:
- The exercise in this case is performed lying on the floor or mat, but you can also stand, fixing the bandage with your foot.
- A loop of the tourniquet is thrown over a stationary object, for example, over the leg of a sofa.
- Exercises in this case are performed lying on the floor or mat. The bandage should be with outside at an angle of 90 degrees to the body (if the exercise is on the right forearm - the tourniquet is on the right, if on the left - on the left).
- You can pump either by working with your hand or with your entire forearm, as if you were wrestling on your hands.
In this case, it is easy to adjust the load by moving closer or further from the support or by adding bandage loops.
How to pump up your forearms at home
The forearm, like the forearm, is quite difficult to develop. They can “resist” loads for a long time, since we often use them in everyday life, so the only correct option for performing exercises on the forearms is a slow pace. Only in this way will the ligaments, of which there are a great many in this area, not redistribute the load on themselves.
Not many people know that you should strengthen your forearms with exactly the same intensity as your legs. Why? Arm strength is important not only for experienced athletes, but also for those who prefer strength training to a greater extent, as well as for those who have suffered serious injuries. There are a large number of exercises to strengthen your forearms. Having picked up the right exercise, you can increase the strength of your forearms, make them thicker and more flexible. Between workouts, you can strengthen your forearms using an expander.
Anatomical features of the forearm muscles
The function of the wrist is to move the hand in different directions. The wrist consists of 8 small bones, arranged in two rows and fixed joints, which ensure the strength of the wrist. You can train your wrist with any type of grip. The wrist muscles are divided into 2 groups: flexors and extensors.
The first group includes the following muscles:
- flexor carpi radialis - responsible for flexion and abduction of the wrist
- flexor carpi ulnaris - responsible for adduction and flexion of the wrist
- long palmaris muscle- responsible for flexing the wrist
The second group includes the following muscles:
- extensor carpi - adduction and extension of the hand, elbow joint
- extensor radialis (short) - adduction and abduction of the hand
- extensor radialis (long) - function similar to the previous one
The muscles of the forearm are divided into brachialis and brachyradialis. Together with the biceps, they are responsible for flexing the forearm. The brachialis, brachyradialis, extensor radialis (longus), and coracoid muscles are the large muscles of the forearm.
Each of them performs its specific function:
- brachialis - flexion of the elbow regardless of the position of the hand
- brachyradialis - flexion of the elbow and rotation of the forearm
- extensor radialis - moves the wrist
Forearm training program
To increase forearm strength, isolation exercises are needed. You can make your forearms stronger with the help of strength exercises. Before you start training, you need to warm up. Don't forget that consistency is important here. A pre-strength warm-up will help avoid serious injuries and also reduce muscle fatigue. Let's consider a set of exercises to strengthen the muscles of the forearm.
Barbell Wrist Curl
This exercise allows you to perfectly pump the muscles of the forearm, strengthen and increase the volume of the wrist. Take the barbell in your hands reverse grip and sit on the bench (it should go between your legs). Lean forward, place your hands on the bench so that your wrists do not touch it. Use your wrists to lift sports equipment. Number of times - 10, approaches - 3.
How to pump up your forearms with plate squeezing
The exercise is aimed at pumping up the forearms, strengthening the wrist and increasing grip strength. If you don't have pancakes on hand, you can use any heavy weight (for example, a thick book). We take 2 pancakes in our hands and raise them to shoulder level, that is, we hold them perpendicular to the floor for up to 10 seconds. Hands should be kept strictly straight. The exercise is performed with alternating hands - 3 sets of 12-15 times.
Pumping forearms with push-ups on fists
This exercise strengthens not only your wrists, but also your forearms. The workout should be done at a slow pace, keep your forearms straight, and do not arch your back. For beginners, it is enough to perform 2-3 approaches 7-8 times.
Expander for forearm training
It is important to exercise with an expander every day. To get a positive result, 3-5 approaches 2-3 times a day are enough. The tool is not expensive and does not take up much space, so you can carry it with you everywhere.
How to pump up your forearms on the horizontal bar
Exercises on the crossbar simultaneously work the muscles of the forearm. But among them there are exercises where the emphasis falls directly on the muscles of the forearm:
- fingertip pull-ups (or just hanging)
- hanging at the top with a forward and reverse grip (to perform this exercise, pull yourself up on the bar as high as possible and hang in this position)
How to pump up your forearm muscles using a rope
Climbing a rope or a thickened pipe with relaxed legs is an exercise for the forearm muscles, where the main load falls on the forearms themselves.
How to pump up your forearms with push-ups
It is better to do push-ups from the floor on your fingertips, this is provided that you have excellent physical training. Otherwise, you may be seriously injured. Suitable for beginners classic push-up from the floor with emphasis on your knees, and subsequently with emphasis on your toes. As soon as you feel the strength in your hands, you can safely switch to more serious exercises.
How to pump up your forearms with dumbbells and barbells
When working with a barbell or dumbbells, you should not use too much weight, as you can seriously damage the tendons.
Exercises with dumbbells on the forearm will consist of the following: you need to pick up a barbell or dumbbells, kneel down and rest your elbows on the bench, while your hands should hang in the air. From this position, you need to lift the sports equipment towards you until it stops.
There are 2 options for pumping up the forearm in this way - first do overhand grip projectile, and then the lower one, but at the same time the elbows remain motionless, only the wrists work. When performing exercises, it is important to remember one rule: the wrist extensors are many times weaker than the flexors, and accordingly, the load for them should be chosen to be small.
Exercises for forearms at home
Today there are many options on how to pump up your forearms at home and make them durable. Let's consider a list of exercises, thanks to which the first results will be noticeable after 2-3 weeks:
- pick up dumbbells weighing no more than 12 kg and do circular rotations 10 times 2-3 approaches
- lift your hands with a barbell (weight about 40 kg) with your palms facing up - 7-8 repetitions, 2 sets ( similar exercise just palms down)
- fingertip push-ups - as many times as possible
- expander press until it burns
- hang on the bar on your fingers
- curling arms on a Scott board with a barbell - 2-3 sets of 7-9 times
- snatch and clean exercise with kettlebell
- lowering and raising arms with dumbbells (up to 70 kg) while sitting on a bench - 4 sets of 15 times
In addition to the basic exercises, and also to speed up the process, you can add the following loads:
- rope climbing without using legs - at least 3 climbs
- fingering a heavy pancake
- fingerstand
- holding a large mass in the hands
- rope pull
- forearm stretch
An excellent exercise for the forearms is the barbell wrist curl - this is a barbell row with your hands on a bench. If the weight of the projectile is moderate, then the barbell can be pulled back to the fingertips. This is a kind of rolling a barbell across the palm, starting from the wrist and ending with the fingertips. It is not recommended to lift a barbell of more than 50 kg at first, so as not to injure the muscles, which subsequently require long-term recovery.
In training for the forearms, Denis uses super-series, that is, he suggests training the arms as intensely as possible with minimal pauses between approaches. This allows you to get to the deep muscles and work out the relief.
Lifting the barbell with your hands with your elbows bent is an exercise that covers a large group of muscles, including the forearm. If you experience discomfort during the exercise, you can simplify the task - perform the exercise with outstretched arms. It is worth exercising 12-15 times without long rest.
In the arm bending exercise, it is not the technique that is important, but the dynamics. When fatigue appears in your hands, you should immediately switch to kickbacks without pausing. Then immediately start doing push-ups. And again return to the first exercise - bending the arms. This set of arm exercises should be performed 3-4 times a week, 4 sets at a time.
To develop arm muscles, you should resort to a variety of workouts, but before doing them, it is important to warm up thoroughly so as not to get injured. Universal exercises are push-ups and pull-ups on the bar. They strengthen not only the hands, but also the arms in general.
- stretching - play a big role in strength training. This exercise is relevant for those who have “weak” forearms.
- curling arms with a projectile - regular curling helps to increase the muscles of the forearms
- crunches - help restore and strengthen damaged wrists
- reverse stretching - this exercise reduces the risk of injury and muscle soreness
- flexion and extension of arms with a barbell
- squeezing pancakes
- winding a rope with weight onto the bar
- push-ups with fists
Note: remember that the load should be gradual, choose a sports equipment that you can lift at least 10 times. As soon as you learn to easily “pass” this number, then you can safely move on to a heavier projectile.
Harmoniously developed muscles have a very important role not only in terms of competitiveness in competitions, but also in terms of the very aesthetics of the development of the whole body. Athletes spend very little time developing their forearms, and many, including beginners, completely forget to train this muscle. This is due to the fact that this muscle is small in size and its pumping is not of paramount importance.
Most devote time to development broad shoulders, voluminous legs, big biceps and so on. This is not a very good decision. Not only do you need voluminous forearms for the harmonious development of your body, they also play a direct role in your entire workout. So, how to pump up your forearms?
Theory + anatomy
First of all, we will look at the theory and go a little deeper into the anatomy to make it easier for you to understand how best to pump this muscle group. If you learn and understand how our body works, what our body is made of, it will be much easier for you. Moreover, you should know the basics of anatomy if you are going to work on your physique.
The forearms are made up of large quantity small muscles, the pumping of which is very important. Some muscles of the forearm perform a flexion function, while others perform an extensor function. Some muscles are responsible for flexion and extension of the entire hand, while others only control the fingers. In addition to these muscles, there are also pronators, as well as supinators, which perform the movement of the radius bone of the arm.
All these muscles are divided into two groups: anterior and posterior. The anterior group includes the already listed flexor and pronator muscles, and the posterior group includes the extensor and supinator muscles, respectively. In principle, everything that we have just listed and more (including bones) can be seen in the picture.
Without any doubt, all of the forearm muscles listed above receive a certain amount of load during training with heavy weights. But, unfortunately, this load is not enough for full pumping and requires special attention.
Pumped forearms play a big role in performing exercises such as: lifting dumbbells for biceps, lifting barbells for biceps, and so on. To raise heavy weights, you need to hold them in your hand, otherwise you can drop the dumbbells on the floor, or even, God forbid, on your leg. So, it’s not just about the harmony and proportionality of body development. Based on this, the most appropriate time to pump up the forearm is the end of the workout. If you train the forearm muscles at the beginning or in the middle of the workout, they will quickly get tired and you will not be able to perform exercises with various types of deadlifts, or you will be able to, but with less weight.
The bones of the forearm are also important for the result, not only because, thanks to their structure, they allow you to perform circular movements and in different sides, and also what thickness they are. As stated in the article: ““, bone thickness is of great importance when gaining mass. It will be much more difficult to pump up the arm muscles due to the fact that they are long and thin.
There are two very important bones in the forearm called the radius and ulna. They are connected by muscles and ligaments. The structure of these bones allows a person to move the radius around the ulna. This movement involves “supination” and “pronation”. Therefore, it will be very advisable to develop these muscles that rotate the forearm in and out. This will add additional volume.
You can and should train your forearms with the same frequency as other muscles. The number of repetitions should be approximately 10-20. For each exercise, allocate 3 approaches.
You can look at it for a very long time anatomical structure and the importance of a particular muscle of the forearm. We covered a little anatomy and theory. Now let's move on directly to practice and show you the basic exercises for developing the muscles of the forearm.
Reverse grip barbell curl
This exercise will help you pump up your forearms; this exercise is quite effective. Without any doubt, many may think that this exercise is designed to pump up the biceps, but this is not so. The target muscles are the forearm muscles. In order for this exercise to be as useful as possible, cheating should not be used when performing it. Otherwise, the load will be significantly reduced and there will be no sense. You can also try doing the exercise on a Scott bench, this will increase the load on your forearms and give best result. There is no need to chase weight, as you can do this exercise It is extremely difficult to use a technique with a lot of weight.
Forearm curl with a barbell while sitting on a bench with an underhand grip
The exercise is aimed at developing the flexor muscles, namely the inner part of the forearm. This exercise is popular in. The main prerogative in execution is, of course, technique. By performing the exercise technically, you will achieve good results. Movements should be made smoothly, without jerking, to avoid injury.
You can see the technique for performing the exercise.
Forearm curl with a barbell while sitting on a bench with an overhand grip
This exercise is similar to a regular forearm curl, with the only difference being that the grip is from above (palms facing down). In this case, the extensor muscles of the wrist are involved. Remember correct technique so as not to injure yourself.
This exercise is an excellent addition to forearm muscle training. Without a doubt, the target is the biceps and that’s a fact. But it also works the forearms well.
When performing, the body must be fixed and motionless. The exercise should be performed without rocking, and also make sure that upper part the arms remained motionless, namely starting from the elbow, reaching the shoulder. That is, when lifting, the forearms and biceps work
Basic information on performing the exercise can be found.
TRAINING PROGRAM
This program is intended for beginners. If you want to make it more difficult, you can add exercises and increase the load by increasing the weight of the apparatus.
Here's all the information for today. I hope I answered your question: “ How to pump up your forearms? I wish everyone good luck in developing massive forearms.
To make the progress of pumping up your forearms faster, you can use. You can train with it anywhere and anytime, this is its main advantage.
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In the development of muscles, training the muscles of the forearm plays an important role and requires special attitude, organization and attention. The fact is that they are not so easy to pump up, unlike, for example, or muscles. To achieve results - high-quality strengthening and increase in volume - you need a well-designed complex special exercises. This material will discuss issues related to how to pump up your forearms, including the program home workouts.
In order for an athlete’s body to look proportionally developed, working out these muscles is mandatory, despite the fact that they belong to the “small” category and are not so noticeable compared to the pectoral, shoulder and quadriceps muscles. It is also impossible to fully and harmoniously develop other muscle groups without strengthening the forearms: insufficient training of the forearm significantly complicates the task of achieving progress in training.
From the point of view appearance developed forearms play an important role, providing the impression of massiveness, power, physical strength. Also, visually the body looks symmetrical (naturally, if the other muscle groups are also pumped up).
We should not forget about the impression on others that bodybuilders make in clothes, since in most cases it is the forearms and neck that are exposed. And this can be called a compelling argument, since a person with perfect body in any society he feels more confident and comfortable than others.
According to experts, regular training of this muscle group is also necessary from a safety point of view, since it minimizes the risk of injury during complex complexes. This applies, for example, to such back exercises as pull-ups with additional weight, where you need good grip, the strength and strength of which depends on the muscles of the forearm. This is a difficult exercise and, like any other with heavy weight, can only be performed with strong arms.
Anatomy
The forearm is the part of the arms from the elbow to the hand. The muscle group consists of:
- brachial muscle - brachialis;
- flexors;
- pronator teres;
- brachioradialis muscle – brachioradialis;
- extensors.
These muscles are classified as “small” and are responsible for rotation, flexion/extension of the arms at the wrist and elbow joints. The complex anatomical structure further complicates the task of pumping up the forearm. During the exercise, all the muscles of this anatomical group, of which there are only five, should be involved.
Your name "stubborn" muscles forearms were obtained due to their high resistance to stress. This is due to the fact that they are involved not only in everyday life, but also in the process of training other muscle groups. Therefore, developing the forearm is a labor-intensive task that requires persistence, regular training and a lot of patience.
First of all, you need to determine the number of classes per week: two workouts will be enough to harmoniously develop the muscles of the forearm. Each element of the complex is performed in three approaches, each repeated 10-15 times. It is important not to forget about warming up and warming up before training, since the likelihood of injury is high. Also, avoid overstretching the muscles at the peak range of motion.
The best option is to combine exercises for pumping up the forearm with a training complex for the back and arms. But they should be performed at the end of the program, after working out the muscle groups of the back and arms, otherwise the training will not be effective.
It is not recommended to conduct more than two sessions weekly, since the minimum period for recovery of this muscle group is two days, best option- three days. With regular overstrain of the forearm, the risk of chronic pain in the wrist area increases.
Training program
In the training program for pumping up the forearm there must be exercises to work out all muscle group. It is recommended to change specific elements and the sequence of execution from session to session in order to improve muscle growth.
Working with a barbell
Exercise No. 1
Performed in a standing position, similar to biceps training, but with a reverse grip. The bar rises to the level of the shoulders, which must remain motionless. Then it goes down smoothly. In this case, the rise is done while exhaling, returning to the starting position is while inhaling. Unlike the biceps exercise, in this case a barbell with a lighter weight is used, since the brachyradialis is weaker, and it bears the main load.
Exercise No. 2. Seated Wrist Curl
Performed in a sitting position. The barbell is grasped with an underhand grip and the forearms are lowered onto the hips. The projectile goes down, while the bar must be held firmly, and the forearms must be slightly extended forward. After this, the arms begin to work: slow flexion and extension at the wrists with a low amplitude. It is important that the movements are smooth, without jerking or swinging the barbell to avoid injuries and sprains.
Exercise No. 3. Standing behind-the-back wrist curl
Performed in a standing position, the barbell is behind the back. In this case, the palms are turned back. Take a barbell and perform flexion-extension of the arms at the wrists without participation elbow joints. The exercise allows you to develop the muscles of the wrist. If exercise No. 2 causes certain difficulties when performing, you can use this option.
Work with dumbbells
It is a mandatory component of a training complex with dumbbells for this muscle group. This is one of the options for working with a barbell on the forearms, only dumbbells are used instead of this apparatus. The latter are held in the lower position (like a hammer); during the upward movement, the forearm is pronated (turning the palms down). The shells are then dropped from in reverse order movements.
Another exercise - bending the arms in a sitting position - is performed like a similar training with a barbell, but with dumbbells. Also, training each arm in turn in a sitting position with dumbbells will be effective.
Working with an expander
A super-hard expander is used, exercise with which is a good alternative for regular home workouts to develop this muscle group. A soft projectile is used mainly for working out the hand, so in this case it is important that it be hard. It is also recommended that you consult with your retailer regarding the most suitable resistance band to use in forearm training.
Hanging on the horizontal bar
The simplest training for the muscles of the forearms is a regular hang on a horizontal bar (recommended with a load). Performing this exercise regularly will allow you to achieve tangible results in just a few months.
As for the load, it should be selected based on the hanging time - no more than half a minute, otherwise endurance will develop instead of volume and strength.