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Exercises

Exercises for bigger forearms: wrist curls, reverse curls and grip work

Published October 29, 2026

The best exercises for bigger forearms train the three muscle groups that make up their size: wrist curls for the flexors on the underside, reverse wrist curls and cable wrist extensions for the extensors on top, and reverse, hammer and Zottman curls for the brachioradialis near the elbow. Add farmer's walks, dead hangs and plate pinches for grip. Forearms recover fast, so train them two or three times a week with 7 to 11 hard sets a session, using 12 to 20 reps on wrist work and 8 to 12 on curls, and take the light sets within a rep of failure.

  1. Wrist Curl Forearms
  2. Reverse Wrist Curl Forearms
  3. Reverse Curl Biceps, Forearms
  4. Hammer Curl Biceps, Forearms
  5. Zottman Curl Biceps, Forearms
  6. Farmer's Walk Forearms, Traps, Shoulders

Wrist curls for the bulk of the forearm

Most forearm muscle bends or straightens the wrist. Wrist curls load the flexors on the palm side, which are the largest; reverse curls and extensions load the top. Short range, light weights and high reps suit both, because the wrist is a small joint with a short lever.

Wrist flexors, barbell wrist curl

Wrist Curl

Forearms

The flexors on the underside of the forearm are the biggest group there, and the wrist curl is the most direct way to load them. Letting the bar roll to your fingertips at the bottom adds finger strength and a longer range.

How to do it

  1. Kneel behind a flat bench and lay your forearms across it, palms up, wrists just past the edge.
  2. Take a barbell palms up and let it roll toward your fingertips.
  3. Close your hands and curl your wrists up as high as they go.
  4. Lower slowly to the fingertips and repeat.

Cues

  • Forearms stay on the bench
  • Let the bar roll to your fingers
  • Pause at the top

Common mistakes

  • Lifting your forearms off the bench: only the wrists move.
  • Bouncing at the bottom: control the bar at full stretch.

Swap for: Reverse Wrist Curl, Kettlebell Wrist Curl, Farmer's Walk

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Wrist extensors, palms-down curl

Reverse Wrist Curl

Forearms

Lifting the back of your hand trains the extensors on top of the forearm, which balance the flexors and add width from above. Use about half the weight of your wrist curl.

How to do it

  1. Sit with your forearms resting on your thighs, palms down, hands hanging past your knees.
  2. Let the dumbbells tip your knuckles down.
  3. Lift your knuckles up as high as they go, moving only at the wrist.
  4. Lower slowly and repeat.

Cues

  • Forearms stay down
  • Only the wrist moves
  • Smooth reps

Common mistakes

  • Lifting your forearms off your legs: keep them pinned.
  • Going heavy: this small muscle does best with 15 to 25 reps.

Swap for: Cable Wrist Extension, Zottman Curl

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Wrist extensors, cable extension

Cable Wrist Extension

Forearms

The cable keeps load on the extensors at the bottom of the rep where a dumbbell goes light, and the stack moves in small steps. It is the gym option for the top of the forearm.

How to do it

  1. Attach a short bar to the low pulley and hold it palms-down.
  2. Rest your forearms on your thighs or a bench so only your wrists can move, hands hanging past the edge.
  3. Raise the backs of your hands toward you as far as the wrist allows.
  4. Lower slowly until your knuckles point down, then repeat.

Cues

  • Forearms stay flat
  • Lift with the knuckles
  • Small weight, many reps

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows to help: keep the forearms pinned and lighten the pin.
  • Bouncing at the bottom: lower slowly through the full stretch.

Swap for: Cable Twisting Curl, Cable Curl, Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown

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Forearm rotators, pronation

Dumbbell Wrist Pronation-Supination

Forearms

Rotating a dumbbell palm-up to palm-down trains the muscles that turn your forearm, which curls and wrist curls miss. Hold the dumbbell off-center so the long end gives the resistance.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your side with your top elbow resting on your hip, bent to 90 degrees, holding a light dumbbell upright.
  2. Slowly rotate your forearm so your palm turns down toward the floor.
  3. Rotate back the other way until your palm faces up.
  4. Do all reps, then turn over and repeat with the other arm.

Cues

  • Elbow stays put
  • Slow rotation
  • Full turn each way

Common mistakes

  • Moving the elbow to help: keep it fixed on your side.
  • Starting with too much leverage: hold the handle in the middle first, then nearer the end as you get stronger.

Swap for: Kettlebell Wrist Curl, Hammer Curl

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Curls for the top of the forearm

The brachioradialis is the thick muscle on the thumb side of your forearm, just below the elbow. It works hardest when you curl with your palms facing in or down, so these three curls build the part of the forearm people see when your sleeves are rolled up.

Brachioradialis, overhand curl

Reverse Curl

Biceps, Forearms

An overhand grip on a barbell puts the biceps at a weak angle and makes the brachioradialis do most of the lifting. It is the main curl for forearm size.

How to do it

  1. Take the barbell palms down at shoulder-width, bar hanging against your thighs.
  2. Tuck your elbows in and hold your wrists straight.
  3. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders with your knuckles leading.
  4. Lower it under control to straight arms.

Cues

  • Knuckles up all the way
  • Wrists flat
  • Light bar, strict reps

Common mistakes

  • Letting your wrists bend back under the load: lower the weight until they stay straight.
  • Swinging the bar up: overhand curls are easy to cheat, so keep the tempo slow.

Swap for: Zottman Curl, Hammer Curl, EZ-Bar Curl

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Brachioradialis and brachialis, neutral curl

Hammer Curl

Biceps, Forearms

Palms facing in lets you curl heavier than an overhand grip while still loading the brachioradialis hard. It builds the forearm and the outer upper arm together.

How to do it

  1. Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing your thighs.
  2. Bend one elbow to bring that dumbbell up, thumb leading.
  3. Keep the dumbbell vertical the whole way, then lower it slowly to the start.
  4. Curl the other arm, and keep alternating until the set is done.

Cues

  • Thumbs lead
  • Dumbbells vertical
  • Elbows by your sides

Common mistakes

  • Swinging heavier weight with your back: keep your torso still.
  • Curling across your body: keep each dumbbell in line with its shoulder.

Swap for: Band Hammer Curl, Alternating Hammer Curl

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Biceps up, brachioradialis down

Zottman Curl

Biceps, Forearms

You curl up palms up, turn your palms down at the top, and lower slowly with an overhand grip. Because you can lower more than you can lift, the slow overhand lowering overloads the forearm. It is the dumbbell plan's main forearm curl.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your palms facing forward and the dumbbells at your sides.
  2. Curl them up to shoulder height.
  3. Rotate your palms to face down at the top.
  4. Lower slowly, palms down, and rotate back at the bottom.

Cues

  • Turn at the top
  • Slow lowering
  • Elbows stay at your sides

Common mistakes

  • Turning the palms on the way down: finish the rotation first.
  • Going too heavy: the palms-down lowering sets the weight.

Swap for: Hammer Curl, Reverse Curl

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Grip holds and carries

Holding heavy weight for time trains the finger flexors and the whole forearm at once. These grow your grip strength more than your size, but they add size too, and they carry over to every pull you do.

Grip and forearms, loaded carry

Farmer's Walk

Forearms, Traps, Shoulders

Walking with the heaviest dumbbells you can hold makes the whole forearm work to keep your fingers closed for 30 seconds or more. It builds crushing grip strength along with size.

How to do it

  1. Pick up two heavy dumbbells with your back flat.
  2. Stand tall with your ribs down and walk with short, quick steps.
  3. Set the weights down with a flat back when the time or distance is up.

Cues

  • Ribs down
  • Crush the handles
  • Quick steps

Common mistakes

  • Letting the shoulders round forward.
  • Walking so slowly the dumbbells start to swing.

Swap for: Dumbbell Suitcase Carry, Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

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Grip endurance, bar hang

Dead Hang

Forearms

Hanging from a pull-up bar loads your fingers with your whole body weight, and it is the cheapest grip exercise there is. When 60 seconds is easy, hang from one arm at a time or wrap a towel around the bar.

How to do it

  1. Grip a pull-up bar overhand with your hands about shoulder width.
  2. Lift your feet and let your body hang with straight arms.
  3. Breathe slowly and let your shoulders rise toward your ears, then step down.

Cues

  • Relaxed, straight arms
  • Slow breathing

Common mistakes

  • Swinging or kicking: hang still so the stretch reaches the lats.

Swap for: Straight-Arm Pulldown, Pull-Up, Arm Circles

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Thumb and finger grip, pinch hold

Plate Pinch Deadlift

Forearms

Pinching smooth plates together trains your thumb against your fingers, a grip most training ignores. It thickens the meaty part of the forearm near the thumb and helps on any lift where your grip slips.

How to do it

  1. Set out two pairs of plates, smooth sides out, one pair beside each foot.
  2. Squat down and pinch a pair in each hand.
  3. Stand up with them like a deadlift and hold at the top for a few seconds.
  4. Set them down under control.

Cues

  • Squeeze with the thumb
  • Stand tall
  • Hold at the top

Common mistakes

  • Using plates too heavy to hold: start light.
  • Letting one hand do less: if one pair slips first, use that hand's limit for both.

Swap for: Farmer's Walk, Dead Hang, Dumbbell Suitcase Carry

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Gym, forearms after arm or back days

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Dumbbells, Adjustable Cable

You lift in a gym four or five days a week and want bigger forearms without a separate session.

Forearms already work in every row and curl, so two short add-ons of 9 and 11 sets are enough on top. One overhand or neutral curl, one wrist exercise and one grip hold each time covers all three muscle groups twice a week.

Session A: Reverse curls and wrist curls
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Reverse Curl 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Wrist Curl 3 × 12–20 0 1 min
Farmer's WalkSeconds per walk. Heaviest dumbbells you can hold. 3 × 30–45 1 90 s

Open Session A: Reverse curls and wrist curls in the session builder

Session B: Hammer curls and extensions
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Hammer Curl 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Reverse Wrist Curl 3 × 15–20 0 1 min
Cable Wrist Extension 2 × 15–20 0 1 min
Plate Pinch DeadliftHold 3 s at the top of each rep. 3 × 5–8 1 90 s

Open Session B: Hammer curls and extensions in the session builder

How to run it
Do Session A at the end of an arm or pull day and Session B at the end of another training day at least two days later. Skip the grip hold if a heavy deadlift or row day is next.
How to progress
Forearms progress in small steps, so add one rep per set each week on wrist curls and extensions until you hit 20, then add the smallest plate. Carries go up by time first, then by heavier dumbbells. Curls follow the usual rule: weight goes up when every set reaches the top of the range at the target reps in reserve.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Dumbbells at home, three short sessions

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets26 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Barbells

You train at home with a pair of adjustable dumbbells, and you can spare 10 to 15 minutes three times a week.

Forearms tolerate frequent training, so three short sessions of 8 or 9 sets beat one long one. The Zottman curl replaces the barbell reverse curl, and a single dumbbell covers both wrist work and rotation. Rotating them three times a week gives 25 or 26 sets, split between curls, wrist work and carries.

Session 1: Zottman curls and wrist extensions
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Zottman Curl 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Reverse Wrist Curl 3 × 15–20 0 1 min
Farmer's WalkSeconds per walk. 2 × 30–60 1 90 s

Open Session 1: Zottman curls and wrist extensions in the session builder

Session 2: Hammer curls, wrist curls and rotations
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Hammer Curl 3 × 10–15 1 90 s
Wrist CurlOne dumbbell at a time, forearm on your thigh. 2 × 15–20 0 1 min
Dumbbell Wrist Pronation-SupinationPer arm. 2 × 12–15 1 1 min
Farmer's WalkSeconds per walk. 2 × 30–60 1 90 s

Open Session 2: Hammer curls, wrist curls and rotations in the session builder

How to run it
Rotate Session 1 and Session 2 on three days a week, after another workout or on their own. Farmer's walks can be done back and forth across a room or hallway.
How to progress
Slow the lowering on Zottman curls to three seconds before adding weight. For wrist work, add reps until 20 is easy, then the next dumbbell. Add 5 seconds per carry each week until 60, then go heavier.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Grip gives out on deadlifts and pull-ups

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets18 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentPull-Up Bar, Barbells, Dumbbells

Your hands open before your back is tired on heavy deadlifts, rows or pull-ups, and you want stronger, bigger forearms to fix it.

Grip fails under long, heavy holds, so this plan leans on holds and carries, with one curl or wrist exercise to add size. Day A has 9 sets and Day B has 9, all taken to 1 rep or a few seconds short of letting go.

Day A: Hangs and pinches
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dead HangSeconds per hang. 3 × 30–60 1 90 s
Plate Pinch DeadliftHold 5 s at the top of each rep. 3 × 5–8 1 90 s
Wrist Curl 3 × 12–15 1 1 min

Open Day A: Hangs and pinches in the session builder

Day B: Carries and reverse curls
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Farmer's WalkSeconds per walk. Heaviest dumbbells you can hold. 4 × 30–45 1 2 min
Reverse Curl 3 × 10–12 1 90 s
Dead HangSeconds per hang. Towel over the bar. 2 × 20–45 1 90 s

Open Day B: Carries and reverse curls in the session builder

How to run it
Do Day A and Day B on two days that are not right before a heavy pull day, so your grip is fresh when you deadlift.
How to progress
On hangs and carries, add 5 seconds per set each week. When a 60 second hang is easy, hang from a towel or one arm at a time. For pinches, move to wider plates or add a small plate to each side.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

How do I make my forearms bigger?

Train wrist curls, reverse wrist curls and an overhand or neutral curl two or three times a week, take sets close to failure, and add weight or reps steadily. Grip holds add strength on top.

What are the 3 best exercises for bigger forearms?

The wrist curl for the underside, the reverse curl for the top near the elbow, and the farmer's walk for grip. Together they cover all three main forearm muscle groups.

How long do forearms take to grow?

With direct work two or three times a week, a visible change usually takes two to three months. Forearms grow slowly compared with larger muscles, so judge progress by your logbook first.

Why are forearms hard to build?

They carry loads every day, so normal training rarely challenges them enough. Direct wrist and grip work taken close to failure, done often, is what changes them.

Can I get bigger forearms at home?

Yes. With one pair of dumbbells you can do reverse wrist curls, wrist curls, Zottman and hammer curls, pronations and farmer's walks, which covers everything a gym plan does.