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Exercises

Forearm exercises with dumbbells: wrist curls, hammer curls and carries

Published October 19, 2026

The best forearm exercises with dumbbells are the reverse wrist curl for the top of the forearm, the hammer curl and Zottman curl for the thick muscle near the elbow, a rotation exercise for the muscles that turn your palm, and the farmer's walk for grip. Three of those, one from each of the curl, wrist and carry groups, cover the forearm. Do 2 to 4 hard sets of each two times a week; forearms recover fast and handle high reps well.

  1. Reverse Wrist Curl Forearms
  2. Zottman Curl Biceps, Forearms
  3. Hammer Curl Biceps, Forearms
  4. Dumbbell Wrist Pronation-Supination Forearms
  5. Farmer's Walk Forearms, Traps, Shoulders
  6. Dumbbell Suitcase Carry Abs, Quads
  7. Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl Biceps

Dumbbell exercises for the top of the forearm

The extensors lift the back of your hand, and they are usually weaker than the flexors that close your grip. The reverse wrist curl works them in isolation, and the palms-down lowering of the Zottman curl loads them with more weight.

Wrist extensors, top of the forearm

Reverse Wrist Curl

Forearms

The muscles on the back of your forearm lift your hand and knuckles up. Few exercises train them directly, and they are often the weak side, so this is the forearm exercise most worth adding.

How to do it

  1. Take a seat on a bench and rest your forearms along your thighs, palms down, wrists just past your knees.
  2. Let the dumbbells pull your knuckles down as far as is comfortable.
  3. Raise your knuckles toward the ceiling by bending only at the wrist.
  4. Lower slowly back to the bottom and repeat.

Cues

  • Forearms glued to the thighs
  • Knuckles up
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Lifting your forearms off your legs: only the hand should move.
  • Using a weight that needs a jerk to start: this muscle is small, so light dumbbells and 15 to 25 reps work best.

Swap for: Cable Wrist Extension, Reverse Curl

Build a session with Reverse Wrist Curl

Biceps up, forearm extensors down

Zottman Curl

Biceps, Forearms

You curl with palms up and lower with palms down, so the forearm extensors and brachioradialis take a slow, loaded lowering on every rep. It trains the front of the arm and the top of the forearm in one exercise.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the dumbbells at your sides, palms forward.
  2. Curl both dumbbells up to your shoulders.
  3. At the top, rotate your hands so your palms face the floor.
  4. Lower over three seconds with palms down, then turn them back up at the bottom.

Cues

  • Up palms up, down palms down
  • Three-second lowering
  • Elbows stay pinned

Common mistakes

  • Rushing the lowering: the slow palms-down descent is the forearm part of the exercise.
  • Turning your hands halfway down instead of at the top: rotate fully before you lower.

Swap for: Reverse Wrist Curl, Hammer Curl

Build a session with Zottman Curl

Hammer curls for forearm size near the elbow

The brachioradialis makes up most of the forearm's bulk just below the elbow, and palms-in curls load it heaviest. Pick one of these three and treat it as both a biceps and a forearm exercise.

Brachioradialis, neutral grip

Hammer Curl

Biceps, Forearms

The brachioradialis is the thick muscle on the thumb side of your forearm near the elbow, and it works hardest when you curl with your palms facing in. Hammer curls are the heaviest way to load it with dumbbells.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the dumbbells at your sides, thumbs pointing forward.
  2. Curl both up with the thumbs leading until your forearms are upright.
  3. Keep your wrists straight and your upper arms still.
  4. Lower to straight arms and repeat.

Cues

  • Thumbs lead
  • Wrists locked straight
  • Still upper arms

Common mistakes

  • Swinging heavier weight with the hips: this exercise works best strict.
  • Squeezing the handle loosely: grip it hard, which works the forearm more.

Swap for: Alternating Hammer Curl, Cable Rope Hammer Curl

Build a session with Hammer Curl

Brachioradialis, strict

Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Biceps

Sitting takes away the body swing, so you can push the hammer curl to failure with the forearm doing honest work on every rep.

How to do it

  1. Sit tall on the end of a bench, the dumbbells hanging at your sides, thumbs forward.
  2. Curl them up until your forearms point at the ceiling.
  3. Pause for a moment, then lower them to straight arms.
  4. Repeat without leaning back.

Cues

  • Sit tall
  • Pause at the top
  • Full lowering

Common mistakes

  • Letting the dumbbells clip the bench: shift forward so they hang free.
  • Leaning back to keep the set going: end it there.

Swap for: Hammer Curl, Alternating Hammer Curl

Build a session with Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Brachioradialis, one side at a time

Alternating Hammer Curl

Biceps

Alternating arms lets each side rest briefly, so you can use heavier dumbbells than in the two-arm version and still keep your torso still.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the dumbbells at your sides, thumbs forward.
  2. Bring one dumbbell up, thumb leading, while the other stays at your side.
  3. Lower it fully, then curl the other side.
  4. Count one rep per arm.

Cues

  • One arm at a time
  • Thumbs to shoulders
  • Torso square

Common mistakes

  • Starting the next arm before the first is down: finish the lowering.
  • Twisting your torso toward the working side: keep both shoulders facing forward.

Swap for: Hammer Curl, Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Build a session with Alternating Hammer Curl

Forearm rotation with a dumbbell

The muscles that turn your palm up and down get little work from curls. One light rotation exercise covers them.

Forearm rotators

Dumbbell Wrist Pronation-Supination

Forearms

Turning the palm down and back up trains the muscles that rotate your forearm, which most curls and carries skip. It is the forearm movement for wrist strength when you twist, turn or swing something.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your side, knees bent, with the top elbow resting on your hip, bent to 90 degrees.
  2. Hold a light dumbbell upright in the top hand.
  3. Rotate your forearm so your palm turns toward the floor, without moving the elbow.
  4. Turn it back to upright with control and repeat, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow stays still
  • Rotate, don't lift
  • Light weight, smooth turns

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbow slide to help: keep it parked on your side.
  • Choosing a heavy dumbbell: rotation is hard on the wrist, and a light one is plenty.

Swap for: Reverse Wrist Curl, Zottman Curl

Build a session with Dumbbell Wrist Pronation-Supination

Carries for grip strength

Carrying heavy dumbbells trains the flexors that close your hand, the bulk of the inner forearm, by making them hold on while you walk. Carries give the most grip work for the time, and they make heavy pulling easier.

Grip, the heaviest forearm work

Farmer's Walk

Forearms, Traps, Shoulders

Carrying the heaviest dumbbells you can hold for a walk trains your grip under more load than any curl. It also works your traps and core, and it is the forearm exercise that carries over most to deadlifts and rows.

How to do it

  1. Stand between two heavy dumbbells, hinge down and lift them with a flat back.
  2. Stand tall with the dumbbells at your sides and your shoulders pulled down.
  3. Walk forward with short, quick steps, keeping the dumbbells from swinging.
  4. Stop, set them down with the same flat-back hinge, and rest.

Cues

  • Crush the handles
  • Tall chest
  • Short steps

Common mistakes

  • Leaning to one side or letting the shoulders round: use a pair you can carry upright.
  • Stopping when you are bored rather than when your grip fails: walk until the handles start to slip.

Swap for: Dumbbell Suitcase Carry

Build a session with Farmer's Walk

Grip with one heavy dumbbell

Dumbbell Suitcase Carry

Abs, Quads

Carrying one dumbbell gives each hand the whole load and makes your trunk work to stay upright. If you own only one heavy dumbbell, this is your grip exercise.

How to do it

  1. Pick up one dumbbell at your side with a flat-back hinge.
  2. Stand straight, shoulders level, and let the dumbbell hang beside your thigh.
  3. Walk with steady steps without leaning away from the weight.
  4. Set it down, switch hands, and walk back.

Cues

  • Level shoulders
  • Don't lean
  • Squeeze the handle

Common mistakes

  • Leaning toward the empty side to balance: brace and stay vertical.
  • Letting the dumbbell bump your leg: hold it just off the thigh.

Swap for: Farmer's Walk

Build a session with Dumbbell Suitcase Carry

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. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

Ten minutes at the end of an arm or pull day

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets16 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You already train arms or back and want bigger forearms without adding a workout.

Curls and rows already work the grip, so this add-on covers what they miss: the Zottman curl for the brachioradialis and extensors, and the reverse wrist curl for the top of the forearm, finished with one heavy carry for the flexors. That is 8 sets in about ten minutes. Forearms recover quickly and tolerate going to failure, so the curls end at 0 to 1 RIR; the carry stops 1 short of dropping the dumbbells.

Forearm Finisher
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Zottman Curl3 s down, palms down. 3 × 8–15 1 1 min
Reverse Wrist CurlForearms on thighs. 3 × 15–25 0 45 s
Farmer's WalkReps are steps. Heaviest pair you can hold. 2 × 30–40 1 90 s
How to run it
Do it at the end of two sessions a week, after your other curls.
How to progress
Add reps to the Zottman and reverse wrist curls until you reach the top of the range, then go up a dumbbell. On the carry, add steps each week, and add weight once you reach 40.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

One pair of dumbbells at home, forearms as a focus

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets26 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You train at home with one pair and want a dedicated forearm session, for size or for wrists that feel weak.

With one pair, the hammer curl is the heaviest forearm load, and the alternating version lets the pair work in two ways. The reverse wrist curl and the rotation exercise are light work where your pair is likely already heavy enough, and the suitcase carry puts the whole dumbbell in one hand, which is a bigger grip challenge than carrying both. Every set ends 0 to 1 short of failure, 13 sets per session.

Forearms A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Hammer CurlGrip hard. 4 × 8–15 1 1 min
Reverse Wrist Curl 3 × 15–25 0 45 s
Dumbbell Wrist Pronation-SupinationPer arm. Elbow stays on your hip. 3 × 12–20 1 45 s
Dumbbell Suitcase CarrySteps per hand. 3 × 20–40 1 1 min

Open Forearms A in the session builder

Forearms B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Alternating Hammer CurlCount each arm. 4 × 8–15 1 1 min
Zottman Curl3 s down. 3 × 10–15 0 1 min
Dumbbell Suitcase CarrySteps per hand. Don't lean. 3 × 20–40 1 1 min
Reverse Wrist Curl 3 × 15–25 0 45 s

Open Forearms B in the session builder

How to run it
Do Forearms A and B on different days, two or more days apart. They are short enough to stack onto any other workout.
How to progress
Add reps until the top of the range, then slow the lowering on the curls to three seconds. On carries, add steps before anything else.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Grip gives out on deadlifts and rows

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts1× a week
  • Working sets10 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

Your hands fail before your back does on heavy pulls, and you can get to a gym or have heavy dumbbells.

The flexors that hold the bar respond to heavy holding, so this session leads with the farmer's walk using the heaviest dumbbells you can carry, then a one-sided carry, then a strict seated hammer curl for the brachioradialis. The carries stop 1 RIR short of dropping the weight so your form holds; the curl goes to 1 RIR because your grip is already tired. Ten sets once a week, on a day without heavy deadlifts.

Grip Day
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Farmer's Walk1 warm-up set firstReps are steps. Heaviest pair you can hold. 4 × 20–40 1 2 min
Dumbbell Suitcase CarrySteps per hand. 3 × 20–30 1 90 s
Seated Dumbbell Hammer CurlStrict. Squeeze the handles. 3 × 6–12 1 90 s
How to run it
Do it once a week, two or more days before your heaviest pulling day.
How to progress
Add 5 to 10 steps per carry each week, then go up a dumbbell size and start again at the low end. Curls: reps first, then weight.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

How do I make my forearms bigger with dumbbells?

Train both sides of the forearm and the brachioradialis: a reverse wrist curl, a hammer or Zottman curl and a heavy carry, 2 to 4 hard sets each, twice a week. Add reps and then weight over time. Forearm size also depends a lot on genetics, so progress is slow for some people.

Is 3 exercises enough for forearms?

Yes, if the three cover different jobs: a curl with palms in or down, a wrist exercise, and a carry or hold for grip. Two sessions a week with 6 to 12 total hard sets is enough for most people.

What are the 3 best exercises for strong forearms?

The farmer's walk for grip strength, the hammer curl for the brachioradialis, and the reverse wrist curl for the extensors on top of the forearm.

What are the best forearm workouts with dumbbells?

The add-on plan above (Zottman curl, reverse wrist curl and farmer's walk after an arm or pull day) suits most lifters. If you want a full forearm session, the home plan adds the hammer curl, rotation and suitcase carry.

How long does it take to see forearm gains?

Strength and grip improve within a few weeks. Visible size takes longer, usually a few months of steady training, and depends on body fat and genetics.

What are some good stretches for the forearms?

Two cover most of it. With your arm straight in front of you, palm up, gently pull your fingers down and back with the other hand to stretch the inner forearm; turn the palm down and press the back of the hand toward you to stretch the top. Hold each for 20 to 30 seconds after a forearm session.

How many sets for forearms per week?

About 6 to 12 hard sets a week, split across two sessions, on top of the grip work your curls and rows already give. Add sets only if your forearms stop progressing.

Do I need wrist curls if I already curl and deadlift?

Curls and deadlifts train the flexors and brachioradialis, but almost nothing in a normal program works the extensors on the back of the forearm directly. A few sets of reverse wrist curls fill that gap.