Newbie: Forearm building advice?

"Kevin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi all,
>
> I bought a pair of dumbells with the view to building up the muscles
> in my arms and especially my forearms which are quite thin.
>
> I'm interested in finding the dumbel exercise that is best for
> building muscle in this area. The closest method Ive found so far is
> the hammer curl but I'm wondering if there are more effective methods?
>
> Thanks in advance!

http://www.ironmind.com

http://www.exrx.net

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

Steve Freides wrote:
> "Kevin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I bought a pair of dumbells with the view to building up the
muscles
> > in my arms and especially my forearms which are quite thin.
> >
> > I'm interested in finding the dumbel exercise that is best for
> > building muscle in this area. The closest method Ive found so far
is
> > the hammer curl but I'm wondering if there are more effective
methods?
> >
> > Thanks in advance!

HAMMER CURLS are the best dumbell exercises for building your forearms
hands down!

On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 02:45:50 -0000, "Kevin" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I bought a pair of dumbells with the view to building up the muscles in my
>arms and especially my forearms which are quite thin.
>
>I'm interested in finding the dumbel exercise that is best for building
>muscle in this area. The closest method Ive found so far is the hammer curl
>but I'm wondering if there are more effective methods?
>
>Thanks in advance!
>

You'll probably find that you'll get the best results with wrist
curls, if hypertrophy is what you seek.
Also try wrapping something over the handle of your dumbell (thus
making it thicker) to make it more of a grip workout. You can also
break a broom handle over your knee (or your head, if you so prefer),
tie a rope to the middle, and attach your dumbell to the rope. Then
you can do wristrolling.

Those should get you started.

On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 02:45:50 -0000, Kevin <[email protected]> posted
<news:[email protected]> in misc.fitness.weights:

> Hi all,
>
> I bought a pair of dumbells with the view to building up the muscles in my
> arms and especially my forearms which are quite thin.
>
> I'm interested in finding the dumbel exercise that is best for building
> muscle in this area. The closest method Ive found so far is the hammer curl
> but I'm wondering if there are more effective methods?
>
> Thanks in advance!

Hammer curls are great. Another possibilty is to do "reverse curls", with
your palms facing the floor.

/hg

--
"Forget about likes and dislikes. They are of no consequence. Just do what
must be done. This may not be happiness, but it is greatness." - George
Bernard Shaw

"Kevin" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Hi all,
>
> I bought a pair of dumbells with the view to building up the muscles
> in my arms and especially my forearms which are quite thin.
>
> I'm interested in finding the dumbel exercise that is best for
> building muscle in this area. The closest method Ive found so far is
> the hammer curl but I'm wondering if there are more effective methods?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
>

I've not tried hammer curls, but I would have thought the best exercises to
build forearms dont use dumbells. (Or at least use VERY heavy ones).

I'm not a BBer or powerlifter etc, but my experience is that my forearms
respond quicker to grip work than curl work.

My forearms blew-up when I started deadlifting. Combined with pull-ups that
was all I needed to see significant forearm growth.
--
Lordy

Thanks for all the advice guys, that's really helpful! I'll be sure to try
it all out.

In article <[email protected]>,
tabber <[email protected]> wrote:

>HAMMER CURLS are the best dumbell exercises for building your forearms
>hands down!

What if I'm willing to do an exercise that moves my hands up?

Seth
--
Who cares? Shut up and lift. -- Watson (the pencil neck) Davis

Lordy <[email protected]> wrote:
>My forearms blew-up when I started deadlifting. Combined with pull-ups that
>was all I needed to see significant forearm growth.

Most of the muscles in your forearms are connected by
long tendons to your fingers. So yes, it's a lot about
a grip thing.

There are also some muscles in the forearm connecting
the forearm bones to the humerus. The brachio-radialis,
for instance. They would benefit from elbow extension
and flexion exercises (curls and presses).

There are also muscles connecting the radius and ulna
together. They want supinating and pronating exercises.

To get a hard burn in the top of your forearm, grip a
10-lb plate with your middle finger through the hole and
the heel of your palm at or off the edge. Point your arm
straight down, keep your elbow straight and raise just
your hand so your palm and the weight are flat relative to
the floor and the back of your hand is skyward. Do that
about 10 times and tilt the weight around at the top.
Do it at the end of your workout, too, because you won't
want to lift much afterward. And try to look cool doing
it; that's probably the hardest part.

--Blair
"12-ounce curls and beating your meat
count as aerobic exercise, so get back
into the gym, after you wash your hands,
you drunken jagoffs."

The "Farmer's Walk" will work your entire forearms in one shot and give
you a good pump to boot. Just grab a pair of heavy dumbells and hold
them paralell down your sides and walk for 30 seconds like you are
holding on a wheelbarrow.

"Willie D" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The "Farmer's Walk" will work your entire forearms in one shot and
> give
> you a good pump to boot. Just grab a pair of heavy dumbells and hold
> them paralell down your sides and walk for 30 seconds like you are
> holding on a wheelbarrow.

If you don't mind your Farmer's Walks taking twice as long, you can get
a great oblique workout by doing them one hand at a time. I weigh about
150 lbs. and do this with 90 lb. kettlebells (a pretty thick handle),
and in the winter, I usually just stand in place for time. When the
weather's nice, I try to walk around the outside of the house once or
something similar.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

N.B. I looked in Gray's Anatomy, and had to count twice.

There are 21 muscles with their bellies in your forearms.

9 flexors, 9 extensors, and 3 rotators.

--Blair
"Happy hefting."

Thus many movements that use the arms recruit the forearms. Chin ups
are an excellent forearm recruitment, but nearly any of the back
exercises do as well. Or try pruning trees with loppers for 5 hours.
It's all forearm/wrist work (with an occasional pec squeeze).

Blair P. Houghton wrote:

> N.B. I looked in Gray's Anatomy, and had to count twice.
>
> There are 21 muscles with their bellies in your forearms.
>
> 9 flexors, 9 extensors, and 3 rotators.
>
> --Blair
> "Happy hefting."


So: flex, extend, rotate, and you're done?

T <[email protected]> wrote:
>Blair P. Houghton wrote:
>
>> N.B. I looked in Gray's Anatomy, and had to count twice.
>>
>> There are 21 muscles with their bellies in your forearms.
>>
>> 9 flexors, 9 extensors, and 3 rotators.
>
>So: flex, extend, rotate, and you're done?

Yes. Flex, and extend each finger separately, and flex and
extend and rotate your hands. Rotating your fingers is left
for the experts.

--Blair
"Herding cats is probably a good workout."