forearms

[Wilfried Helfer]

did a lot of swimming for a while now, but the only thing that is weird is that my muscles respond
well except for my forearms. my arms got bigger as well as other body parts but the forearms still
look poor. any suggestions?

i swim in ten minute splittings over an hour changing between sprint and easy going.

 

[Martin W. Smith]

Wilfried Helferding wrote:
>
> did a lot of swimming for a while now, but the only thing that is weird is that my muscles respond
> well except for my forearms. my arms got bigger as well as other body parts but the forearms still
> look poor. any suggestions?
>
> i swim in ten minute splittings over an hour changing between sprint and easy going.

Forearms are important in creating drag, but the muscles there aren't used in swimming much, since
they are used mainly in controlling the hand. The only person who has big forearms is Popeye. You
could try eating spinach, I guess.

martin

--
Martin Smith email: [email protected] Vollsveien 9 tel. : +47 6783 1188
P.O. Box 482 mob. : +47 932 48 303 1327 Lysaker, Norway

 

[Madelaine]

At some point in my life I knew several women whose husbands were pipe fitters (a skilled trade).
They used to laugh about how their husbands developed weirdly large, strong forarms with little
bicep development in the upper arm. Lacking that, there are weightlifting exercises specifically for
the forearms, but I doubt they will do much for your stroke. Madelaine "Martin W. Smith" wrote:

> Wilfried Helferding wrote:
> >
> > did a lot of swimming for a while now, but the only thing that is weird is that my muscles
> > respond well except for my forearms. my arms got bigger as well as other body parts but the
> > forearms still look poor. any suggestions?
> >
> > i swim in ten minute splittings over an hour changing between sprint and easy going.
>
> Forearms are important in creating drag, but the muscles there aren't used in swimming much, since
> they are used mainly in controlling the hand. The only person who has big forearms is Popeye. You
> could try eating spinach, I guess.
>
> martin
>
> --
> Martin Smith email: [email protected] Vollsveien 9 tel. : +47 6783 1188
> P.O. Box 482 mob. : +47 932 48 303 1327 Lysaker, Norway

 

[Zac Hester]

"Wilfried Helferding" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> did a lot of swimming for a while now, but the only thing that is weird is that my muscles respond
> well except for my forearms. my arms got bigger as well as other body parts but the forearms still
> look poor. any
suggestions?
>
> i swim in ten minute splittings over an hour changing between sprint and easy going.
>

Swimming has never done much for my forearms. Since you don't ever squeeze the water in your fist (I
hope you don't, anyway), you'll never really develop forearm strength from swimming alone. Grab a
racquet ball and squeeze it in your palm until you can't anymore. Do lat pull-downs at the gym using
your fingertips to hold onto the bar (if it's knurled enough). Do pull-ups and chin-ups hanging from
your fingertips. Go to a climbing gym and try to climb up the steepest (or most overhanging) wall
they have. Better yet, take up rock climbing as a new sport and ask a qualified guide/instructor to
take you on "pumpy five-tens."

If this doesn't build up your forearms in a hurry, see Martin's post and try spinach.

Take care, Zac (swims when he's not climbing) Hester