5 Effective Steps to Strengthen Your Forearms

You can get strong forearms by doing regular weight training exercises. The major muscles in your forearm are brachioradialis, wrist flexors, wrist extensors, pronators and supinators. You can target these muscles with specific exercises using a barbell or dumbbells. Build strong and toned forearms with muscle-strengthening exercises and eating a balanced, protein-rich diet.
Step 1
Strengthen your brachioradialis muscle with weight training exercises such as reverse curls. This is a modified exercise from the traditional curl that targets mainly your biceps. Do reverse curl by grasping dumbbells or a barbell with an over hand grip so that the back of your hand is facing upward. Hold your arms straight down, elbows on the sides, and do the move by raising the weight until your forearms are vertical and the back of your hands are almost touching your chest. Keep your elbows unmoved throughout the move. Lower and repeat.
Step 2
Target your wrist flexors with wrist curls. Grasp a dumbbell or barbell with an underhand grip. Sit down and place your forearms on your thighs so that your wrists are just beyond your knees. Let the weight roll down to your fingers. Raise the weight up by wrapping your hand around it and pointing your knuckles as high as you can. Lower and repeat.
Step 3
Do reverse wrist curls to strengthen your wrist extensors. This move is similar to wrist curls except that you grasp the weight with an overhand grip. Rest your forearms on your thighs and lift the weight by bending your wrist, pointing your knuckles upward. Return and repeat.
Step 4
Strengthen your pronators with a dumbbell. Bend your elbow and place your upper arm on a support so that your arms is at the level of your shoulder. Hold the weight in your hand so that your thumb is positioned upward. Rotate your thumb downward. Ideally use a unilaterally-loaded dumbbell and hold it so that the weighted side is next to your pinkie. This way you are lifting the weighted side when rotating the dumbbell.
Step 5
Target your supinators with the same exercise as you target pronators except hold the weighted side of the dumbbell next to your thumb. Hold the dumbbell in your hand so that your thumb is positioned downward. Rotate your hand so that your thumb turns upward.
Step 6
Eat a protein-rich diet. Protein is the building block of muscles and needed for muscle growth. The "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010" recommends you eat 10 to 35 percent of your daily calories in the form of protein. This is 50 to 175 g of protein, when eating a 2,000-calorie diet.
Step 7
Eat a balanced diet that provides you with all the essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and calories. Build your meals around fresh vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and healthy fats. Avoid processed, "empty" foods that are high in sugars and saturated fats and low in essential nutrients.