If your forearm training has hit a plateau or you’re simply tired of the same wrist curls and reverse curls, it’s time to shake things up. While traditional forearm exercises are effective, there are alternative movements that not only challenge your grip and endurance but also activate muscles in new and functional ways. Whether you’re chasing thicker arms, better grip strength, or improved athletic performance, these underrated exercises will keep your forearm training fresh and effective.
1. Towel Grip Farmer’s Carries
✅ Why It Works:
Farmer’s carries are already excellent for grip and forearm endurance. Adding a towel increases the difficulty by forcing your fingers and forearms to work harder.
How to Do It:
- Wrap towels around dumbbells or kettlebell handles.
- Grip tightly and walk for 30–60 seconds.
- Keep your posture upright and core braced.
2. Behind-the-Back Wrist Curls
✅ Why It Works:
This variation places the forearms behind your torso, creating a stretch in the flexors and engaging the muscles in a different way.
How to Do It:
- Hold a barbell behind your back with palms facing out.
- Let the bar roll to your fingertips, then curl it back up using your wrists.
3. Thick Bar (Fat Grip) Holds
✅ Why It Works:
Using a thick bar increases muscle recruitment in the hands and forearms due to a greater demand on grip.
How to Do It:
- Use a thick barbell or Fat Gripz attachments on a standard bar.
- Hold the bar for time or perform rows, curls, or deadlifts with it.
4. Sledgehammer Levering
✅ Why It Works:
This old-school movement trains wrist stability, grip strength, and rotational control, making it ideal for athletes and lifters alike.
How to Do It:
- Hold a sledgehammer at the end of the handle with one hand.
- Slowly lever it forward and back without moving your arm.
- Switch sides and repeat.
5. Wrist Rotations with Dumbbells
✅ Why It Works:
Targets the smaller stabilizer muscles in the forearms, especially those responsible for wrist pronation and supination.
How to Do It:
- Hold a dumbbell vertically (one end up).
- Rotate the wrist slowly from side to side without moving your elbow.
- Use light weights and high reps for best results.
6. Dead Hangs with Fingertip Emphasis
✅ Why It Works:
An intense challenge for the fingers and forearms, focusing on your support and crush grip strength.
How to Do It:
- Hang from a pull-up bar using just your fingertips (or on a ledge if advanced).
- Start with 10–15 second holds and build up from there.
7. Rice Bucket Forearm Work
✅ Why It Works:
Popular in martial arts and baseball, this old-school method uses resistance from rice to challenge forearm and finger muscles.
How to Do It:
- Fill a bucket with dry rice.
- Plunge your hands into the rice and perform squeezing, twisting, and digging motions.
8. Tennis Ball or Grip Ring Squeezes
✅ Why It Works:
Ideal for high-rep endurance work and rehabilitation, this simple exercise builds crushing grip strength without requiring a gym.
How to Do It:
- Hold a tennis ball or grip ring in one hand.
- Squeeze as hard as possible for 3–5 seconds, then release.
- Repeat for 20–30 reps per hand.
9. Sandbag or Slosh Pipe Carries
✅ Why It Works:
The shifting weight of sand or water forces your stabilizer muscles to engage more than static weights do.
How to Do It:
- Pick up a sandbag or slosh pipe.
- Carry it for time or distance while keeping your grip and posture tight.
10. Banded Finger Extensions
✅ Why It Works:
Balances out grip training by strengthening the finger extensors—important for injury prevention and overall forearm health.
How to Do It:
- Wrap a rubber band around your fingers and thumb.
- Open your hand against the band’s resistance.
- Perform high reps to build endurance.
Tips for Integrating These Exercises
- Add 2–3 alternative movements to your regular arm day or pull session.
- Use high reps (15–20) for endurance-focused exercises and heavy carries or holds for strength development.
- Aim to train forearms 2–3 times per week.
- Don’t neglect recovery and mobility, especially if you’re doing high-volume grip work.
Conclusion
Forearm training doesn’t have to be limited to the same old wrist curls and hammer curls. These alternative exercises offer new challenges and angles of resistance that help build stronger, thicker, and more functional forearms. Mix a few of these into your weekly training plan and your forearms—and grip strength—will thank you.