Exercise plan to strengthen hand/wrist/forearm?

[syntaxle]

I need to focus a lot on strengthening my lower arm; everything below the elbow. The problem I'm having is that, while I can take the weight with my biceps, I'm getting a lot of sharp pains in my wrist from the weight; unbearably sharp, a clear indicator that my wrists just can't take the weight. For this reason it's getting particularly difficult to do arm and chest workouts; I can't use BB's properly or bench, and I can't do pushups because the weight makes my wrists hurt.

I've checked with doctors and everything and I don't have any fractures or sprains, and he recommended that the issue was simply a case of my wrists not being strong enough.

The problem is, I know there arn't any large, visible muscles in the wrist area, so making them larger isn't really possible, and tbh it's not really the issue. But surely wrist stength can increase along with hand stength and forearms.


So, basically, I need some advice on how I'm going to go about strengthening them, what kind of sets/reps I need to do, how many days a week I need to spend working on them, etc. They're pretty thin, >6 inches.

As it stands, I know wrist curls and reverse wrist curls are a pretty good option, I just have no idea how long I should be spending on them etc. Also note, whith my fist clenched, I can't bend my hand upwards more than about a 150degree position for some reason. I've only noticed it recently so I dono if this has always been the case.

Cheers

[PNguyen0791]

I need to focus a lot on strengthening my lower arm; everything below the elbow. The problem I'm having is that, while I can take the weight with my biceps, I'm getting a lot of sharp pains in my wrist from the weight; unbearably sharp, a clear indicator that my wrists just can't take the weight. For this reason it's getting particularly difficult to do arm and chest workouts; I can't use BB's properly or bench, and I can't do pushups because the weight makes my wrists hurt.

I've checked with doctors and everything and I don't have any fractures or sprains, and he recommended that the issue was simply a case of my wrists not being strong enough.

The problem is, I know there arn't any large, visible muscles in the wrist area, so making them larger isn't really possible, and tbh it's not really the issue. But surely wrist stength can increase along with hand stength and forearms.


So, basically, I need some advice on how I'm going to go about strengthening them, what kind of sets/reps I need to do, how many days a week I need to spend working on them, etc. They're pretty thin, >6 inches.

As it stands, I know wrist curls and reverse wrist curls are a pretty good option, I just have no idea how long I should be spending on them etc. Also note, whith my fist clenched, I can't bend my hand upwards more than about a 150degree position for some reason. I've only noticed it recently so I dono if this has always been the case.

Cheers

1-2 times a weeks you should do your forearms.

But to be honest , you should use lighter weights if your doing your forearms

But if u work out your biceps / triceps , you can also work your forearms. Have fun!

[SpiderJerusalem]

inb4 fap jokes


Sorry, had to be said!

lol

[syntaxle]

1-2 times a weeks you should do your forearms.

But to be honest , you should use lighter weights if your doing your forearms

But if u work out your biceps / triceps , you can also work your forearms. Have fun!

The thing is, as the people here recommended, I'm using weights that are so heavy on my biceps I can only do about 10 reps with them. To be able to use enough weight to work my biceps in this way, I'm putting a lot of strain on my forearm/wrists which arn't strong enough to cope. Usually Dumbbells are okay, because of the twisting motion of having them sideways at your side and then bring them straight at my bicep/chest. For some reason this seems to avoid putting alot of the weight on my wrists. But with BB's your wrists are locked straight from the bottom of the curl to the top, so about 75% into a bicep curl with BB's, most of the weight is being countered directly by the wrists.

I usually use lighter weights if I'm targeting my forearms specifically but like I said I dono what kind of aching I'm expecting, how many sets, reps etc are a good start.

[PNguyen0791]

The thing is, as the people here recommended, I'm using weights that are so heavy on my biceps I can only do about 10 reps with them. To be able to use enough weight to work my biceps in this way, I'm putting a lot of strain on my forearm/wrists which arn't strong enough to cope. Usually Dumbbells are okay, because of the twisting motion of having them sideways at your side and then bring them straight at my bicep/chest. For some reason this seems to avoid putting alot of the weight on my wrists. But with BB's your wrists are locked straight from the bottom of the curl to the top, so about 75% into a bicep curl with BB's, most of the weight is being countered directly by the wrists.

I usually use lighter weights if I'm targeting my forearms specifically but like I said I dono what kind of aching I'm expecting, how many sets, reps etc are a good start.

High Weights Low Reps

so 5-7 Reps and like 3 sets.

[elmagodelossema]

I need to focus a lot on strengthening my lower arm; everything below the elbow. The problem I'm having is that, while I can take the weight with my biceps, I'm getting a lot of sharp pains in my wrist from the weight; unbearably sharp, a clear indicator that my wrists just can't take the weight. For this reason it's getting particularly difficult to do arm and chest workouts; I can't use BB's properly or bench, and I can't do pushups because the weight makes my wrists hurt.

I've checked with doctors and everything and I don't have any fractures or sprains, and he recommended that the issue was simply a case of my wrists not being strong enough.

The problem is, I know there arn't any large, visible muscles in the wrist area, so making them larger isn't really possible, and tbh it's not really the issue. But surely wrist stength can increase along with hand stength and forearms.


So, basically, I need some advice on how I'm going to go about strengthening them, what kind of sets/reps I need to do, how many days a week I need to spend working on them, etc. They're pretty thin, >6 inches.

As it stands, I know wrist curls and reverse wrist curls are a pretty good option, I just have no idea how long I should be spending on them etc. Also note, whith my fist clenched, I can't bend my hand upwards more than about a 150degree position for some reason. I've only noticed it recently so I dono if this has always been the case.

Cheers

use fat bars, if you don't have acces to those, but fat gripz. The greater circumference that these provides will help your pain and build up your arms

[Armbender]

Here are a couple of my routines for Hand/Wrist/ and Forearms

Grip & Forearm Training is one of my favorite Workouts...You have to be careful and really listen to your body as the muscles and tendons involved are extrememly small and can be overtrained very easily. These two workouts have been extremely successful for me over the past couple years;
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Workout #1
Side Levers (3" thick PVC Pipe with weight fitted at 1 side) or a sledgehammer

Simply rotate the Sledge 180 degrees so the weight is on the other end for 1 rep.


3 Sets 12 Reps

Front Levers


3 Sets 12 Reps

Stand with the weight at your side, start with the weight towards the floor, slowly control the weight upwards locking your elbow for 1 rep

Plate Wrist Curls (Try using 2 plates flush side out for the width)

3 Sets 10-12 Reps

Reverse Curls (Thumbs out)
Side Hammers (Thumbs out)
Front Hammers
Standing barbell wrist curls in front
Reverse Wrist Curls
^^^3 Sets 6-8 Reps^^^
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Workout #2
(1 1/4" thick Rope, 10' long, hooked to a pulley at lowest level with you seated on the floor, 10' back from the pully) Work the rope in slowly and back slowly raising and lowering the stack of weights...never letting the weights touch...

Rope Pulls elbows out, hand over hand, palms down
Rope Pulls elbows touching, palms facing each other
Rope Pulls elbows out, hand over hand, palms up
5 Sets x 5 Reps

Plate Pinch (Use Min 3 plates for the width)


Plate Toss
DB Toss (Silver DB's standing on end)
^^^Super Set these two running 4 sets 15 reps each hand^^^

Turn the DB on its side ( I use the stainless steel rounded ones, then with one hand, toss it up on its end and attempt to catch it with the other hand.

Plate toss - Pinch the top of the plate and toss it in the air catching it with your opposite hand.

Rope Pull-Ups or Towel Pull-ups

3 Sets 10 Reps


2 Hand DB Preacher Hammer Curls.
The Db is turned on its side so you can hold the OUTSIDE of the weights. This only works with HEX DB's or Rbber DB's as the steel plated ones don't allow your hands to grab around them. Either have your hands on the outside of the HEX DB's or pinch the outside plates of the Rubber DB. The rubber ones I find are a lot better for this exercise because you really have to pinch the weight to complete the rep.

I use the rubber ones becasue it concentrates on your fingers more. Simply do a 2-hand Preacher Curl, but only holding the outside of the weight, your forced to apply pressure sideways to hold the weight in which attacks the upper part of your wrist, at the top of the rep, the weight is attacking your thumb and at the bottom of the rep, the weight is attacking your fingers...

4 Sets 8 Reps
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Every so often I will throw in Captain of Crush Grippers, maybe once every 10 days..

Slow and controled Reps...you are not trying to get 100 reps from any grippers...this will result in an injury...
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You can effectively hit the forearms by training hands and wrist also. I find that is the only way to strengthen and grow the entire forearm...Ensure to only train hand and wrist once every 4 days to begin with until you can handle it or you will find yourself overtraining...I directly and indirectly train my forearms everyday...Using ropes is an ideal way of tackling all of these areas with great results especially your grip strength

MY NEW FAVORITE FOREARM EXERCISE

Standing Rolling Thunder Wrist Curls

Grab a rolling thunder,

Hook it to a cable machine with the stack at the top...pull the rolling thunder down into your chest and hold your elbow steady with your opposite hand...now proceed with your wrist curls

Another Exercise you can add to your routine to mix things up is;

Close Grip Tennis Ball Pull-ups.
Simply place a tennis ball in each hand, place them in your palms and also on the bar you are completeing the pull-ups. Your weight will dent the ball enough to keep contact with the ball, simply cup your hand around the ball and complete your pullups...This is awesome for your wrists.

Some grip training you can do at home

1. Fill a bucket full of sand...put 1 hand in and turn the sand in a clockwise fasion, then reverse....

2. Take two towels in the bathtub and soak them...then wring them both out at the same time working from top to bottom.

3. Steak Knife Push-ups...place two chairs in front of you which of rounded legs (not squared) get into the push up position with the two chairs side by side in front of you....(so you can grab the two outter legs with your hands)...place your hands on the outer legs roughly 6" up from the ground....begin your push-ups...(THESE ARE EXTREMEMLY HARD)



4. Flat board chin-ups, If you have stairs in your house, hang off the floor the is above the stairwell opeing with your fingers straight out for pullups

5. Hang a rope from a tree in your back yard, if no trees, use your patio...try climbing rope for sets...

6. By a small peice of a plank used on staging at the hardware store...start using a screwdriver and some screws and turn the screws in to the board and out for sets....

7. Sledgehammer lever lifts...using a sledge, place your arm on your leg and rotate the head of the hammer from one side to the other SLOWLY for each hand...the farther out the head, the more tension on your hand and wrist..I stress the word SLOWLY


^^^These should work fine without any equipment.^^^

Farmers Walk also have a direct impact on size and strength of the hands and forearms. The equipment is not always readily available. I definately suggest using Fat GripZ. I use them for all exercises.




RECOVERY & REST
One thing that is extremely important is recovery and rest. An exercise which I believe is very important whan you start direct forearm and wrist work is EXTENSORS.



These help build the tendons and tissues around the elbow which take a direct impact from this type of training.

SUPPLEMENTS
Supplements can really help with injury prevention and also recovery. Some I highly recommend

Over-All Joint Health
1. Glucosamine
2. Fish Oil
3. Almonds (Not a supplement but I find helps with joints)

Joint Recovery
1. USPLabs Super Cissus Rx
2. Animal FLEX