If you’ve been lifting for a while but your forearms still look like they belong to a gamer who just pulled an all-nighter, it’s time to rethink your approach. A strong set of forearms not only completes your physique but also improves your grip strength, helping you lift heavier in every other exercise. So why aren’t yours growing? Let’s break down the most common mistakes and how to fix them.
Mistake #1: You’re Not Training Them Directly
A lot of lifters assume their forearms will grow just from holding heavy weights during deadlifts and rows. While it’s true that your grip strength gets tested, relying solely on indirect work is like expecting your biceps to grow just from back exercises—possible, but not optimal.
Fix It: Add dedicated forearm exercises to your routine. Wrist curls, reverse curls, and hammer curls specifically target the muscles in your forearms, helping them grow instead of just surviving your workouts.
Mistake #2: Your Grip Is Doing All the Work
Your forearms are heavily involved in gripping movements, but if you’re not actively working through a full range of motion, they’re not getting the full growth stimulus they need. Many lifters make the mistake of simply holding onto a bar rather than actually flexing and extending their wrists or fingers.
Fix It: Use exercises that force your forearms through a full contraction. Try wrist rollers, farmer’s carries, and fat grip training. These movements force your forearms to do more than just passively grip a barbell.
Mistake #3: You’re Using Straps Too Much
Lifting straps are great when you’re going heavy on deadlifts, shrugs, or rows, but if you’re using them all the time, your forearms aren’t actually working. The more you rely on straps, the less your grip strength improves, and weak grip strength equals weak forearms.
Fix It: Only use straps when absolutely necessary. For moderate-weight lifts and warm-up sets, go strapless and let your grip do the work. Over time, your forearms will strengthen, and your grip will improve.
Mistake #4: You’re Training with Light Weights
Doing endless sets of wrist curls with baby weights isn’t going to get you those thick, veiny forearms you’re after. Forearms, like calves, respond well to heavier loads and progressive overload.
Fix It: Train forearms the same way you train other muscle groups—by progressively increasing the weight. Incorporate heavy reverse curls and wrist curls with challenging resistance, aiming for a mix of lower-rep strength work and higher-rep endurance training.
Mistake #5: You’re Not Training Them Frequently Enough
Your forearms are one of the most resilient muscle groups in your body. They recover quickly and can handle frequent training. If you’re only training them once a week (or not at all), you’re not maximizing their growth potential.
Fix It: Train your forearms 2-4 times per week. Since they recover quickly, you can hit them after your main workouts or even on rest days with bodyweight grip exercises.
Mistake #6: You’re Ignoring Finger and Wrist Strength
Forearm development isn’t just about wrist curls and reverse curls—finger and wrist strength play a massive role. If your wrists are weak, your forearm training will suffer.
Fix It: Add exercises that challenge your fingers and wrists, like plate pinches, grippers, and towel pull-ups. These movements improve overall forearm strength and help prevent wrist pain and injuries.
Final Thoughts
If your forearms aren’t growing, it’s not genetics—it’s your training. Start hitting them with direct work, progressively overload them, and stop relying on straps and passive grip work. Treat them like any other muscle, train them frequently, and before long, you’ll be filling out those sleeves with thick, powerful forearms. Now go grab a barbell and put in the work!
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