Forearm strength is one of the most underrated qualities in the world of performance, aesthetics, and injury prevention. Whether you're chasing a stronger grip for deadlifts, better control in combat sports, or just want to avoid nagging wrist and elbow pain, bulletproofing your forearms is a smart move. A weak link in this area can limit progress in nearly every upper body lift, and leave you prone to strains and overuse injuries.

The following 10 exercises are designed to build resilient, powerful forearms by targeting all the major functions of the lower arm flexion, extension, rotation, and grip. Several of these movements feature the Torque Bar from The Tib Bar Guy, a unique tool engineered to train the forearms through rotational strength and leverage based loading. However, not all movements require special equipment—just consistency and effort.

Let’s dive into the exercises!

1. Wrist Curls 

Primary Focus: Wrist flexors
Equipment: Dumbbell, barbell, or Torque Bar

Wrist curls are the bread and butter of direct forearm flexor training. Rest your forearms on a bench with your palms facing up and your wrists hanging off the edge and able to move freely. Lower the weight toward the floor by extending the wrists, then curl them back up as far as possible and squeeze at peak contraction..

Control is key, use a full range of motion and a moderate tempo to maximize tension.

2. Reverse Wrist Curls

Primary Focus: Wrist extensors
Equipment: Dumbbell, barbell, or Torque Bar

Often overlooked, the wrist extensors are vital for elbow health and balanced forearm development. Perform this in the same setup as standard wrist curls, but with palms facing down. Lower the weight by slowly flexing the wrists and then extend them back up under control.

If you're prone to golfer’s or tennis elbow, this movement should be a staple.

3. Ulnar & Radial Deviation

Primary Focus: Side to side wrist movement
Equipment: Torque Bar

Here’s where the Torque Bar shines. Its offset weight distribution is perfect for loading the wrist in non-traditional ways, like ulnar (pinkie side) and radial (thumb side) deviation. Hold the Torque Bar vertically in one hand, elbow tucked to your side. Move the bar in an arc, leading with the thumb side for radial deviation or the pinky side for ulnar deviation.

This targets often neglected stabilizers that protect the wrist during dynamic tasks like throwing or grappling.

4. Pronation & Supination

Primary Focus: Rotational strength
Equipment: Torque Bar

These are rotational powerhouses that train your ability to twist the forearm—crucial for everything from jiu-jitsu, to baseball, to wrenching a stuck jar lid. Rest the forearm on a bench and hold the Torque Bar upright in one hand with the wrist hanging freely over the edge of the bench. Rotate the Torque Bar back and forth in a left to right pattern by lowering it until it is parallel to the floor in one direction, then reversing course until it is parallel to the floor in the other direction.

The longer the Torque Bar, the more leverage is created, dramatically increasing the training effect even with light loads. This builds rotational strength from the wrist to the elbow and even into the shoulder.

5. Finger Extensions

Primary Focus: Finger extensors
Equipment: Rubber bands or dedicated finger extension tool

Grip training often neglects the opposing muscle groups your finger extensors. Wrap a rubber band (or several rubber bands!) around all five fingertips and open the hand against resistance. This simple motion strengthens the outside of the forearm and helps counteract the tight, overworked flexors that come from heavy pulling and gripping. 

Stronger finger extensors mean healthier, more balanced hands and wrists.

6. Rope Chin-Ups

Primary Focus: Grip endurance, biceps, back
Equipment: Thick rope

Rope chin-ups are brutal in the best way possible. Hanging from a thick rope taxes the grip from the moment you leave the ground. Combine that with the pulling motion of the chin-up, and you’ve got a full upper body builder with a massive grip and forearm payoff.

To perform these, loop a rope over a pull-up bar, squeeze it as hard as possible, and pull yourself up like a standard chin-up. Hold each rep at the top for a second or two to increase the isometric forearm burn.

7. Rope Climbs

Primary Focus: Full body coordination, pulling strength, grip strength
Equipment: Climbing rope

Rope climbs are an elite test of forearm and grip power. Climbing without legs turns this into a forearm finisher like no other. You’re not just supporting your bodyweight, you’re actively pulling it up while constantly letting go of the rope and having to re-grip it repeatedly.

Even if done with leg assistance, the amount of time spent hanging and pulling on a rope will push your forearms to adapt quickly.

8. Rice Bowl Grabs

Primary Focus: Crushing grip, finger and hand strength
Equipment: Bowl filled with rice, sand, or gravel

Rice bowl grabs are an old school grip training method that targets the deep muscles of the hands, fingers, and forearms. Fill a large bowl or bucket with uncooked rice, sand, or even small gravel. Drive your hand into the bowl, then squeeze and claw a handful of the material repeatedly. Rotate between crushing, pinching, twisting, and extending motions.

This method builds fatigue resistant hand strength, perfect for combat athletes, climbers, or anyone needing next level grip endurance and crushing power. It also doubles as rehab or active recovery due to its low impact nature.

9. One Arm Hangs (With a Twist)

Primary Focus: Grip endurance, shoulder health
Equipment: Pull-up bar or rope

One arm hangs are simple but brutally effective. Using just one arm at a time, hang from a pull-up bar for time, squeezing as hard as possible. To level up the challenge add a rotational component. Begin turning the wrists inward and outward under control to engage the forearm rotators and stabilizers even more.

This builds real world strength and endurance that translates to any pulling movement.

10. Crushing Grip with the TBG Grip Crush Set

Primary Focus: Maximal grip strength
Equipment: TBG Grip Crush Set

If you want a bone crushing handshake or the ability to dominate in any strength sport, building a strong crushing grip is non-negotiable. The Grip Crush Set by The Tib Bar Guy features progressive resistance levels that allow you to target your crushing strength with precision.

To perform: hold the gripper in one hand and squeeze maximally until the handles touch (or as close as possible), then control the return. Hold for isometric pauses at peak contraction to really up the ante. Be sure to train both hands equally.

This kind of focused grip training translates to stronger carries, rows, and pull-ups, as well as real-world strength your opponents can feel.

Final Thoughts

Your forearms are more than just an accessory, they're the gatekeepers to upper body performance. If they’re weak, everything suffers. But if they’re strong your resilience, functionality, strength, and real world capacity will all skyrocket. Rotate these 10 exercises into your weekly routine and take your forearms to the next level.