Dumbbells allow you to train every muscle group, including the forearms. The forearms are among the hardest working muscles in most upper-body workouts. Yet, many lifters have woefully underdeveloped forearms and a puny grip.

That’s a shame because your forearms are often visible, especially when you wear a T-shirt or roll your sleeves up.

Muscular forearms are also essential for deadlifting, curling, or rowing heavy weights. As a personal trainer with over 35 years of experience, I’ve helped many of my personal training clients transform their forearms with nothing more than dumbbells.

In this article, I reveal the nine best dumbbell forearm exercises and three incredible workouts.

***Recent Updates: ***On June 17, 2024, **Fitness Volt’s **Senior Editor, Vidur Saini (American Council on Exercise-CPT), updated the article and added actionable expert tips throughout the piece to improve the reader experience.

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9 Best Forearm Exercises with Dumbbells

Not sure how to go about building your forearms with dumbbells? Here are nine of the best exercises for beefing up your lower arms:

1. Dumbbell Wrist Curl
2. Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl
3. Dumbbell Hammer Curl
4. Dumbbell Reverse Curls
5. Dumbbell Zottman Curl
6. Dumbbell Front Lever Raise
7. Dumbbell Rear Lever Raise
8. Dumbbell Farmer’s Walk
9. Hex Dumbbell Hold And Carry

1. Dumbbell Wrist Curl

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 10-15	Dumbbells	Forearm flexors

Dumbbell wrist curls work your forearm flexor muscles and will also improve your grip. If you are serious about bulking up your forearms, this exercise is a must! Do it with one dumbbell or train both forearms simultaneously.

“Focus on a slow, controlled eccentric (lowering) phase to maximize time under tension (TUT) and promote hypertrophy,” said Saini.

How to do it:

1. Sit on an exercise bench or chair. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and rest your forearms on your thighs, palms facing up.
2. Extend your wrists and lower the dumbbell(s) down toward the floor. Open your fingers slightly to engage your forearms fully.
3. Close your fingers and then curl your wrists upward.

Pro Tip: To further emphasize the brachioradialis muscle (the large muscle on the thumb side of your forearm), perform the wrist curls with your thumbs pointing upwards instead of inwards.

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Increase weight, sets, or reps	Use lighter dumbbells

2. Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 10-15	Dumbbells	Forearm extensors

This exercise hits your forearm and wrist extensor muscles. While not as big as the forearm flexors, these muscles are no less important. The forearm extensors are often overlooked and underdeveloped in most individuals, highlighting the importance of targeted training.

Saini suggests incorporating isometric holds at the top of each repetition to amplify muscle fiber recruitment and boost strength gains.

How to do it:

1. Sit on an exercise bench or chair. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and rest your forearms on your thighs, palms facing down.
2. Flex your wrists and lower the weights down toward the floor.
3. Extend your wrists and lift the weights up as far as you can.

Pro Tip: Keep your wrists straight and avoid any bending to the sides during the movement. This isolates the forearm extensors for maximum activation and minimizes strain on the wrist joint.

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Beginner	Increase weight, sets, or reps	Use lighter dumbbells

3. Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 8-12	Dumbbells	Brachialis, biceps brachii, brachioradialis

Hammer curls are an excellent forearm exercise. That’s because, besides working your biceps, they also hit your brachioradialis and brachialis muscles, both of which are forearm muscles.

Saini prescribes supinating (rotating outward) your wrists slightly at the top of the movement to increase biceps brachii activation and add an extra challenge.

How to do it:

1. Seated or standing, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms down by your sides. Your hands should be neutral, i.e., facing inward.
2. Bend your elbows and curl the weights up toward your shoulders. Do not rotate your wrists.
3. Extend your arms and repeat.

Pro Tip: Advanced lifters can curl toward the midline for an overall forearm development.

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Intermediate	Try single-arm variations	Use a spotter

**4. Dumbbell Reverse Curls **

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 8-12	Dumbbells	Brachioradialis, forearm extensors

Like hammer curls, reverse dumbbell curls work your forearms and your biceps. While you won’t be able to use heavy weights for this exercise, it’s still an effective upper and lower arm builder. Use a thumbless “suicide” grip to increase forearm activation during reverse curls.

Saini recommends experimenting with varying grips (narrow, wide, shoulder-width) to target different muscle heads within the brachioradialis and forearms.

How to do it:

1. Seated or standing, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms by your sides. Turn your wrists so that your palms face you.
2. Bend your elbows and curl the weights up toward your shoulders. Do not rotate your wrists.
3. Extend your arms, lower the weights, and repeat.

Pro Tip: Keep your elbows tight to the sides to prevent momentum and ensure that the brachioradialis and forearm extensors are the primary muscles working.

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Intermediate	Hammer curls	Resistance band reverse curls

5. Dumbbell Zottman Curl

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 8-12	Dumbbells	Biceps brachii, forearm flexors/extensors

Zottman curls are an old-school forearm and biceps exercise. They combine regular biceps and reverse curls to hit your upper and lower arms simultaneously. This exercise is much harder than it looks and sounds, so don’t go too heavy too soon. Expect a wicked burn and pump in your biceps and forearms.

Saini urges using a slow rep cadence to maximize muscle and strength adaptations.

How to do it:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and knees slightly bent for balance. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides, palms facing your legs. Make sure your torso is fully upright. Brace your abs.
2. While keeping your upper arms close to your sides, bend your elbows and curl the weights up to your shoulders. As you raise the weights, rotate your wrists so that your palms are turned upward. Curl the weights all the way up until your biceps are fully contracted.
3. Next, without lowering the weights, rotate your forearms so your palms are now facing downward. This is called a pronated grip.
4. Extend your arms and, keeping your hands pronated, lower the weights down towards the starting position.
5. As the dumbbells near your legs, rotate your wrists, so your palms face inward – a neutral grip.
6. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

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Pro Tip: Avoid using momentum by swinging your torso. Keep the movement as strict as possible for the best results.

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Intermediate	Try seated variation	Hammer curls

**6. Dumbbell Front Lever Raise **

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 8-12	Dumbbells	Brachioradialis, forearm extensors

This exercise is also known as dumbbell radial deviation, which refers to the wrist’s movement. If possible, do it with a dumbbell with just one weight attached. If you only have fixed-weight dumbbells to work with, get a similar effect by holding the handle with your little finger pressed up against the weight plate.

“Keep your elbows fully extended throughout the exercise to maximize forearm stimulation,” says Saini.

How to do it:

1. Hold your dumbbell down by your side so the heavy end faces forward.
2. Lower the heavy end of the dumbbell down toward the floor, and then, using only your wrist, lift it as high as you can.
3. You can also do this exercise using two dumbbells at the same time.

Pro Tip: Pause at the top of each rep to maximize muscle pumps.

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Advanced	Use a slower tempo	Hammer curls

**7. Dumbbell Rear Lever Raise **

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3 x 8-12	Dumbbells	Brachioradialis, forearm extensors

This exercise is the opposite of the dumbbell front lever raises (exercise number six) and is also known as dumbbell ulnar deviation, referring to the action of the wrist.

How to do it:

1. Hold your dumbbell down by your side, so the heavy end faces backward.
2. Lower the heavy end of the dumbbell down toward the floor, and then, using only your wrist, lift it as high as you can.
3. You can also do this exercise using two dumbbells at the same time.

Pro Tip: Squeeze the bar as hard as possible for better forearm engagement.

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Advanced	Use heavier weights, slower tempo	Hammer curls

**8. Dumbbell Farmer’s Walk **

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3-4 sets; 20-50 meters or 30-60 seconds per set	Dumbbells	Forearms, traps, shoulders, core, glutes

Lifting and carrying heavy weights is one of the most functional exercises you can do. The dumbbell farmer’s walk is a full-body exercise that also happens to be great for building bigger forearms and an unbreakable grip. Try it; you’re going to love it!

Saini advises against using a hook grip on this exercise to maximize forearm muscle fiber stimulation.

How to do it:

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and down by your sides, palms turned in to face your legs.
2. Pull your shoulders down and back, and brace your abs.
3. Walk around your training area until you feel your grip is about to give out.
4. Put your dumbbells on the floor, rest for a moment, and repeat.
5. You can also do this exercise with just one dumbbell to increase core engagement.

Pro Tip: Vary the surface you walk on. Walking on uneven terrain or soft surfaces like sand can be an added challenge.

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Intermediate	Increase weight or distance, unevenly loaded carries	Shorter distance, lighter weights

**9. Hex Dumbbell Hold and Carry **

Sets & Reps	Equipment Needed	Target Muscles
3-4 sets; 20-50 meters or 30-60 seconds per set	Dumbbell	Forearms, traps, shoulders, core

This exercise is similar to farmer’s walks, but the weights are much harder to hold. You’ll need to use your forearms to maintain your grip, so don’t go too heavy too soon. However, you will need hex-type dumbbells for this exercise.

Challenge your grip endurance with timed holds, suggest Saini. Instead of walking, hold the dumbbells at your sides for as long as possible.

How to do it:

1. Place two hex dumbbells on the floor, so they’re standing on their ends. Squat down and grab the ends of each dumbbell, not the handles.
2. Stand up and then, with your arms straight and your hands by your sides, walk around your training area until you feel your grip is about to give out.
3. Put your dumbbells on the floor, rest for a moment, and repeat.

Pro Tip: Contract your glutes and quads as you walk. This activates your lower body muscles and helps to maintain a stable posture, allowing you to carry heavier weights for longer distances.

Difficulty	Progression	Regression
Intermediate	Longer duration, heavier weight	Farmer’s walk

**Forearm Workouts with Dumbbells **

While you could just add a couple of dumbbell forearm exercises onto your biceps workout, you’ll get much better results if you follow a more structured plan for your lower arms.

Here are three different workouts to try. Pick one and do it for a few weeks before switching or all three in rotation to keep your forearm workouts fresh and productive — it’s up to you!

**Dumbbell Forearm Workout #1 **

#	**Exercise **	**Sets **	**Reps **	Recovery
1	Wrist curls	3	12-15	90 seconds
2	Hammer curls	3	8-12	90 seconds
3	Farmer’s walk	3	20-30 yards	90 seconds

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Dumbbell Forearm Workout #2

#	**Exercise **	**Sets **	**Reps **	Recovery
1	Reverse wrist curls	3	12-15	90 seconds
2	Zottman curls	3	8-12	90 seconds
3	Rear lever raise	3	12-15	90 seconds
4	Front lever raise	3	12-15	90 seconds

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Dumbbell Forearm Workout #3

#	**Exercise **	**Sets **	**Reps **	Recovery
1	Hammer curl	3	8-12	90 seconds
2	Wrist curl	3	12-15	90 seconds
3	Reverse wrist curl	3	12-15	90 seconds
4	Hex dumbbell hold and carry	3	20-30 yards	90 seconds

Forearm Anatomy

Forearms control all of your fingers as well as your wrists. Some forearm muscles cross your elbows, too.

Broadly speaking, the muscles of the forearms can be categorized as flexors or extensors. The flexors are responsible for closing your fingers into a fist and curling your wrist downward. In contrast, the extensors open your fingers and pull your wrist upward.

The muscles that make up the forearm are (1):

• Flexors: Flexor carpi ulnaris, palmaris longus, flexor carpi radialis, pronator teres, flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, flexor pollicis longus, and pronator quadratus.
• Extensors: Brachioradialis, extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor digitorum, extensor digiti minimi, extensor carpi ulnaris, anconeus, supinator, abductor pollicis longus, extensor pollicis brevis, extensor pollicis longus, and extensor indicis.

Wrapping Up

While the forearms aren’t the most exciting muscle group to train, they can be one of the most impressive when properly developed. They’re also the muscle that people are most likely to notice when you are wearing a T-shirt.

In addition to looking good, muscular forearms will add a lot to your workouts, especially during exercises like deadlifts, pull-ups, pulldowns, and rows. The more unbreakable your grip is, the more weight you’ll be able to lift, the more reps you’ll be able to perform, and the better your results will be.

So, don’t leave your forearm development to chance. Instead, train them hard and often using these nine excellent dumbbell forearm exercises and our tried-and-tested forearm workouts.

**References: **

1 – PubMed: Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Forearm Muscles https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

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