Forearms
The muscles of the lower arm that move the wrist and fingers and drive grip strength.
Overview
The forearm muscles fill the lower arm between the elbow and the wrist. They divide broadly into a group on the palm side that flexes the wrist and fingers and a group on the back that extends them.
By controlling the wrist, hand and fingers, they are the engine of grip. Strong forearms and a firm grip matter in climbing, racquet sports, rowing and any activity where you hold, carry or swing something.
Good to know
- Grip is a common limiting factor in pulling and carrying
- Used constantly in racquet, bat and climbing sports
- Trained naturally by many holding and carrying exercises
Where it’s used
Sports this relates to:
Rock Climbing
A rope-based climbing sport that pairs full-body strength with focus and careful technique, indoors or on rock.
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Rowing
A rhythmic, full-body endurance sport on the water or on an indoor machine.
Weightlifting
A technical strength sport built around lifting a loaded barbell overhead with speed and control.
Exercises that work the forearms
Goblet squat
A squat variation where you hold a single weight close to your chest for balance and control.
Deadlift
A hinge movement where you lift a weight from the floor by driving your hips forward to stand tall.
Pull-up
A vertical pulling exercise where you hang from a bar and pull your chin above it.
Chin-up
A pulling exercise similar to a pull-up but with palms facing you, involving the biceps more.
Inverted row
A horizontal pulling exercise where you pull your chest to a fixed bar while lying back beneath it.
Bicep curl
An isolation exercise where you bend the elbows to lift a weight toward the shoulders.
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Movement patterns
- PullDrawing a load or your own body toward the torso — horizontal rows and vertical pull-ups — building the lats, mid-back and biceps and balancing the push.
- CarryHolding and transporting a load while keeping the trunk braced and stable — an anti-movement pattern that builds grip, core stability and full-body strength.
- HingeA hip-dominant pattern: bend forward at the hips with a flat back, minimal knee bend, then drive the hips tall — powers pulling from the floor and jumping.
- CatchReceiving a moving object and securing it under control, absorbing its momentum by yielding along its path so kinetic energy is dissipated rather than rebounded away.
- ReachExtending a limb toward a distant point or object, often at full stretch, by projecting a distal segment beyond the body's resting envelope while a stabilised base preserves balance and control.
Skills
- Core stabilityThe skill of engaging the trunk muscles to keep the body strong and controlled through movement.
- ServingThe skill of putting the ball or shuttle into play to start a point or rally.
- ThrowingThe skill of propelling the ball accurately and with control using the arm.
- BreaststrokeA swimming stroke using a symmetrical arm sweep and a frog-like kick, with the head lifting to breathe.
Training methods
- Strength TrainingStrength training uses resistance — bodyweight, bands or weights — to challenge your muscles so they gradually adapt and get stronger over time.
- Flexibility TrainingFlexibility training uses stretching to gradually improve how far your muscles and joints can comfortably lengthen and move.
- Hypertrophy TrainingHypertrophy training is resistance work structured to encourage muscle growth, typically using moderate repetitions and a steady, controlled tempo.
- PlyometricsPlyometrics are jumping and bounding drills that train muscles to produce force quickly, developing power and springiness through explosive movement.
- Circuit TrainingCircuit training moves you through a series of stations back to back with little rest, blending strength and cardio into one time-efficient session.
Sports science
- Motor controlHow the brain and nervous system organise the muscles to produce coordinated, controlled movement.
- Reaction timeThe short delay between a signal and the start of the movement made in response to it.
- Range of motionHow far a joint can travel through its movement — the arc available at a joint, and the foundation of flexibility and mobility.
- ProprioceptionThe body’s internal sense of where its parts are and how they are moving — the awareness behind balance and coordinated movement.
Rules
- False startA rule breach in a race when a competitor begins to move before the starting signal is given.
- Handball offenceA foul in football committed when an outfield player deliberately handles or controls the ball with the hand or arm.
- TravelingA basketball violation for moving illegally with the ball without dribbling it.
- Double dribbleA basketball violation for dribbling with two hands at once, or for dribbling again after picking up the ball.
- GoaltendingA basketball violation for interfering with a shot while the ball is on its downward path to the basket or above the rim.