While all upper-body weight training will help develop your forearms, getting to grips with the best dumbbell forearm exercises will work them in isolation for greater benefits as you improve your 2024 fitness regime.
Grab your favourite adjustable dumbbells or a dumbbell set and discover the best exercises to target your forearm muscles. Although most strength training – particularly heavy, compound lifts such as deadlifts and overhead presses – will work your forearms to a degree, accessory work to isolate your lower arms will reap the greatest rewards.
And if your main aim is to pull big numbers on those aforementioned lifts, directly training your forearms will be a major benefit: ensuring your grip strength doesn’t fail you before your target muscles do.
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At Men’s Fitness we pride ourselves on delivering information that serves a singular purpose: to improve some aspect of your health, fitness or wellbeing. For over 16 years, we’ve been publishing authoritative health and fitness content – written by our expert editors and contributors – in the form of the monthly Men’s Fitness magazine. Each of our workouts has been created by either a highly experienced editor or expert contributor, and has been tested and used in real-world situations. These dumbbell forearm exercises have been suggested by personal trainer, running coach, fitness consultant and co-founder of Track Life Ldn, Omar Mansour.
These are the best dumbbell forearm exercises
1. Dumbbell reverse biceps curl
Why I like it: The humble curl is a favourite for many dumbbell bicep workouts. However, this variation cleverly reverses the motion to target the forearms.
Recommended reps: 8-12
- Begin with legs shoulder-width apart
- Hold two dumbbells in front of your thighs with an overhand grip
- Raise your forearms, flexing from your elbow joint until your palms face forward and the dumbbells are shoulder height
- Slowly return the dumbbells to the start position and repeat
2. Dumbbell wrist curl
Why I like it: This is another unilateral exercise that works both forearms independently, enabling you to achieve balanced lower arm muscles.
Recommended reps: 12-15
- Place your wrist on the edge of a chair or surface, holding a dumbbell with palm facing downwards
- Curl your wrist upward as you inhale. Perform this movement slowly to engage the forearms and prevent the weights from straining your wrist
- Extend your wrist downward as far as it will comfortably go on and inhale
- Return your wrist to a neutral position
- Repeat on the other side
3. Dumbbell Zottman curl
Why I like it: This is a good exercise for improving grip strength and wrist mobility, but it will also help prevent muscle imbalances and injury by targeting both the arm’s flexor and extensor muscles.
Recommended reps: 8-12
- Start by holding a pair of dumbbells at arms length, palms facing forwards
- Using an underhand grip, curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders
- At the top of the movement, rotate your forearms to an overhand position.
- Slowly lower the weight back to the start
4. Dumbbell farmer’s walk
Why I like it: This is such a simple exercise but it ticks so many fitness boxes: from improved grip strength and trunk stiffness to enhanced aerobic capacity and cardiovascular training.
Recommended reps: 30-45 sec walk
- Squat down safely and pick up two challenging dumbbells.
- Create a tall, strong, upright standing position, with your shoulders back, chest high and core tightened.
- Step forward and begin walking, keeping all muscles engaged and a strong, rigid, upright position.
Need some dumbbells? We recommend the Jordan Fitness Premium Urethane Dumbbells, which offer great grip and a rubber coating to protect your floors.
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