I was curious if working the forearm(directly) every workout would lead to an overload to those muscles.
I have been trying to get them to come up a little since they are just a bit behind. I thought I read somewhere that you could work forearms and calves everyday due to the HTMU they contain.
What do ya'll think? Everyday or 1-2 times a week?
Most things I have read say that the forearms take longer to recover from an intense session than other muscles.
You already train your forearms whenever you hold heavy weights. Pulling exercises are especially demanding on your grip. Not only don't you need to directly train forearms that much, but it may also be a bad idea.
If you're gonna train them directly, drop a few grip-demanding exercises.
I dont think its necessary to limit pulling exercises if you are training grip, but you should definitely consider how well they have recovered before you train them-directly or indirectly.
If the pulling exercises seem to be a problem when combined with some grip work, try using a thumbless grip on all of the pulls possible (deads, pullups, rows, etc).
Try working COC's every other day, or some other type of heavy grip exercise. If you feel burned out one day, just skip it and start up again the next day, or when you feel stronger - just dont train when you feel week.
I do alot of KB & sandbag training (very taxing on the grip) and this schedule works fine for me
JMO
You can work them out every day long as your not training 30 days a month.
It is of course best to give them a few days rest here and there.
Guys depending on his hand size simply holding heavy weights may not help him. It also doesn't take his hands through all the ranges of motion that builds huge forearms. If he was doing strongman training I would say ok, but simply going to the gym and doing a few pulling exercises, and cleans will not build them for everybody.
Depending on your predominant forearm muscle fibre type (fast or slow twitch) you might benefit from higher repetition work every day (or at least 5 or 6 days a week). I once did a wrist roller once up and down, one set pronated grip, one set supinated grip, with about an 8 foot rope, so it took about 25-30 reps to roll it up, every day for a couple of years.
I used a set of steps with an open back to rest my forearms on to help to isolate them. At the time I was a teenager, and training mostly for baseball. I think this alone improved my bat speed and power and overall batting average more than any other single thing.
Since then I have had "Popeye" arms, being that my forearms look a little too big in proportion to my upper arms, but some portion of that may have been genetic anyways.
I too train forearms everyday. But I only do about 5 sets wrist curl and 5 sets reverse wrist curls just to get a huge pump in my lower arms. I do this at the end of my workouts.
Hey man read this article on forearm training by Charles Poliquin
http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=459521
He addresses your concerns in there.
Taken from the article
Now, I don't recommend that you train forearms and grip at the same time, unless you're taking an amount of Anadrol that is equivalent to your social security number, multiplied by this weeks' winning Lotto number, and multiplied again by the average age that a Brazilian girl reaches menarche.
It's just too brutal, and it would constitute overtraining. Work either forearms or grip, but not both.
I believe it was TC who said you can train a lagging bodypart 3-4 times a week, for 2-3 sets, to help it grow, so I think it would be ok.
I haven't directly trained forearms in over 6 months, but ever since I started doing deadlifts, they have grown. They are by no means Lee Priest/Popeye forearms, but they are definitely bigger.
I am currently doing just a few sets before I leave the gym, about 3-6 sets. I never feel as if they need a rest. I dont get that aching feeling that some other parts will get after over hitting them.
I think I will just pound them, and rest them a little more. See what happens. Just a little addition: With the current volume I have put them through, they seem to have gotten a little better.
Speaking as a dude that was gifted with thin arms uhhhh! now they are 2" larger than when I started...
I trained them directly 2 times a week (after pulling lifts)
Use heavy weight, I mean heavy. Wrist rolling and supper high reps did little to increase the size... only the very heavy weight with a rep range of at least 20 and no more than 25...
and don't forget the front of the arm I use a leverage bar like this one...
Solid
Leverage bars a the shit! I have one and I got it from Ironmind .com Called the Heavy Hammer II
Ok, I got a question. I have bone spurs in my wrist. I'll have to have surgery to fix them. But... Could I strengthen my wrist with something like this to make it better? I'll look up the type of spur if anybody needs me too, I just can't seem to remember.
2 inch gain on your forearms? That's quite impressive, a two inch gain on an upper arm would be gain, on a forearm that is great. How long to gain the 2 inches and what are your before and after measurements?
that would be a question for your doctor. I don't see why not though after you have healed and rehabbed it.
One thing is for sure, you will definitely strengthen your wrists using one of these. I got mine for just that reason.
Well yea you got me...
Took some time uhh around 2 years. Not the easiest muscle to bring up...
My starting was 12 1/2 and now is hovering at 14 1/2...
My goal is at least 15" forearms and 19" upper arms...
As a side note for me the forearms grew at a steady rate all be it a slow one but my upper arm did not grow much at all till I got some serious leg training in my program...
Man the things we do for love...
Solid
