Bodybuilding Forearm Training - New Mass From An Old Twist

I personally have always struggled with developing my forearms to match my upper arms. I have recently started to use one of the oldest forearm development tools, called the wrist roller. This is a simple device that can be made with things that most people can find around the house, and yet in my opinion is one of most effective forearm developers ever devised. As you'll soon see, the reason a lot of people don't use this exercise is because it is quite painful to perform as it develops a deep burn in the forearm muscles very quickly!

This simple device can be made with a broom handle and a 5 foot length of rope. (you can see pictures by clicking the link at the bottom of this article) You can also go to Home Depot or your nearest home center and buy and 18 inch long wooden dowel that is between one and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Drill a hole through the center of the dowel about 1/4" in diameter. Now take one end of a 5 foot piece of rope and feed it through the hole in the dowel and tie in a nice big knot on the other and so it can't be pulled back through. The next thing you're going to do is to tie either a small dumbbell or a 5 - 10 pound barbell plate to the other end of the rope. Adjust the length of the rope so that when you hold the dowel in your hands and extend your hands straight out in front of your body, the dumbbell or barbell plate is just barely touching the floor.

Now you have made yourself your very own wrist roller exercise device! To perform the exercise, hold the dowel straight out in front of you with both hands and start to roll it either way, moving only at the wrist until the rope is wrapped completely around the dowel and the weight has been lifted all the way up until it stops. Now slowly roll the dowel the opposite way to lower the weight. It is very important that you keep the weight under control, and do it relatively slowly. Do not move your arms, only your wrist for maximum effect. When the weight is lowered all the way down to the bottom, keep turning the dowel in the same direction, and it will start to roll back up. Keep rolling it in that direction until the weight comes up to the top once again. Now reverse the direction and lower it to the bottom. This completes one rep.

There are several variations in the way you can perform this exercise. The method outlined above is my preferred technique. It can also be performed while resting your elbows on something to support your arms so that you can focus more on your forearms and leave your deltoids out of it. Another method is to stand on a chair or bench, and instead of extending your arms out in front of you just allow your arms to hang down in front of you and roll the weight up and down in that manner. If you follow the rolling technique I have outlined above, you'll get a thorough workout of both the back and front of your forearms. If you do it correctly, you will quickly start to feel the pump and the burn that is so effective in building forearm strength using this device.

Unless you already have incredible forearm strength and endurance, you will notice that it doesn't take much weight to fry your forearm muscles! I would recommend performing three or four complete reps of this exercise at least three times a week at the end of your workouts. Always do this workout last because you will greatly diminish your ability to lift weights for any other exercise! Or if you don't have a workout that day, just do it before you go to bed. Just make sure you don't do it right before you're going to need your hands for something like typing!

I also recommend that you do not use this exercise as your entire forearm workout. I only suggest that this is an excellent additional movement that will really add mass and strength to your forearms if that is a problem area for you or if you really need to increase your forearm strength for some kind of sports activity.

A good complete forearm workout should include standard wrist curls and reverse wrist curls for three sets of 12-15 reps for each of the two exercises. Finish the workout with wrist rollers and you will experience a most incredible pump that will trigger new muscle growth!

I personally have noticed greater endurance, strength and size in my forearms in just a few short weeks of performing this exercise. Try it for a month and see if you experience similar results. you won't be disappointed!
By David Monyer