8 Warm Up Exercises Your Should Do For A Safe Workout

Warm Up Exercises

Warm ups serve an important purpose in your workout. It prepares your body to accommodate various types of resistance and stressors during the exercise session.

When your body is warmed up, the muscle fibres are more active and receptive to stimuli. Mentally, you are more alert and focused on your workout. Thus, warming up properly greatly reduces the risk of injury.

Here are 8 exercises that you should include in your warm up routine to make your workouts more safe:

1. Jumping Jacks

It may seem like an exercise fit for children but Jumping Jacks are an effective warm up for any age. It raises your heart rate and gets the sweat going within 3 minutes. Jumping Jacks warms up the key muscles in your body: legs, lower back, abs and shoulders. If you have a hard time performing Down Unders, Jumping Jacks will do just fine.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

2. Double Unders

Another exercise that seems like playtime activity for kids at a playground is a great way to warm up the body. It is basically skipping rope; an exercise identified with boxers. Down Unders not only warms up the entire body but it also develops timing, agility, speed and coordination. It is also low impact which means Down Unders is safe for your knees and feet.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 1 minute

3. Leg Swings

Most injuries to the legs are caused by having tight hips and hamstring muscles. Leg Swings are the best way to get these areas ready for the workload ahead. You can do Leg Swings 2 ways. Leg Swings to the front activate the hip flexors. On the return, swing your leg back as far as you can to prime your hamstrings and glutes. Leg Swings to the sides activate the hips, adductor and abductor muscles or the inner and outer thigh muscles respectively.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

4. Inch Worm

Inch Worm is an interesting way to work to a Plank position. It starts out as a stretch exercise for the hamstrings, gluteus muscles and calves but as your hands move forward, you end up transitioning to a Plank which hits your abs, lower back, chest and shoulders. Inch Worm also improves flexibility, mobility and agility.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 20 seconds (hold the Plank for 20 seconds before moving back to start position)

5. Bodyweight Squat

The Squat is called the “King of Exercises” because it builds your legs like no other exercise and it has a muscle building effect on other body parts. But you don’t need a barbell to get the most of the Squat. Using your body weight as resistance is a great way to warm up your legs, hips, lower back and abs. You can do bodyweight squats just about anywhere, anytime!

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

6. Wall Sit

Wall Sit is a wonderful follow up exercise to Bodyweight Squat. By maintaining the bottom position of the Squat for 30 seconds with your back against the wall, you increase tension on the thighs, hamstrings, glutes and the muscles supporting the knees. The increased tension helps stretch the tough fascia tissue and improves blood flow in the lower body area.

Recommended Volume: 1 set x 30 seconds

7. Arm Circles

Arm Circles is a safe dynamic stretching exercise that activates the muscles in the shoulders, traps and the upper back. You should perform arm circles 2 ways: to the front and to the sides. This is an effective way to warm up the muscles supporting the rotator cuff which is highly susceptible to injury. Always do arm circles in both directions.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 30 reps (15 reps per direction)

8. Arm Swings

Once you’ve done Arm Circles, you can expand the exercise to Arm Swings which includes the chest area in the arm up. Focus on getting a good stretch on the chest and front head of the shoulders with every rep. Similar to Arm Circles, do Arm Swings in both directions.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 30 reps (15 reps per direction)

Take your time to do these warm up exercises during your warm up. You can skip Jumping Jacks if you can do Down Unders for the required amount of time. But do the rest of the exercises in sequence.

Once you’ve completed the warm up, progressively increase the amount of resistance in your workout. Just because you are sweating buckets doesn’t mean you are ready to go under the barbell and Squat maximum weight.

Start out with a light weight and go up in small increments until you are confident of doing your working sets in good form. Always keep in mind that progressively increasing the amount of resistance still forms part of your warm up.

10 Fun Bodyweight Exercises To Start Out Your Kids

Bodyweight Exercises For Kids

Although doctors have already proven through numerous studies that weight training will not stunt the growth of a child, it may be best to start them out with bodyweight exercises.

This is because at a young age, kids are still discovering their bodies and what it can do. It may be a better idea to incorporate exercises that prioritise functionality while contributing other important attributes like strength, agility, mobility, flexibility and endurance.

Here are 10 bodyweight exercises that you can start your kids on:

1. Air Squat – Kids can get into a deep squat position at an early age. Air Squats is a wonderful exercise for strengthening their legs, maintaining hip mobility and developing flexibility.

2. Bear Crawl – Everyone learns how to crawl before they can walk. But most people are not aware crawling can be a total body workout! Bear crawl works the shoulders, abs, lower back and legs. It also builds endurance and agility.

3. Push Ups – This is the most basic exercise you can do to work the upper body. Push ups develop the chest, shoulders and arms. If your child cannot do a regular pushup, start them out with the bent knee pushup.

4. Inverted Row – Pull ups are a challenging exercise at any age. The best way to teach your child the pull up is with the Inverted Row. It builds the same muscles: lat muscles, upper and middle areas of the back, rear shoulders, biceps and forearms.

5. Lunges – Kids love to play sports that require lunging action such as soccer, tennis, hockey and basketball. Lunges help build leg muscles and strengthen the ligaments supporting the knee. It also improves balance and agility.

6. Side Lunges - Lateral movement is also common in many sports. Side lunges build the muscles in the inner thigh which are often overlooked in exercise programs. It also develops balance, agility and flexibility.

7. Donkey Kicks – Injuries happen in sports because of strength imbalances. Too much emphasis on front thigh development can increase the risk of injury to your hamstrings and gluteus muscles getting. Donkey kicks target the hamstrings and gluteus muscles which are also important for sports that require running and jumping.

8. Calf Raises – The calves are another body part that is often overlooked but frequently overused in sports. Kids need to strengthen their calves by doing Calf Raises. This also improves the degree of flexibility in the heel and ankle areas which are highly susceptible to injury.

9. Bench Dips - The triceps are a key muscle to support pushing and throwing action. If your child is into football, baseball or basketball, bench dips is a great way to develop the triceps and get in some work for the chest and shoulders.

10. Air Bike - Kids who are involved in sports that require jumping are at risk of injuring their lower abdominals and hip area. Air Bike is the perfect exercise to target the lower abdominals and develop hip flexibility and mobility. It can also be used as a warm up before participating in any sport.

You can run all of these exercises as an interval. Give the child 30 seconds to complete as many reps as he or she can in the exercise. Make sure the child is performing each rep in good form.

The child should be able to complete 1 interval in 5 minutes. Start out with 2 intervals then add 1 interval every week until you can complete 4 intervals. Keep your child’s rest period to no more than 2 minutes between intervals. Make sure they are always well- hydrated.

There is no age limit to exercise. The younger you start your kids, the sooner you can instil a good habit into their lifestyle. But like all things for children, the activity should be fun to do. These 10 bodyweight exercises will seem like playtime for them!

Top 5 Exercises For Boulder Shoulders

Shoulder Exercises For Boulder Shoulders

Lateral raises and its many variations are good exercises for building the shoulders. But if you want boulder shoulders; those that look like you’re hiding bowling balls under your shirt, you have to press.

Pressing exercises place more resistance across the entire Shoulder girdle. They also allow you to lift more weight compared to laterals. There are many pressing variations for you to try but these are the 5 most effective ones to build your shoulders.

1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Recent studies show that the single best exercise for the shoulders may be the Dumbbell Shoulder Press. First, it requires you to focus on stabilising the shoulders. This brings the smaller, surrounding muscles into play. Second, you can vary the angle of the press to specifically target weak areas of your shoulders. Third, you need to tighten up your core to stabilise your upper body. This means you get a good abdominal workout while building boulder shoulders.

Recommended Volume: 4 sets x 10 reps

2. Smith Machine Shoulder Press

The Shoulder Press is a proven exercise for adding size and strength to your shoulders. But the Smith Machine Shoulder Press is a more effective variation for 3 reasons. First, at the bottom position, your elbows are in line with your lat muscles instead of underneath the bar. This lessens the amount of shearing forces on the elbows which lead to injury. Second, there is constant tension throughout the rep. And third, you can lift more weight or do more reps because there are safety hooks to prevent accidents.

Recommended Volume: 4 sets x 6 reps

3. Landmine Press

Landmine Press is a unilateral exercise which means you work 1 shoulder at a time. This allows greater focus and better attention to form and technique. Similar to Standing Dumbbell Press, with Landmine Press you can change the angle of the exercise. Instead of pushing straight forward, you can follow a curved pathway to emphasize the lateral head of the shoulder more.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

4. Bradford Press

Bradford Press was the creation of Jim Bradford, an Olympic weightlifting champion. For sure he had great shoulders because Bradford Press is a highly intense exercise. By switching from Front Presses to Behind the Neck Presses, your shoulders do not rest; it is always in a state of constant tension. This is an exercise which you should not use heavy weight and instead focus on putting in quality reps.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

5. Cuban Press

Cuban Press is a unique exercise in that it directly hits the rotator cuff and the muscles around it. Most shoulder injuries occur because of strained rotator cuff, Cuban Press is one way to improve flexibility and stability around the area. Thus with this exercise, you should never use heavy weights. Cuban Press is best done after your entire shoulder workout where the muscles are fatigued but properly warmed up. Focus on executing each rep with deliberate and precise technique.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

Since the shoulders are involved in many exercises, they can be worn out easily. The best approach would be to train your shoulders once a week.

Lead off your shoulder routine with either the Standing Dumbbell Press or Smith Machine Shoulder Press which are great for building strength. Then choose between Landmine Press and Bradford Press which are ideal for initiating hypertrophy. Include a lateral exercise for shaping then end the workout with Cuban Press.

Here are sample programs for you to consider:

Shoulder Routine “A”:

1. Smith Machine Shoulder Press – 4 sets x 6 reps
2. Landmine Press – 3 sets x 10 reps
3. Lateral Raise – 2 sets x 15 reps
4. Cuban Press – 2 sets x 10 reps

Shoulder Routine “B”:

1. Standing Dumbbell Press – 4 sets x 10 reps
2. Bradford Press – 3 sets x 10 reps
3. Face Pulls – 2 sets x 15 reps
4. Cuban Press – 2 sets x 10 reps

At the end of the shoulder workout, do static stretching to increase blood flow and start the recovery process.

Give this program a try for 6 to 8 weeks. You might find your shoulders stretching your shirts at the seams in no time!

11 Best Unilateral Exercises For Toning Your Body

Unilateral Exercises For Toning

Compound exercises are unmatched for building size and strength. But when it comes to toning the muscle or adding shape and detail, unilateral exercises may be the better option.

Unilateral exercises or those that are performed one side at a time and do not require heavy weight. But because it demands great concentration to maintain stability and balance, even the smaller muscles are activated to assist in completing the rep. Thus incorporating unilateral exercises in your routine can lead to a more toned and shapely body.

Here are 11 of the best unilateral exercises you can add to your workout routine:

1. Bulgarian Split Squat

Bulgarian Split Squat not only tones up the thighs, hamstrings, glutes and calves but it also improves hip flexibility and mobility. When your hips are tight, it becomes difficult to do every day activities such as picking things off the floor or standing up from the chair. There are other variations where you can hold dumbbells or a barbell across your shoulders for added resistance.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

2. Single Leg Press

Single Leg Press is another exercise that tones up your leg muscles while improving hip flexibility. It’s like performing a Bulgarian Split Squat on a Leg Press machine. By changing your foot position, you can place more emphasis on specific muscles. A higher foot position hits the hamstrings and glutes while a lower foot position isolates the lower muscles of your thighs.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

3. Single Leg Deadlift

Single Leg Deadlift is a great isolation exercise for your hamstrings. It also tones up your glutes and calves. This exercise requires balance and stability. You have to keep your core tight in every rep to stabilise the torso and protect the lower back. With Single Leg Deadlift, you get better results using lighter weights.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 15 reps

4. Single Leg Curl

There are other variations of the Single Leg Curl but the seated version is the safest one. First, it does not hyperextend the knee. Second, you get a strong contraction at the bottom part of the exercise. And third, you can safely add intensifier techniques such as negatives where the free leg helps curl the weight down and the working leg controls the resistance on the way up.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

5. Single Leg Calf Raise

As a straight leg exercise, Single Leg Calf Raise hits the gastrocnemius muscle which gives the calf its diamond shape. The calves can be a stubborn body part for many. The best way to tone and shape the calves is to emphasise the stretch at the bottom and the contraction at the top. Single Leg Calf Raise allows you to focus intensely on every rep.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 15 reps

6. Single Arm Dumbbell Press

Single Arm Dumbbell Press is more challenging than the traditional 2-arm Dumbbell Press because it requires more balance and stability. If one side is weaker or less flexible, you may have to do additional sets to fix the imbalance. Make sure to keep your core tight so your lower back remains stable.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps  

7. Dumbbell Row

Dumbbell Row gives your lat muscles a deeper stretch and tighter contraction than Barbell Row. Make sure to brace the free arm on the bench to keep your upper body stable. This is a great exercise for toning your back muscles, posterior deltoids and biceps.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

8. Shotgun Row

This exercise is similar to Single Arm Dumbbell Row but because it is done on a cable machine, there is resistance throughout the rep. With Shotgun Row, you can adjust the height of the pulley to target specific muscles. For example, if the pulley is at shoulder level, more emphasis is placed on the upper back, traps and posterior deltoid.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

9. Single Arm Shoulder Press

Single Arm Shoulder Press requires you to maintain a tight core because there will be an imbalance on the distribution of weight on your body. This is more difficult than the Single Arm Dumbbell Press because your lumbar area is not braced against any surface. If one shoulder is weaker or less flexible, it may be difficult to achieve full range of motion. Single Arm Shoulder Press is the best way to correct the strength imbalance.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

10. One Arm Triceps Extension

One Arm Tricep Extension is a classic lower arm exercise that hits the long and middle heads of the triceps. Although this exercise gives the triceps a good stretch, only go as low as you comfortably can to minimise the risk of elbow injury. Do not use heavy weight as it may place compression forces on the rotator cuff and the lower back.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

11. Seated Alternate Dumbbell Curl

Seated Alternate Dumbbell Curl is an effective exercise for toning your biceps. For one, as a seated exercise, you cannot use body sway to curl the dumbbell up. Thus each rep must be performed using strict form. Second, dumbbells allow a deeper stretch and pronating the wrists creates a stronger contraction at the top of the curl.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

An effective way to incorporate unilateral exercises is to pair them with compound exercises. For example:

• Squat + Smith Machine Bulgarian Split Squat
• Deadlift + Single Leg Press
• Romanian Deadlift + Single Leg Curl
• Power Clean + Single Leg Deadlift
• Barbell Calf Raise + Single Calf Raise
• Bench Press + Single Arm Dumbbell Press
• Barbell Row + Single Arm Dumbbell Row
• T-Bar Row + Single Arm Cable Row
• Shoulder Press + Single Arm Shoulder Press
• Close Grip Bench Press + One Arm Triceps Extension
• Barbell Curl + Seated Alternate Dumbbell Curl

This type of sequence allows you to build overall strength while adding shape and tone to the targeted muscle.

10 Effective Post Pregnancy Exercises To Do At Home

Post-Pregnancy Exercises At Home

Motherhood is one of the world’s greatest miracles but it takes a physical, mental and emotional toll. Once you’re ready, you should allocate time for regular exercise. It will help you recover faster from the difficulties of child birth.

But you should start out slow. Here are 10 effective post pregnancy exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home.

1. Hindu Squat

Hindu Squats are a bodyweight exercise that focuses on proper breathing. The movement of the arms acts as a guide on how you should breathe. Pull your arms in toward your lats as you inhale and descend to the bottom position. Then push your arms forward and exhale as you squat up. Hindu Squat is an effective warm up and a great way to develop the mind-body connection.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

2. Walking Lunges

Women love training legs and Walking Lunges are one of the best ways to tone up the thighs, hamstrings, glutes, calves, lower back and abs. Start out with just your bodyweight but as you get stronger, don’t hesitate to add resistance. You can use a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells to create forward drag and work the thighs more.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

3. Rear Lunges

Rear Lunges puts more emphasis on the hamstrings and glutes than the thighs. It also tightens up the lower back and abdominal muscles. This exercise requires more balance than conventional walking lunges but is equally effective in toning up your legs.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

4. Hip Raises

Pregnancy can cause lower back pain. One of the best ways to address chronic pain in the lower back area is to strengthen and improve the mobility of the hips. You only need to use your bodyweight to get good results from this exercise. The 2 important things to remember with hip raises are to hold the bottom stretch and the top contraction for at least 10 seconds.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 5 reps

5. Standing Leg Raise

Standing Leg Raise targets the hip flexors, thighs, glutes and hamstring muscles. Bring your leg as high as you can or until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings, glutes and a contraction on the hip flexors. Without swinging, bring your straight leg back as high as you can until you feel a contraction on the hamstrings and glutes.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 15 reps

6. Standing Side Leg Raise

Standing Side Leg Raise works the adductor and abductor muscles. These are the muscles that are found on the inner and outer thigh respectively. Similar to Standing Leg Raise, keep the reps under control and avoid swinging the leg. Focus on getting a good stretch and a strong contraction to get the most out the exercise. This is a great exercise for strengthening the hips.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 15 reps

7. Heel Touches

Heel Touches help tone and tighten the abs plus the oblique muscles or the area near your hips. It also improves trunk mobility and flexibility which is important for reducing back pain. Do not rush through the exercise and instead focus on getting a good stretch on the oblique and trunk areas. Tighten your core section throughout every rep.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

8. Quadruped

This is one of the most challenging and most effective bodyweight exercises for the abs. Quadruped also strengthens your lower back and develops mobility and flexibility. Perform each rep deliberately; pull in the elbow to the opposite knee and focus on the contraction. Your core has to remain contracted and tight to support the lower back.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

9. Elbow Plank

Doctors believe Elbow Plank is a safer abdominal exercise compared to sit ups and crunches because there are no compression forces on the lower back. The key to the Elbow Plank is to keep your upper back aligned with the lower back, glutes and heels. This exercise generates better results when performed using the principle of Time Under Tension.

Recommended Volume:  3 sets x 20 seconds

10. Knee Pushups

Pushups are a proven exercise for toning and shaping the upper body specifically the chest, shoulders and arms. But if you have difficulty doing a strict pushup, Knee Pushups will do just fine. Knee Pushups distributes your bodyweight to your legs which makes doing a pushup easier. Keep your elbows in and your core tight.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

Before starting out an exercise plan, make sure to get the clearance of your doctor first. Do not push too hard; work up to a point where the exercise remains under control and you are not overly straining.

Feel free to adjust the recommended volume to a level you are comfortable with. Start out with 1-2 workouts per week then increase the frequency to 3-4 sessions as you get stronger.

Finally, be patient. It will take time to see results from your workouts. But with diligence, dedication, consistency and in combination with a healthy diet, you should eventually get back your pre-pregnancy shape.

6 Best Glute Exercises For Women

Glute Exercises For Women

Women love training glutes. You can’t hide a toned, well- developed and sexy derriere in a dress. In order to get great glutes, you must lift weights. You will be hard pressed to find anyone with traffic-stopping, attention-catching glutes without spending hours in the gym.

Here are the 6 best glute exercises for building your buns:

1. Back Squat

The Back Squat remains unchallenged as the best exercise for lower body development. Back Squat activates the powerful gluteus muscles throughout the exercise but especially at the bottom where you have to transition the weight from the heel to the front of the foot. As you approach midpoint, the glutes help push the hips forward so you can straighten out your legs and complete the rep.

Recommended Volume: 4 sets x 10 reps

2. Stiff Leg Deadlift

Stiff Leg Deadlift is best known as an exercise that builds the hamstrings. But done properly, Stiff Leg Deadlift can pad your glutes with serious muscle. Bring the barbell down to a point where you can feel a good stretch on your glutes without rounding your back. Lower the bar slowly; the descent should take 6-8 seconds. It is very important to perform each rep with a flat back. At the top of the rep, contract your glutes as hard as you can for a count of “one thousand one”.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

3. Goblet Squat

Goblet Squat is a variation that allows you to engage the glutes more than the regular Squat. This is because the front loaded position will enable you to achieve a deeper bottom position where the glutes are heavily activated. Goblet Squat can be used as a warm up or workout finisher in your routine. If there is 1 type of Squat you can do every day, it would be Goblet Squat.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

4. Cable Kickbacks

Cable Kickbacks is a unilateral exercise; it is more of a “feel movement” where you have to place intense focus on each rep to make sure it is directly hitting your gluteus muscle. The key to making Cable Kickbacks work is to keep your leg straight. You should not perform this exercise with heavy weight. Use a weight that is light enough for you to hold a strong contraction at the top of the kickback.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 15 reps

5. Glute Bridge March

Glute Bridge March is a bodyweight exercise that works your glutes, abs and lower back. Maintain the elevated hip position as high as you can and drive each knee up in an explosive manner to activate the glutes. This is a great exercise not just for developing the glutes. It will also improve hip and lower back flexibility.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

6. Hip Thrust

The glutes are involved in many exercises simply because the hips are also activated. Hip Thrust is an effective way to strengthen the glutes, improve its flexibility and degree of mobility. Start out with just your bodyweight but once you are strong enough, do not hesitate to use a barbell with Hip Thrust.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x 10 reps

You can run these exercises in 1 workout if you want to dedicate a day specifically for glutes. Another approach would be to split the workouts between leg day and a session for your posterior chain:

Workout 1 – Leg Day:
• Barbell Squat
• Goblet Squat
• Hip Thrust

Workout 2 – Posterior Chain; you can train glutes with back and hamstrings.
• Stiff Leg Deadlift
• Cable Kickbacks
• Glute Bridge March

Space your workouts at least 48 hours apart for proper recovery. You should see amazing backside development after 6 to 8 weeks. Yoga pants will look better on you than ever before!

Get A Crushing Grip With These 5 Forearm Exercises

Forearm Exercises For Grip Strength

Grip strength is very important in almost every sport. It allows you better control of the baseball bat, tennis racket and golf club. When lifting weights, it helps maintain good exercise form and reduce the risk of injury. In order to develop grip strength, you must build the forearm muscles.

Here are 5 of the best forearm exercises to help you get a crushing grip:

1. Hammer Curls

There are 3 reasons why Hammer Curls is the best exercise for your upper arm. First, it follows a more natural pathway than traditional dumbbell curls which require your wrists to turn inward. This places more strain on the tendons of the wrist and elbows. Second, it works other areas of the arm such as the brachioradialis which is the muscle on top of the forearm. And third, it results in greater grip strength as there is constant tension on the forearm muscles.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

2. Reverse Barbell Curl

This exercise directly hits the brachialis or the upper forearm muscles. Reverse Barbell Curl is an effective exercise for developing grip strength because although it hits the biceps, you are relying on the upper forearm muscles to curl the weight up. If you have pain in your wrist joints, use an EZ Curl bar instead. A good technique to direct more resistance to the forearms is to go thumb-less when performing Reverse Barbell Curl.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 10 reps

3. Barbell Wrist Curl

Barbell Wrist Curl remains a classic standby in everyone’s forearm routine. This exercise isolates the forearm flexors and extensor muscles which comprise the lower section of the forearms. Strong and well- conditioned flexor and extensor muscles allow you to have grip that won’t fatigue or give in right away. If you have wrist problems, you can perform Barbell Wrist Curl standing up with the barbell at your back and positioned below your gluteus area.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 20 reps

4. Dumbbell Wrist Curl

Dumbbell Wrist Curl hits the same muscles as Barbell Wrist Curl. But as a unilateral exercise, it allows you to put more focus on the muscle you are exercising. Second, you can vary the angle of the curl so there will be reduced stress on your wrist. You can also perform this standing up with the dumbbells at the side and facing your thighs.

Recommended Volume: 3 sets x 20 reps

5. Hand Grip Exercise

The best way to develop grip strength is to work your grip directly when the forearm muscles are tired and filled with lactic acid. Lactic acid is a by-product of glucose that is broken down to protect the muscle from further damage. When your grip fails it is because your forearm muscles have grown numb from excess lactic acid. Working with hand grip exercise after training forearms increases your tolerance to lactic acid build up.

Recommended Volume: 2 sets x AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) or
2 sets x Maximum Time Under Tension; maintain your grip as long as you can.

After your workout, stretch your forearm muscles by applying gentle resistance on the top, bottom and sides of your wrist.

The forearms are endurance muscles. You can train them 3 to 4 days a week and still see results. A good approach would be to split these exercises into “A” and “B” programs then use them alternately in your workout:

Forearm Program A:
• Hammer Curls
• Barbell Wrist Curls
• Hand Grip Exercise – 2 sets x AMRAP

Forearm Program B:
• Reverse Barbell Curls
• Dumbbell Wrist Curl
• Hand Grip Exercise -2 sets x Time Under Tension

When training forearms, it's not just about the best forearm exercises - and the amount of weight is not as important as the execution of every rep. As endurance muscles, forearms respond faster to higher rep ranges.