Forearms Exercises
119 Free Exercise DB records tag the forearms as a primary or secondary muscle. Tagged inventory and primary-muscle count are ranked separately.
54 beginner · 55 intermediate · 10 advanced, computed across all tagged exercises.
According to the Free Exercise DB corpus on PlainExercise, Forearms ranks #11 of 18 by tagged inventory (119) and #10 by primary-muscle count (25). Shoulders is #1 of 18 by tagged inventory (335 records) at primary-count #2 (127) ≠ Quadriceps #1 primary (148 records, tagged #4 at 227).
- Forearms ranks #11 of 18 by tagged inventory (119) and #10 by primary-muscle count (25). Shoulders is #1 of 18 by tagged inventory (335 records) at primary-count #2 (127) ≠ Quadriceps #1 primary (148 records, tagged #4 at 227).
- 119 tagged records · 25 primary-field records
- Free Exercise DB (CC0) live extract
Catalog lens
Tagged inventory is not primary-muscle count
According to the Free Exercise DB corpus on PlainExercise, Forearms ranks #11 of 18 by tagged inventory (119) and #10 by primary-muscle count (25). Shoulders is #1 of 18 by tagged inventory (335 records) at primary-count #2 (127) ≠ Quadriceps #1 primary (148 records, tagged #4 at 227).
Tagged inventory
#11 of 18
Typical exercise variety
119 tagged records. Shoulders leads tagged.
Primary-muscle count
#10 of 15
Typical exercise variety
25 primary-field records. Quadriceps leads primary.
Forearms vs all muscles by tagged exercise inventory
Where this muscle's Free Exercise DB tagged-record count sits among every muscle with at least one tag (catalog density, not training priority)
119 Top 61% more tagged exercises than 39% of 18 muscles
Muscles, banded by tagged Free Exercise DB record count
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more muscles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source Free Exercise DB · 2026-07-10
- 119
- Exercises
- 54
- Beginner-friendly
- 67
- Compound lifts
- 3
- Equipment-free
Forearms exercises by equipment
According to the open Free Exercise DB datasets, the 119 forearms tagged records split across equipment types as below - barbell leads the listed set, and 3 listed records are labeled body only.
Forearms movements by equipment
Forearms vs. every other tracked muscle group
Forearms plotted against 14 other muscle groups by exercise count (x) and distinct equipment types (y). The crosshair sits at this set's own median on each axis. A deep library does not automatically mean varied equipment options, some muscle groups are well-covered on one axis but narrow on the other.
Forearms among tracked muscle groups
How to read this
Each dot is one tracked muscle group; the highlighted dot is Forearms. A muscle group to the right has a deeper exercise library; one higher up spans more distinct equipment types.
Read the chart as a table (15 muscle groups)
- Shoulders: 335 exercises, 9 equipment types
- Hamstrings: 277 exercises, 9 equipment types
- Glutes: 242 exercises, 6 equipment types
- Quadriceps: 227 exercises, 10 equipment types
- Triceps: 218 exercises, 9 equipment types
- Calves: 209 exercises, 7 equipment types
- Abdominals: 149 exercises, 9 equipment types
- Chest: 147 exercises, 11 equipment types
- Biceps: 128 exercises, 8 equipment types
- Forearms: 119 exercises, 6 equipment types
- Traps: 97 exercises, 6 equipment types
- Lats: 93 exercises, 7 equipment types
- Adductors: 54 exercises, 5 equipment types
- Abductors: 43 exercises, 5 equipment types
- Neck: 9 exercises, 2 equipment types
What the Forearms Exercise Data Reveals
The PlainExercise database catalogues 119 records that tag the forearms as a primary or secondary muscle. That tagged inventory is not the primary-muscle map: According to the Free Exercise DB corpus on PlainExercise, Forearms ranks #11 of 18 by tagged inventory (119) and #10 by primary-muscle count (25). Shoulders is #1 of 18 by tagged inventory (335 records) at primary-count #2 (127) ≠ Quadriceps #1 primary (148 records, tagged #4 at 227).. Within the listed set, 54 are tagged beginner, 55 intermediate, 10 advanced, and 0 carry no explicit level classification. Every record is sourced from the public-domain Free Exercise DB.
Context matters: this database tracks exercise taxonomy. "Primary muscle" is a source field, not a claim that a listed movement isolates the forearms. Compound lifts tagged here may recruit this muscle as a secondary mover. This page is a catalog extract, not medical or personal-training advice.
Beginner (54)
Foundational movements to learn the pattern.
- Alternate Hammer Curldumbbell · isolation
- Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curldumbbell · isolation
- Backward Dragother · compound
- Band Assisted Pull-Upother · compound
- Barbell Curlbarbell · isolation
- Barbell Shrug Behind The Backbarbell · isolation
- Battling Ropesother · compound
- Cable Deadliftscable · compound
- Cable Preacher Curlcable · isolation
- Cable Wrist Curlcable · isolation
- Car Driversbarbell · isolation
- Chin-Upbody only · compound
- Clean Deadliftbarbell · compound
- Clean Shrugbarbell · compound
- Close-Grip EZ Bar Curlbarbell · isolation
- Close-Grip EZ-Bar Curl with Bande-z curl bar · isolation
- Close-Grip Standing Barbell Curlbarbell · isolation
- Concentration Curlsdumbbell · isolation
- Cross Body Hammer Curldumbbell · isolation
- Crucifixother · isolation
- Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curldumbbell · isolation
- Dumbbell Bicep Curldumbbell · isolation
- Dumbbell Incline Rowdumbbell · compound
- EZ-Bar Skullcrushere-z curl bar · isolation
- Finger Curlsbarbell · isolation
- Kneeling Forearm Stretchisolation
- Leverage Shrugmachine · isolation
- Overhead Stretchcompound
- Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Benchdumbbell · isolation
- Palms-Down Wrist Curl Over A Benchbarbell · isolation
- Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl Over A Benchbarbell · isolation
- Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Benchdumbbell · isolation
- Preacher Hammer Dumbbell Curldumbbell · isolation
- Reverse Barbell Curlbarbell · isolation
- Reverse Cable Curlcable · isolation
- Reverse Plate Curlsother · isolation
- Sandbag Loadother · compound
- Seated Dumbbell Palms-Down Wrist Curldumbbell · isolation
- Seated Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curldumbbell · isolation
- Seated One-Arm Dumbbell Palms-Up Wrist Curldumbbell · isolation
- Seated Palm-Up Barbell Wrist Curlbarbell · isolation
- Seated Palms-Down Barbell Wrist Curlbarbell · isolation
- Seated Two-Arm Palms-Up Low-Pulley Wrist Curlcable · isolation
- Side Wrist Pullisolation
- Single Dumbbell Raisedumbbell · isolation
- Sledgehammer Swingsother · compound
- Standing Concentration Curldumbbell · isolation
- Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raisecable · isolation
- Standing Olympic Plate Hand Squeezeother · isolation
- Standing Palms-Up Barbell Behind The Back Wrist Curlbarbell · isolation
- Svend Pressother · compound
- Wrist Circlesbody only · isolation
- Wrist Rollerother · isolation
- Wrist Rotations with Straight Barbarbell · isolation
Intermediate (55)
Movements that require basic strength and coordination.
- Alternating Hang Cleankettlebells · compound
- Atlas Stone Trainerother · compound
- Axle Deadliftother · compound
- Barbell Deadliftbarbell · compound
- Barbell Hack Squatbarbell · compound
- Bench Press - Powerliftingbarbell · compound
- Board Pressbarbell · compound
- Body-Upbody only · isolation
- Bottoms-Up Clean From The Hang Positionkettlebells · compound
- Car Deadliftother · compound
- Cleanbarbell · compound
- Clean Pullbarbell · compound
- Conan's Wheelother · compound
- Deficit Deadliftbarbell · compound
- Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Cleankettlebells · compound
- Drag Curlbarbell · compound
- Dumbbell Cleandumbbell · compound
- Dumbbell Lying Pronationdumbbell · isolation
- Dumbbell Lying Supinationdumbbell · isolation
- Farmer's Walkother · compound
- Hang Cleanbarbell · compound
- Hang Clean - Below the Kneesbarbell · compound
- Heaving Snatch Balancebarbell · compound
- Incline Barbell Triceps Extensionbarbell · isolation
- Keg Loadother · compound
- Kipping Muscle Upother · compound
- London Bridgesother · compound
- Muscle Upother · compound
- One-Arm Open Palm Kettlebell Cleankettlebells · compound
- Pin Pressesbarbell · compound
- Plate Pinchother · isolation
- Power Cleanbarbell · compound
- Power Snatch from Blocksbarbell · compound
- Rack Deliverybarbell · compound
- Rack Pull with Bandsbarbell · compound
- Rack Pullsbarbell · compound
- Reverse Band Bench Pressbarbell · compound
- Reverse Band Box Squatbarbell · compound
- Reverse Barbell Preacher Curlse-z curl bar · isolation
- Rickshaw Carryother · compound
- Rickshaw Deadliftother · compound
- Romanian Deadlift from Deficitbarbell · compound
- Rope Climbother · compound
- Seated One-Arm Dumbbell Palms-Down Wrist Curldumbbell · isolation
- Side To Side Chinsother · compound
- Snatch Deadliftbarbell · compound
- Snatch Shrugbarbell · compound
- Split Cleanbarbell · compound
- Standing Dumbbell Reverse Curldumbbell · isolation
- Sumo Deadliftbarbell · compound
- Sumo Deadlift with Bandsbarbell · compound
- Sumo Deadlift with Chainsbarbell · compound
- Tire Flipother · compound
- Zottman Curldumbbell · isolation
- Zottman Preacher Curldumbbell · isolation
Advanced (10)
Complex or highly loaded movements for experienced lifters.
- Atlas Stonesother · compound
- Circus Bellother · compound
- Deadlift with Bandsbarbell · compound
- Deadlift with Chainsbarbell · compound
- Hang Snatchbarbell · compound
- Hang Snatch - Below Kneesbarbell · compound
- One Arm Chin-Upother · compound
- Reverse Band Sumo Deadliftbarbell · compound
- Snatch from Blocksbarbell · compound
- Split Snatchbarbell · compound
Nationwide muscle groups with similar catalog scale
Two Free Exercise DB peer sets for Forearms, each excluding this muscle so the neighborhoods are attribute-based, not self-containment (the exercise lists above stay the within-group path).
Similar tagged inventory
Nearest other muscles by primary+secondary tagged records (119 here).
Similar primary-muscle count
Nearest other muscles by exercises where this muscle is the primary field (25 here).