Forearms Exercises
119 movements primarily target the forearms. Use the sections below to browse by difficulty, or see the How to Choose guide for selection help.
54 beginner · 55 intermediate · 10 advanced — breakdown computed across all tagged exercises.
What the Forearms Exercise Data Reveals
The PlainExercise database catalogues 119 movements that list the forearms as their primary target. Within that cohort, 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 and is grouped below by the upstream difficulty tag rather than by a PlainExercise-imposed ranking, so the distribution reflects what practicing coaches and federations have historically classified rather than a synthetic opinion.
This level spread has a practical signal: when a muscle group is dominated by advanced-level records, it typically means the movement patterns require coordination, loaded stabilizers, or technique built across months of practice, and that substitutions at the beginner level are limited. When beginner and intermediate records dominate, practitioners can generally enter the muscle group with bodyweight or light-load variations and progress through the list. For the forearms, the beginner-accessible pool is at least as deep as the advanced pool, meaning new trainees have a clear on-ramp.
Context matters: this database tracks exercise taxonomy — primary muscle, equipment, mechanic, difficulty — but does not account for individual anatomy, joint history, or programming context. "Primary muscle" is a taxonomy label, not a claim that the listed movement exclusively isolates the forearms. Compound lifts trained for the forearms necessarily recruit stabilizers and secondary movers. This page is general educational information, not medical or personal-training advice. Consult a physician, physical therapist, or certified trainer before adding or modifying exercises — especially if you have pre-existing injuries, chronic pain, cardiovascular conditions, or are pregnant.
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