Summer is here and many of you are ready to work out hard and show off your muscles. Some folks focus on muscles that are more visible, such as chest, back and legs, but there are forgotten muscles that are just as visible, such as forearms; if we don’t give them the right attention, they could end up making us look like T-Rex.
It is not only important to change your arms’ appearance, but also to add strength. Strong forearms facilitate the performance of upper-body workouts. Here are some workouts that will help to make extinct T-Rex forearms.
Dumbbell hammer bicep curls
Stand with your knees slightly bent. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing in. Your back should be arched normally and your chest up. Flex your arms and bring the dumbbells up, keeping your elbows at your side. Bring your arms down and repeat. You can do this by bringing both arms up at the same time or alternating. If it’s difficult to perform standing, make use of a seated bench. Perform three to four sets with 12-15 reps, increasing weight with each set.
Barbell wrist curls
Grab a barbell and kneel down in front of a flat bench, palms up. Place your forearms on the bench, leaving your wrists hanging over the edge. Curl your wrists up and bring them down. Make sure to grab a light barbell at the beginning and increase weight until your forearms become stronger. Perform three to four sets with 12-15 reps, increasing weight with each set.
Dumbbell Zottman curls
Stand with your knees slightly bent. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with the palms of your hands facing up. Curl the weight upward until the dumbbells are shoulder-level. Hold for a moment, then rotate your wrist until the palms of your hands are facing down and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position. Perform three to four sets with 12-15 reps, increasing weight with each set.
Remember that strong forearms will give you maximum results while performing other upper-body workouts. Don’t forget about them!
Noe Espinosa is one of the more-than 30 registered personal trainers at 12th Street Gym. To learn about Noe, visit www.12streetgym.com or Go2Maxfitness on Facebook.