The chest, shoulders, quads, biceps, triceps—pretty much every muscle group—have overshadowed the Popeye-like forearms were once the primary goal of gym rats. Dudes and would do anything, including eating tons of spinach, to create them.

That’s a shame too, since the forearms play a role in most every lift, to say nothing of the movements of everyday life. Why train the forearms? For starters, you might want to improve the power in your swim, golf, or paddle stroke. You’ll definitely want to boost muscles that give your chest and arms a balanced, symmetrical look, especially when rolling up the sleeves on your long-sleeve shirt or sweater.

The forearms respond quickly to training, providing one of the better returns on investment of gym time. Best of all, you won’t need any equipment to train your forearms. You can use these 10 bodyweight movements as a warm-up, part of a regular workout, or as a standalone circuit. If you do a circuit, do two sets of 10.

Pete Williams is an N.A.S.M.-certified personal trainer and the author or co-author of a number of books on performance and training.

Arnold-Forearm-Posing

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Tips for Impressive ...

This often-overlooked body part is the key to your arm training session.

Read article