Question for the BIG DOGS...Madcow, Killahbee, Sweed

[DaPit26]

I have a sick forearm/wrist routine that i've done religously for about 3 years. Even though I destroy my forearms and do some real sick grip strength training, my fuckin forearms won't grow! They've been stuck at 14 1/2" forever now. They're strong enough but the size doesn't prove it!!! You'll probably say genetics, same thing with my damn bi's! my arms are 18" and about 17 of them are tri's. what gives man?!?

 

[Madcow2]

It's just really hard to grow a muscle in isolation. Look at all the people hammering away at arms all the time that don't get big arms. The people pulling and squatting heavy have no problem though. Given the way people train, if direct isolation work really resulted in appreciable growth there'd be some seriously out of proportion people running around the gyms (if you take drugs you can still get fairly out of proportion though - unfortunately, losses are going to be very significant because the body won't maintain this state naturally).

Simple answer, push on your squat, dead, row, press - add 15lbs of solid bodyweight (i.e. not all fat), your forearms will grow. I wish I could give you the 'killer' perfect routine for forearms but you've obviously been pretty diligent and put some time into it so you are now arriving at the conclusion that it has pretty limited measurable success over the long-term.

 

[DaPit26]

i guess it's just tough to stick with something that you can't see results from but i think i should still hang with it just to keep my grip strength and to lessen chance of injury to wrists. good advice...^^^ i can't really deadlift because it feels like my guts are gonna squirt out (i had a hernia...back in the day)

 

[H_T_]

do u do pure grip work?? like power holds or hangs?

 

[KillahBee]

as humantarget suggested, you might want to try some direct grip work. farmer's walks, DB holds, hanging from the pull-up bar, static BB holds - these things fry my forearms.

 

[DaPit26]

well i'll throw some grip training in with my forearm workout. should i avoid this and just have the grip work all on one day and then forearms on another?

 

[Tom Treutlein]

If you insist on doing direct work, I would suggest doing a little bit for them three times a week. Perhaps it was just a constant pump, but my forearms certainly got a bit thicker and more vascular when I would do 2x8 with wrist curls on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday while I ran the BFS program.

Other than that, I think madcow gave solid advice.

 

[anthrax]

Heavy rack pull/deads

 

[guldukat]

Simple answer, push on your squat, dead, row, press - add 15lbs of solid bodyweight (i.e. not all fat), your forearms will grow.

To say Madcow has a penchant for hitting nails on the head is as sure a statement as "the sun will rise tomorrow if the weather's clear (and you're not in that weird part of Alaska)"

Seriously, Dapit, I'm in much the same boat. My forearms and calves have both been around the same size for awhile.

Calves particularly frustrate me; I just can't get them over 18.25", and I want 19" so bad I can taste it. I keep making nice, regular strength gains, I train them sorta frequently (3 times in a 2 week period), use very good form, etc.

But I've known all along what the problem has been: little overall weight gain. I'm just not going to get 19" calves unless I put on a good 12-15 pounds. I've been afraid to commit to that because I've not had the appetite nor comfort with the possibility of putting on several lbs. of fat.

So, we gotta literally swallow our pride With a clean "bulk" and a little cardio you can minimize the fat gain, but it's time to put that food down the hatch and get bigger all over. Run your squats, rows, chins and pulls mad progressive, and as Tom suggested, you might try just a bit of direct forearm work evenly-spaced throughout the week.

One good training cycle probably won't get you to 15", but you'll be that much closer!

 

[mrhoon]

Might also try thicker bars, lf you aren't already, for your heavy stuff.