Ripped Forearms Workout: Sore in 6 Minutes
Summary
Jeff Cavaliere of ATHLEAN-X presents a condensed 6-minute forearm workout using only a barbell, pull-up bar, and dumbbells. The routine alternates between wrist extension, wrist flexion, dead hangs, and a farmer’s carry to aggressively fatigue both sides of the forearm in minimal time. The core principle is that workout intensity, not workout length, drives muscle development.
Key Points
- An empty barbell is sufficient — the combination of exercises and time under tension makes even a bare bar feel extremely heavy by the end
- The workout is structured as six consecutive one-minute blocks with no true rest between exercises
- Both sides of the forearm are targeted — the extensors (back of forearm) and flexors (front/inner forearm) are worked through alternating wrist movements
- grip strength is continuously taxed throughout the entire circuit, contributing to overall forearm fatigue
- Abbreviated range of motion is acceptable as fatigue sets in — the priority is to keep moving through the full minute
- The farmer’s carry should use challenging weight (Jeff uses 70 lb dumbbells); going too light defeats the purpose
- The final dead hang is the most brutal segment due to accumulated fatigue from the preceding five minutes
- This workout embodies the principle of trading workout length for workout intensity to achieve a better training stimulus
Exercise Details
1. Reverse Wrist Curl (Barbell) — 1 minute
- Target muscles: Wrist extensors (back/top of forearm)
- Form cues: Hold the barbell with an overhand grip; repeatedly roll the bar backward by extending the wrists
- Fatigue tip: Even as range of motion decreases with fatigue, continue attempting each rep for the full minute
2. Dead Hang (Pull-up Bar) — 1 minute
- Target muscles: Grip muscles, forearm flexors
- Form cues: Simply hang from the bar and hold as long as possible
- Goal: Reach the full minute; drop off when grip fails, then re-engage
3. Wrist Curl (Barbell) — 1 minute
- Target muscles: Wrist flexors (inner/front of forearm)
- Form cues: Hold the barbell and roll it forward by curling the wrists down toward the thighs
- Note: Directly follows the dead hang with no rest
4. Farmer’s Carry (Dumbbells) — 1 minute
- Target muscles: Full forearm, grip
- Form cues: Walk back and forth holding heavy dumbbells at your sides; walking in place is acceptable if space is limited
- Weight recommendation: Use a challenging load — Jeff uses 70 lb dumbbells
- Common mistake: Going too light, which reduces the grip and forearm stress needed to continue fatiguing the muscles
5. Reverse + Forward Wrist Curl Combo (Barbell) — 1 minute
- Target muscles: Both wrist extensors and flexors
- Form cues: Perform 30 seconds of rolling the bar backward (extension), then 30 seconds of rolling forward (flexion)
- Purpose: Hits both sides of the forearm within a single consolidated minute
6. Final Dead Hang (Pull-up Bar) — 1 minute
- Target muscles: Grip, forearm flexors
- Form cues: Same as the first dead hang
- Difficulty note: By this point forearm fatigue is extreme — fingers may feel non-functional; the goal is to hang for the complete final minute