If your forearms are stronger, then all of your lifts will be stronger. Remember, the stronger you are, the more weight lifted, the more calories burned, the more fat burning hormones are stimulated. There are many simple ways to implement a little extra emphasis on your grip strength, one of which could just be wrapping a towel around the weight and gripping the towel. Developing your grip strength will also protect your wrists during your presses, as you will have the strength to keep your wrist straight and not hyperextended. When the wrist is hyperextended, or collapsed back, this is detrimental to your power and damages the ligaments to your wrist, which in turn can lead to carpel tunnel syndrome (Tsatsouline, 2000). Along with wrist health, strengthening the ligaments and tendons through the entire hand and fingers is a preventative measure against dislocations in the joints. For some ideas on forearm exercises visit www.powerelevation.com and go to the “forearms” exercise demonstrations.
Read MoreThe Secret Fitness Weapon of Forearms and Protection Against Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
June 14th, 2010 by Scott O'Dell