Most "Sam Sulek forearm workout" articles online list farmer's walks and plate pinches. Sam does neither.
His real forearm training is narrower, smarter, and far more brutal than the recycled versions suggest, and this is the breakdown of what he actually performs, why it works anatomically, and how to apply it without wrecking your wrists.
We train forearms for a living at Gripzilla, so we care about getting the details right.
Everything below is pulled from Sam's own filmed sessions and his on-camera explanations, not a generic template with his name stapled on top.
Why Sam Sulek Trains Forearms So Hard
Sam's stance is the part worth internalizing before the exercises.
He treats forearms as a real, trainable muscle group rather than something that grows by accident.
He calls them one of the most neglected muscle groups, and now dedicates specific time to training them directly inside his simple 4-day split.
His reasoning is refreshingly honest. Forearms won't win an Olympia, but they make the arm look bigger and more defined, and training them improves wrist stability, elbow strength, and grip.
In other words, he isn't promising magic. He's saying a stubborn muscle responds to direct, consistent, high-volume work, which is exactly what the evidence on small-muscle hypertrophy supports.
The Sam Sulek Forearm Workout Routine
When Sam explains his own approach, he says it boils down to three movements that hit the wrist flexors and extensors, then a finisher for a pump, relying heavily on variations of curls and pushdowns.
The session below is a real one he ran a few days after the Arnold Classic UK. Treat it as the template, not gospel, since his exact selection rotates.
Move 1 — Single-arm pronated dumbbell wrist curls
- 8 sets of 15 to 20 reps per arm
- Taken to failure each side, often around 30 reps, with the focus on a hard peak squeeze.
Move 2 — Cable wrist curls and pushdowns
- 3 to 4 sets of 15 to 20 reps
- Constant cable tension through the full range, ideal for a small muscle that thrives on time under load.
Move 3 — Barbell wrist curls for heavy overload
- 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
- One of the only barbell movements he uses for forearms, curling the bar toward the palms to load the flexors directly.
Finisher
- A light, high-rep burnout on whichever movement gives the best pump, run to failure.
That is the whole structure. High volume, full range, heavy where it counts, and a finisher to flush the muscle. Nothing exotic.
Sam Sulek Forearm Exercises and the Muscles They Hit
This is where a good forearm routine separates from a random one. The forearm is not a single muscle, and Sam's grip choices are deliberate. Match the grip to the target:
- Supinated grip, palms up, on wrist curls drives the inner forearm flexors.
- Pronated grip, palms down, on wrist extensions hits the outer forearm extensors.
- A neutral grip on concentration-style hammer curls emphasizes the brachioradialis.
- Standing reverse-grip barbell curls also load the brachioradialis hard.
Train only palms-up wrist curls and you build one third of the forearm. Rotate through all three planes and you build the full, dense look from every angle.
If you want more movements that cover the same flexor and extensor balance, our guide to forearm strength exercises lays out a deeper menu.
Sam Sulek's Forearm Curl Technique and Form
If there is one technique cue that defines his forearm work, it's intent. He prioritizes the mind-muscle connection over speed, putting extra focus into the squeeze at the top of each rep rather than rushing the bottom of the movement.
His logic is that the added tension compounds across a set into a better pump and better growth.
The practical takeaway: slow the rep down, pause and squeeze at full contraction, and control the lowering. A lighter weight done with real tension beats a heavier one you swing.
Are Sam Sulek's Forearm Curls Bad for Your Wrists
Worth flagging, because it comes up constantly with this routine. Heavy wrist curls can aggravate the wrist joint if your grip or angle is off.
A widely shared adjustment from Sam's own content is to move to a supinated cable position, palms up, lowering the bar while extending the fingers, then curling the fingers and wrist together.
The rotated position tends to reduce joint strain while still loading the larger forearm muscles.
If discomfort continues, reduce the load and rebuild wrist tolerance gradually. Sharp or persistent pain is a reason to check in with a professional, not to push through.
How to Get Bigger Forearms Like Sam Sulek
Pull back from the specific exercises and the real lessons are simple. To grow forearms the way Sam does:
- Train them on purpose. Grip work during other lifts is not enough on its own.
- Use real volume. His near-30-rep sets to failure are the standard, not overkill.
- Cover every grip. Supinated, pronated, and neutral each earn a slot.
- Chase tension, not momentum. The squeeze is the work.
- Hit them 1 to 2 times a week with enough recovery between sessions.
Realistic expectations matter here too. Sam has strong genetics and trains as a competitor, so your rate of growth will be your own. The method is sound for anyone. The timeline is individual.
How to Train Sam Sulek Forearms at Home
Sam's routine leans on cables and a loaded barbell, which is fine if you live in a commercial gym. The catch is frequency.
Forearms grow on repeated, direct stimulus, and the people who build them rarely rely on a single weekly session at a busy cable station.
This is the gap dedicated forearm tools fill, and it's the exact training we built Gripzilla around. For a fuller comparison of options, our breakdown of the best forearm workout equipment is a useful starting point.
The Gripzilla Tornado trains rotational and twisting load that standard wrist curls never reach, building thickness across the whole forearm rather than one plane.
The Gripzilla Dynamo works the flexors and extensors through a wringing motion with adjustable resistance, the same flexor and extensor balance Sam targets. There are 18 Dynamo workouts here to rotate through.
When your grip fails before your forearms do on heavy wrist curls, progressive hand grippers build the crushing strength to finish the set.
Used on off days or as a finisher, these keep the stimulus coming through the week. That added frequency, not any single exercise, is usually what finally moves stubborn forearms.
Sam Sulek Forearm Workout FAQ
How many sets does Sam Sulek do for forearms?
His anchor movement alone is 8 sets of 15 to 20 reps per arm, with most sets pushed to failure near 30 reps. It is genuinely high volume.
How often does Sam Sulek train forearms?
He gives them dedicated time within his 4-day split. For most lifters, one to two focused sessions a week is plenty.
What three exercises make up the Sam Sulek forearm workout?
Single-arm pronated dumbbell wrist curls, cable wrist curls or pushdowns, and heavy barbell wrist curls, finished with a high-rep pump set.
Is this routine good for beginners?
Yes, scaled down. Start light, focus on the squeeze, and use the supinated cable position if your wrists are sensitive.
Do you need a gym to train forearms like Sam Sulek?
No. The principles, direct work, high volume, and varied grips, transfer to dedicated forearm tools you can use anywhere.
