Best forearms exercises with a barbell

Exercises where forearms are a main mover and that need a barbell, EZ bar or trap bar, plus a bench at most. Best muscle growth rating first, with more weight on ratings several sources agree on. The full forearms ranking covers every kind of equipment.

  1. 1Behind-the-back barbell wrist curl, start positionBehind-the-back barbell wrist curlWrist curlBarbellTop tier for the target muscle.
    Growth
    5.0 1 source
    Injury risk
    2.0 1 source
  2. 2Barbell wrist curl, start positionBarbell wrist curlWrist curlBarbellVery good; among the better picks for the muscle.
    Growth
    4.0 1 source
  3. 3Reverse curl, start positionReverse curlElbow flexionEZ barVery good; among the better picks for the muscle. Also works biceps.
    Growth
    3.5 2 sources
  4. 4Barbell wrist rotation, start positionBarbell wrist rotationWrist curlBarbellSolid; a reasonable default.
    Growth
    3.0 1 source
  5. 5Standing barbell wrist extension, start positionStanding barbell wrist extensionWrist curlBarbellSolid; a reasonable default.
    Growth
    3.0 1 source