Jeff Nippard's Forearm Hypertrophy Program

TABLEOFCONTENTS KEY TERMS

4

FAQS

5

FOREARM HYPERTROPHY PROGRAM

6

WARM UP

14

PROGRAM VARIABLES

15

EXERCISE SELECTION

18

SAMPLETRAININGSPLIT SAMPLETRAININGSPLI TS

21

REFERENCES

24

DISCLAIMER

25

JEFFNIPPARD

FOREARMHYPERTROPHY PROGRAM

2

FOREARMHYPERTROPHY PROGRAM:WEEK1

BLOCK

1

STRENGTHFOCUS DAY 1

SETS

REPS

HOLD

RPE

REST RE

HEAV HE AVY Y BAR BARBE BELL LL HOLDS

2

HOLD

20 SEC

8

40 SEC

1

2

3

4

CHOOSE HE HEA AVY WE WEIG IGHT HT THA HAT T NEA NEARL RLY FA FAIL ILS S AT T IM IM E GI GIVE VEN, N, USE CHALKIFNEEDED

NOTES

DUMBB DU MBBELL ELL BENC BENCH-BR H-BRACED ACED WR WRIS IST T CURL

2

10-12

-

8

30 SEC

USE TH THUMB UMBLE LESS SS GR GRIP IP, ALL ALLOW OW DU DUMBB MBBELL ELL TO "R "ROLL OLL" OUT INTO FINGERSANDCURLITBACK

STAND ST ANDING ING DU DUMBB MBBEL ELL L WR WRIS IST T EXTENSION

2

10-12

-

8

30 SEC

HOLD DUMB DUMBBELL BELLS S AT SI SIDE DES, S, AND ROTAT ATE E TH E WR WRIST ISTS S "OUT", AVOIDMOMENTUM

REVE RE VERS RSE E G RI RI P BA BARB RBEL ELL L CURL*

2

10+5

-

9

1 MIN

USE THU THUMBL MBLESS ESS GR GRIP IP, DO 10 F UL ULL ROM , 5 TOP HALF ROM TO FINISHEACHSET

*NOTE:RESTTIMESAREGIVENINMINUTES. TOTALTRAININGTIME:

HYPERTROPHYFOCUS DAY 2

SETS

REPS

HOLD

RPE

REST RE

1

2

3

4

NOTES

BEHIND-THE-BACKDUMBBELLW RIS RIST T CURL

2

10-12

-

8

1 m in

PLACE BA BARB RBEL ELL L BEHI BEHIND ND YOUR BACK AND PE PERF RFOR ORM M CU CUR RLS WITH THEPALMSFACINGBEHINDYOU

DUMBBELLBENCH-BRACEDWRIST EXTENSION

2

12-15

-

8

1 m in

USE THU THUMBL MBLESS ESS GR GRIP IP, SH SHOR ORT T RA NG NGE OF MO MOTI TION ON,, MIND MUSCLE CONNECTIONWITHPOSTERIORFOREARM

PLATE PINCH

2

HOLD

MAX HOLD

10

1 min

PINCH 1 -2 -2 10 LB PLA PLATE TES S F OR OR AS LONG AS POS POSSIB SIBLE LE FOR A MAX HOLDOFUPTO1MINUTE,ADDA3RDPLATEONCE1MINUTEIS REACHEDWITH2

*NOTE:RESTTIMESAREGIVENINMINUTES. TOTALTRAININGTIME:

METABOLICFOCUS DAY 3

SETS

REPS

HOLD

RPE

REST RE

1

2

3

4

NOTES

FARM FA RMER ER'S 'S WALKS

2

HOLD

MAX STRIDES

10

1.5 MIN

HOLD1HEAVYDUMBBELLINEACHHANDANDPERFORMSTRIDES UNTILGRIPFAILS(INCREASEWEIGHTBY40-50TOTALSTRIDES)

DUMBB DU MBBELL ELL BENC BENCH-BR H-BRACED ACED WR WRIS IST T CURL

2

15-20

-

8

1 M IN

USE THU THUMBL MBLESS ESS GR GRIP IP, AL ALLO LOW W DU DUMBB MBBEL ELL L TO "RO "ROLL LL"" OU T INTO FINGERSANDCURLITBACK

REVER RE VERSE SE GRI RIP P PE PEAC ACHE HER R EZ BAR CURL

2

15-20

-

8

1 MIN

USE TH THUMB UMBLE LESS SS GR GRIP IP, RES T B AC ACK OF A RM RM S ON PREACHER MACHINE

*NOTE:RESTTIMESAREGIVENINMINUTES. TOTALTRAININGTIME:

WEEKLY VOLUME

JEFFNIPPARD

20

FOREARMHYPERTROPH FOREAR MHYPERTROPHYPROGRAM YPROGRAM

6

FOREARMHYPERTROPHY PROGRAM:WEEK4

BLOCK

1

STRENGTHFOCUS DAY 1

SETS

REPS

HOLD

RPE

REST RE

1

2

3

4

NOTES

HEAV HE AVY Y BAR BARBE BELL LL HOLDS

2

HOLD

20 SEC

8

40 SEC

CHOOSE HE HEA AVY WE WEIG IGHT HT THA HAT T NEA NEARL RLY FA FAIL ILS S AT TI TIME ME GI GIVE VEN, N, USE CHALKIFNEEDED

DUMBB DU MBBELL ELL BENCHBENCH-BRA BRACED CED WR WRIS IST T CURL

3

10-12

-

8

30 SEC

USE TH THUMB UMBLES LESS S GR GRIP IP, AL ALLO LOW W DU DUMBB MBBEL ELL L TO "RO "ROLL LL"" OUT INTO

STAND ST ANDING ING DU DUMBB MBBEL ELL L WR WRIS IST T EXTENSION

3

10-12

-

8

30 SEC

FINGERSANDCURLITBACK HOLD DUMB DUMBBELL BELLS S AT SI SIDE DES, S, AND RO ROTA TATE THE WR WRIST ISTS S "OUT", AVOIDMOMENTUM

REVE RE VERS RSE E GRIP BAR BARBE BELL LL CURL*

3

10+5

-

9

1 MIN

USE TH THUMB UMBLE LESS SS GR GRIP IP, DO 10 F UL ULL ROM , 5 TOP HALF ROM TO FINISHEACHSET

*NOTE:RESTTIMESAREGIVENINMINUTES. TOTALTRAININGTIME:

HYPERTROPHYFOCUS DAY 2

SETS

REPS

HOLD

RPE

REST RE

1

2

3

4

NOTES

BEHIND-THE-BACKDUMBBELLW RIS RIST T CURL

2

10-12

-

8

1 M IN

PLACE BA BARB RBEL ELL L BEHI BEHIND ND YOUR BACK AND PE PERF RFOR ORM M CU CUR RLS WITH THEPALMSFACINGBEHINDYOU

DUMBBELLBENCH-BRACEDWRIST EXTENSION

2

12-15

-

8

1 M IN

USE THU THUMBL MBLESS ESS GR GRIP IP, SH SHOR ORT T RAN GE GE OF MO MOTI TION ON,, M IN IND MUSCLE CONNECTIONWITHPOSTERIORFOREARM

PLATE PINCH

2

HOLD

MAX HOLD

10

1 MIN

PINCH 1 -2 -2 10 LB PLA PLATE TES S FOR AS LONG AS POS POSSIB SIBLE LE FOR A MAX HOLDOFUPTO1MINUTE,ADDA3RDPLATEONCE1MINUTEIS REACHEDWITH2

*NOTE:RESTTIMESAREGIVENINMINUTES. TOTALTRAININGTIME:

METABOLICFOCUS DAY 3

SETS

REPS

HOLD

RPE

REST RE

1

2

3

4

NOTES

FARM FA RMER ER'S 'S WALKS

2

HOLD

MAX STRIDES

10

1.5 MIN

HOLD1HEAVYDUMBBELLINEACHHANDANDPERFORMSTRIDES UNTILGRIPFAILS(INCREASEWEIGHTBY40-50TOTALSTRIDES)

DUMBB DU MBBELL ELL BENCHBENCH-BRA BRACED CED WR WRIS IST T CURL

2

15-20

-

8

1 MIN

USE THU THUMBL MBLESS ESS GR GRIP IP, AL ALLO LOW W DU DUMBB MBBEL ELL L TO "R "ROL OLL L" OU T INTO FINGERSANDCURLITBACK

REVER RE VERSE SE GRIP PE PEAC ACHE HER R EZ BAR CURL

2

15-20

-

8

1 MIN

USE THU THUMBL MBLESS ESS GR GRIP IP, RES EST T B AC AC K OF A RM RM S ON PREACHER MACHINE

*NOTE:RESTTIMESAREGIVENINMINUTES. TOTALTRAININGTIME:

WEEKLY VOLUME

JEFFNIPPARD

23

FOREARM HYPERTROPHYPROGRAM

9

FOREARMHYPERTROPHY PROGRAM:WEEK6

BLOCK

2

STRENGTHFOCUS DAY 1

SETS

REPS

HOLD

RPE

REST RE

1

2

3

4

NOTES

HEA HE AVY BAR BARBE BELL LL HOLDS

2

HOLD

30 SEC

9

30 SEC

CHOOSE HE HEA AVY WE WEIG IGHT HT THA HAT T NEA NEARL RLY FA FAIL ILS S AT TIM E GI GIVE VEN, N, USE CHALKIFNEEDED

DUMBB DUM BBELL ELL BENC BENCH-BR H-BRACED ACED WR WRIS IST T CURL

3

10-12

-

8

30 SEC

USE THU THUMBL MBLESS ESS GR GRIP IP, ALL ALLOW OW DU DUMBB MBBEL ELL L TO "RO "ROLL LL"" OUT INTO FINGERSANDCURLITBACK

STAND ST ANDING ING DU DUMBB MBBEL ELL L WR WRIS IST T EXTENSION

3

10-12

-

8

30 SEC

HOLD DUMBB DUMBBELL ELLS S AT SI SIDE DES, S, AN D ROTAT ATE E THE WR WRIS ISTS TS "OUT", AVOIDMOMENTUM

REVE RE VERS RSE E GRI P BA BARB RBEL ELL L CURL*

3

10+5

-

9

1 M IN

USE THU THUMBL MBLESS ESS GR GRIP IP, DO 10 F UL ULL ROM , 5 TOP HALF ROM TO FINISHEACHSET

*NOTE:RESTTIMESAREGIVENINMINUTES. TOTALTRAININGTIME:

HYPERTROPHYFOCUS DAY 2

SETS

REPS

HOLD

RPE

REST RE

1

2

3

4

NOTES

PLATE PINCH

3

HOLD

MAX HOLD HOLD

10

1 MIN

PINCH 1 -2 -2 10 LB PLA PLATE TES S FOR AS LON ONG G AS POS POSSIB SIBLE LE F OR OR A MAX HOLDOFUPTO1MINUTE,ADDA3RDPLATEONCE1MINUTEIS REACHEDWITH2

BEHIND-THE-BACKDUMBBELLWRIST CURL

2

10-12

-

8

1 MIN

PLACE BA BARB RBEL ELL L BEHI BEHIND ND YO UR UR BACK AND PE PERF RFOR ORM M CU CUR RLS WITH THEPALMSFACINGBEHINDYOU

DUMBBELLBENCH-BRACEDWRIST EXTENSION

2

12-15

-

8

1 MIN

USE THU THUMBL MBLES ESS S GR GRIP IP, S HO HO RT RT RAN ANGE GE OF MO MOTI TION ON,, MIN D MUSCLE CONNECTIONWITHPOSTERIORFOREARM

*NOTE:RESTTIMESAREGIVENINMINUTES. TOTALTRAININGTIME:

METABOLICFOCUS DAY 3

SETS

REPS

HOLD

RPE

REST RE

1

2

3

4

NOTES

FARM FA RMER ER'S 'S WALKS

2

HOLD

MAX STRIDES

10

1.5 MIN

HOLD1HEAVYDUMBBELLINEACHHANDANDPERFORMSTRIDES UNTILGRIPFAILS(INCREASEWEIGHTBY40-50TOTALSTRIDES)

DUMBB DUM BBELL ELL BENC BENCH-BR H-BRACED ACED WR WRIS IST T CURL

2

15-20

-

8

1 MIN

USE TH THUMB UMBLE LESS SS GR GRIP IP, AL ALLO LOW W DU DUMBB MBBEL ELL L TO "R "ROLL OLL" OUT INTO FINGERSANDCURLITBACK

HAMM HA MMER ER DU DUMB MBBE BELL LL CURL

2

15-20

-

8

1 M IN

USE TH THUM UMBL BLES ESS S GR GRIP IP, PE PER RFO FORM RM BOTH ARMS AT ONCE

*NOTE:RESTTIMESAREGIVENINMINUTES. TOTALTRAININGTIME:

WEEKLY VOLUME

JEFFNIPPARD

24

FOREARM HYPERTROPHYPR OGRAM

11

PROGRAMVARIABLES INTENSITY Howhardshouldyoutrain? Howhardshou ldyoutrain?Howheavyshou Howheavyshouldyougo? ldyougo? TheanswerstothesequestionsaredeterminedbytheRPEgivenforeachexercise.KeepinmindthatRPE’sare meanttobeforworking meantto beforworkingsets setsonly. only. AnRPE AnRPEof10indicates of10indicatestheset thesetshouldbeta shouldbetakentofailu kentofailure.Inthe re.Inthecase caseofgrip ofgrip training,thiswouldmeantogotothepointwhereyourgripfails.AnRPEof9meansyoushouldstoponerepshy offailure.AnRPEof8meansyoushouldstoptworepsshyoffailureandsoon.RPE’sprovidedareintendedto beappliedtoallworkingsetsexceptforwhenthetrainingdayisannotatedwithanoteindicatingthatthefinal setofeachexercisesistobetakentofailure.

VOLUME Howmuchvolumeyouneedtoprogresswilldependonyourlevelofadvancement.Themoreadvancedyouare andthemorevolumeyouwillneed.Thisprogrambeginswith20totalweeklysetsinWeek1andfinisheswith26 totalweeklysetsinWe totalweeklysetsin Week ek8. 8. Bewareofthefactthatthereisastrongoverlapbetweenanyheavyrowinganddeadliftingandtheforearm movementsincludedinthisprogram.Soifthecurrentprogramyou’rerunninghasahighvolumeofthese movementsalreadyincluded,itmaybewisetoadjustthevolumedownby1setperexercise,dependingon yourownassessmentofyourrecovery.Consistentandrecurringsoreness,achyjointsandfatigueisgenerallya reliableindicationthatyoumaybeperformingtoomuchvolumeandmaywanttoadjusttheroutineaccordingly. Furthermore,ifyou’rearelativelynewlifter,youmaywanttostartwithonelesssetpermovementforthefirst weekortwo.Fromthere,youcanassessyourtolerancetothatweeklyvolumeandthenbeginaddingsetsonce you’reconfidentyou’rerecoveringadequately.

FREQUENCY A2017studyshowedthatwhenvolumeequated,trainingtheforearms10xperweekdidn’tleadtobetter strengthorsizegainsthantrainingthem3xperweek,somorefrequencyisn’tnecessarilybetter. 1Furthermore, themostrecentandcomprehensivemetaanalysisontrainingfrequencyconcludedthat2x/weekisbetterthan 1x/weekformaximizinggrowthwhilefrequenciesof3ormoremayormaynotbebetter 2.However,becausethe musclesoftheforearmaresmallermuscleswitharguablyfasterrecoveryrates,a3dayperweekfrequency

JEFFNIPPARD

FOREARM HYPERTROPHY PROGRAM

15

FOREARMS

FIGURE2: MUSCLESOFTHEPOSTERIORFOREARM (Image:https:/ (Image:http s://commons.wikime /commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F dia.org/wiki/File:11 ile:1120_Musc 20_Muscles_that_Move_th les_that_Move_the_Forearm_Ant e_Forearm_Antebrach._Sup._Fl ebrach._Sup._Flex._Sin ex._Sin.png#/media/F .png#/media/File:11 ile:1120_Muscles_that_ 20_Muscles_that_Move_the_Fore Move_the_Forearm_ arm_ Antebrach._Sup._Flex._Sin.png

About5ofthe20musclesperformelbow About5ofthe20 musclesperformelbowflexion(like flexion(likeabicepcurl)andpronationo abicepcurl)andpronationofthef ftheforearm(like orearm(liketurningyourpalm turningyourpalm up).Ofthese,we’ll up).Of these,we’lljustfocuson justfocusonthemostprominent themostprominentbrachioradialismusclewhich, brachioradialismusclewhich,unlikeotherprominent unlikeotherprominentforearmmuscles forearmmuscles suchastheFlexorDigitorum suchasthe FlexorDigitorumSuperficialis,doesn’tc Superficialis,doesn’tcrossthewrist rossthewristjoint,meaningit joint,meaningitcan’tbetrainedthrough can’tbetrainedthroughwristflexiono wristflexionorr extension. Accordingtoapapertitled“TheFunction Accordingtoapapert itled“TheFunctionofBrachioradialis”, ofBrachioradialis”,it’sequallyactive it’sequallyactiveinaneutral, inaneutral,supinated,andpronated  supinated,andpronated  4 position.Andsince .Andsincethebicepsare thebicepsarestrongestwhen strongestwhentheforearm theforearmissupinated,orwhenthe issupinated,orwhenthepalmsare palmsarefacingup,it’s facingup,it’sbestto  bestto  performcurlswithapronated performcurlsw ithapronatedor“reverse”g or“reverse”gripforthebrachioradialis.Another ripforthebrachioradialis.AnotherpaperfromMurray paperfromMurrayandcolleagues andcolleaguespublished  published  intheJournalofBiomechanics intheJournal ofBiomechanicsfoundthatpeak foundthatpeaktorquefo torqueforthebrachioradialis rthebrachioradialisoccurredbetween occurredbetween100°and120°ofelbow  100°and120°ofelbow  5 flexion,whilepeaktorque flexion,while peaktorqueforthe forthebicepswasclose bicepswascloserto80° rto80°.Soperforming .Soperformingpartialrepsin partialrepsinthetop-endrangeofmot thetop-endrangeofmotionmight  ionmight  helptargetthebracioradialiso helptarget thebracioradialisoverthebiceps. verthebiceps.Mypreferrede Mypreferredexerciseforbrac xerciseforbrachioradialisisolationis hioradialisisolationisthereverseg thereversegripbarbell  ripbarbell  curlfinishingwithpartialrepsin curlfinishingwith partialrepsinthetophalfoft thetophalfoftherange.H herange.Hammercurlsare ammercurlsarealsoago alsoagoodexercise,but odexercise,butlikemostcurls,will  likemostcurls,will  targetthebicepstoa targetthe bicepstoalargedegree largedegreeandaren’tas andaren’tasgreatfor greatforisolatingthe isolatingthebrachioradialisbutareveryeffective brachioradialisbutareveryeffectiveforoverloa foroverloading. ding.

JEFFNIPPARD

FOREARM HYPERTROPHYPR OGRAM

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SAMPLETRAININGSPLITS 3.PUSH/PULL/LEGSSPLIT(8-9DAYSPLIT)

Day1:Push+ Day1 Day2:Pull Day3:Legs+ Day2 Day4:(Optionalrest) Day5:Push Day6:Pull+ Day3 Day7:Legs Day8:Rest Iwouldpersonallyrecommend Iwould personallyrecommendrunningsplit runningsplit#1or2onthisprogramfor #1or2onthisprogramforthesake thesakeof ofoptimizingfrequency optimizingfrequencyand and theconvenienceoffittingyourfullsplitwithinasinglecalendarweek.Theextratrainingdaysinsplit#3allowfor adequaterecoverybet adequaterecoveryb etwe ween ense sess ssion ions, s,ho however,theweeklyfrequencymaybeslightlysub-optimal.Giventhis,if wever,theweeklyfrequencymaybeslightlysub-optimal.Giventhis,if thissplitallowsyoutotrainwitheithermoreintensity(effort)orwithbetteradherencethantheothers,thenyou shouldgowithit.Rememberthatregardlessofthesplityouchoose,themostimportantthingisaccomplishing theweeklyforearmtrainingvolumewiththeappropriateintensity(RPE). Animportantconsiderationinthetrainingsplitiswherethebrachioradialiswork(reversegripcurlsandhammer curls)shouldbeplacedinrelation curls)should beplacedinrelationtootherbicepexercise tootherbicepexercisesin sinyourprogram. yourprogram.Iwould Iwouldrecommenddoing recommenddoingthese these movementsonthesamedayyouhitbiceps.Otherwise,trytospaceitoutsuchthatthereisatleastonedayof restbetweenothercurlingmovementsyoudo,andthecurlingmovementsintheforearmprogram.

JEFFNIPPARD

FOREARM HYPERTROPHYPR OGRAM

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DISCLAIMER JeffNippardisnotadoctororregistereddietitian.Thecontentsofthisdocumentshouldnotbe takenasmedicaladvice.Itisnotintendedtodiagnose,treat,cure,orpreventanyhealthproblem -norisitintendedto -norisi tintendedtoreplacethea replacetheadviceofaphysician.Alway dviceofaphysician.Alwaysconsultyour sconsultyourphysicianor physicianorqualified qualified healthprofessionalonanymattersregardingyourhealth.Theexercisescontainedhereinare performedattheownriskoftheTrainee.AlldocumentsincludedorexchangedbetweenJeff NippardandtheTraineearetheintellectualpropertyofSTRCNGIncorporatedandarenottobe copied,soldorredistributedwithoutwrittenconsent.

JEFFNIPPARD

FOREARM HYPERTROPHY PROGRAM

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