The Academy

Everything you need to build iron forearms.

The science, the methods, the programming — all in one place. Free, forever.

Why Thick-Bar Training Works

Standard barbells have a 28–32mm diameter. That's narrow enough that your fingers can wrap around and essentially let the bar "hang" in your grip rather than truly gripping it. When you increase that diameter to 50–60mm, your hand can no longer close fully — every muscle in your forearm, hand, and even your upper arm has to actively engage to maintain the hold.

Studies show that thick-grip training increases forearm EMG activation by up to 40% compared to standard bar training. That translates directly to size, strength, and carry-over performance in every pulling and carrying movement.

The Best Exercises for Fat Grips

• Deadlifts — The king. Thick-grip deadlifts will expose grip weakness immediately and fix it fast. Start with 70% of your normal weight until your grip catches up.
• Barbell Rows — Lets you load heavy while hammering the forearm flexors throughout the entire range.
• Pull-ups / Chin-ups — Wrapping fat grips around a pull-up bar turns a standard movement into a serious forearm builder.
• Barbell Curls — Bicep work becomes forearm work too. The thick grip shifts tension into the brachioradialis and keeps your forearms under constant load.
• Farmer's Carries — Pick up dumbbells with fat grips and walk. Simple. Brutal. Effective.
• Wrist Roller — Attach a weight to a rope on a thick handle and roll it up. Forearms will be pumped within 90 seconds.

Forearm Anatomy 101

Your forearm contains over 20 muscles grouped into two compartments. The flexor compartment (palm side) handles grip, curl, and finger closure. The extensor compartment (back of hand side) handles wrist extension and finger opening.

Most people overtrain flexors and neglect extensors. Fat grip training naturally balances this because maintaining a thick grip requires both sides to fire. If you want a complete forearm, train both — but thick-bar work on your pulling movements is the 80/20 solution.

How Grip Strength Predicts Athletic Performance

Grip strength is one of the strongest predictors of overall upper body strength, longevity, and even cardiovascular health (according to a Lancet study of 140,000 participants). In sport-specific terms, stronger grip = better deadlift lockout, better climbing performance, better golf and tennis swing control, and injury-resistant wrists and elbows. If you want to be a better athlete in any domain, your hands and forearms are not optional.

Get the Model G →