What Muscle Makes the Forearm Look Big?

Here is my Amazon affiliate link to the leverage bar, a valuable tool in targeting the muscle that makes the forearm look big and muscular. 

There is no doubt that a well-developed set of massively muscular forearms instantly evokes admiration and awe from onlookers and anyone who appreciates a well-built physique. 

Unfortunately, many lifters waste precious time and energy pursuing big forearms by doing compound exercises that don’t necessarily target the muscle that makes the forearm look big. 

Understanding the Anatomy of the Forearm

To understand which muscle makes the forearm look big you must first comprehend the entire musculature of the arm.  The primary muscles that are responsible for flexion of the forearm are the brachialis, the brachioradialis and the biceps brachii. 

In order to identify the muscle that makes the forearm look big we must separate the brachioradialis from the group.  When well developed, this muscle is the muscle that gives the forearms a full, large appearance. 

Flexion of the forearm occurs when the brachioradialis is contracted and moves the lower arm upward or toward the body.

The muscle that makes the forearm look big grows under a moderate load with plenty of repetition.  Therefore, the brachioradialis needs special attention in order to build large, muscular forearms quickly. 

The Truth About Building Big, Muscular Forearms

I once knew a guy who worked on a farm all day, ate very little and never set foot inside of a traditional gym.  He had the biggest, most muscular forearms I had ever seen.  

I was fairly new to bodybuilding at the time and didn’t really understand muscular anatomy.  I didn’t know that the brachioradialis was the muscle that makes the forearm look big; I just knew that the size of his lower arm was mind blowing.

His primary function on the farm was hard labor that required a lot of shoveling, raking and throwing and stacking bales of hay.  

I visited him on the job several times and noticed that his forearms always seemed to be pumped up, as if he were intentionally isolating the muscles of his forearms through specific movements.  He would laugh when I mentioned how massive his vascular forearms looked as he had no idea, or intention, of building large, muscular forearms. 

Being a budding enthusiast of all things muscle, I paid attention to the area of his arms that seemed to look the fullest and most developed.  

It didn’t take me long to realize that the muscle that makes the forearm look big seemed to be on the anterior, or front, of his arm near the elbow.  

This particular forearm muscle, the brachioradialis, looked so massive and dense that I would’ve sworn the he had been targeting that particular muscle of the forearm in the gym for years with the primary purpose being to make his forearms huge and muscular. 

The fact is, repetitive flexion of the forearm through stacking bales of hay, shoveling and raking worked the exact muscles that make the forearm look big.  In order to build large, full forearms, you must target the muscle that makes the forearms look big through continuous tension exercises repetitively. 

Targeting the Brachioradialis

Targeting the muscle that makes the forearm look big may be easy if you work on a farm and stack bales of hay all day.  

But most of us have full time jobs and follow and split bodybuilding program that calls for once or twice weekly forearm building workouts.  The typical forearm workout typically includes hammer curls, wrist curls and wrist roller exercises. 

All of these exercises are great and should be included in every forearm workout program.  But to target the muscle that makes the forearm look big, I challenge you to try an excruciatingly simple and effective exercise:  leverage bar curls.

Leverage Bar

As I explained in the article The Key to Building Big Forearms, leverage bar curls are one of the two best exercises to build large, muscular forearms in a short period of time. 

In fact, leverage bar curls are so effective at targeting the muscle that makes the forearm look big that people will notice in short order how dense and well developed your forearms appear. 

How to Perform Leverage Bar Curls

Leverage bar curls are performed by taking hold of the thick, knurled handle of a leverage bar and holding it with your palm facing the outside of your thigh with your arms extended straight down.

The leverage bar is then lifted from the downward position straight out using only the muscles of the brachioradialis by keeping the elbows locked.  Once the top of the movement is reached, the bar is lowered under control to the starting position. 

Performing three sets of leverage bar curls of 10-15 reps with a leverage bar will give you the biggest, most unbelievable pump you have ever had along with a burning sensation deep within the muscles of the forearms. 

Develop Your Action Plan to Big, Muscular Forearms

To build impressively large forearms, you must perform exercises that target the brachioradialis muscle at least three times per week.  The absolute best exercise that targets this muscle that makes the forearm look big is leverage bar curls. 

The advantages of performing leverage bar curls are many.  The thick handle helps build hand and grip strength, the knurling provides grip for maximal muscular contraction and weight can be added to the end for incremental progressive overload.  

The design of the leverage bar is sturdy and built for precise targeting of the muscle that makes the forearm look big: the brachioradialis.

For best results, perform leverage bar curls three times per week.  Three to five sets of 10-15 repetitions will have your forearms screaming, pumped full of blood and thrust into maximum growth mode.  

If leverage bar curls are performed with the appropriate intensity, the forearms will look bigger and fuller within a very short period of time, and people will notice. 

Also Read:

The Top Three Exercises to Build Large, Muscular Forearms

Six Tips to Make Your Arms Look Bigger Instantly