A forearm strengthener is a piece of exercise equipment that is used to strengthen the muscles in the forearm, the area on the arm between the elbow and the wrist, as well as improve the grip strength in the fingers. Most of these pieces of equipment are ambidextrous. This means that they can be used in either the left or the right hand so that just one forearm strengthener can be purchased for equal exercise on each side of the body. In most cases, a forearm strengthener uses resistance in order to train the muscles in the forearm. One of the most common models includes a grip for the palm of the hand and four pieces that look somewhat like computer keys attached to springs, one for each finger.
When this typical model of a forearm strengthener is held in the hand, each of the fingers presses down on its own key or pad. Although most of the action is taking place in the hand, the muscles in the forearm are engaged. Through repeated use, the muscles that are engaged during the exercise are strengthened and may also increase in size. It is much more common for a forearm strengthener to be purchased for personal use at home or in a home gym than for the piece of equipment to be purchase for a commercial or public gym where it would be used by multiple members of the gym.
In addition to the kind of forearm strengthener described above there are a number of other models. Some of the models allow for alterations in the resistance. This means that users can increase the resistance as their muscles get stronger, which allows them to continue to build their muscles. This also means that multiple users of varying strength levels can use and benefit from this kind of forearm strengthener.
There are a number of reasons for using a forearm strengthener. Some bodybuilders use them to target the muscle group in their forearms. Other people use them to increase their abilities at a specific sport that requires strength in the forearms. Rock climbers, for example, need to have as much strength as possible throughout their entire upper body region, including the forearms. For this reason, it is not uncommon for a rock climber to train for the sport by using a forearm strengthener.
