The flexor muscles are a number of smaller muscles on the inside of the forearm designed to control the hand and wrist by curling the palm down and forward.
Forearm training is important because a strong, well developed forearm allows you to grip strong enough to actually lift the weights that you need to continue to develop the rest of your upper body, as well as the lower. Any time you flex the elbows or wrists your forarms muscles will be on dislplay. There are not a lot of exercises to train the flexors, however many upper arm exercises already work this muscle, and there are a few specifically for them.
The flexors are visible on Stan's right arm as the flexed muscle on the inside of his lower arm, pulling his fist back.
PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To develop the flexor muscles of the forearms. Heavy barbell curls make the forearms work very hard, but wrist curls allow you to more fully isolate these muscles.
EXECUTION:
(1)Take hold of a barbell with an underhand grip, hands close together. Straddle a bench with your forearms resting on the bench but with your wrists and hands hanging over the end, elbows and wrists the same distance apart. Lock your knees in agains your elbows to stabilize them.
(2)Bend your wrists and lower the weight toward the floor. When you can't lower the bar any further, carefully open your fingers a little bit and let the weight roll down out of the palms of your hands. Roll the weight back up into your hands, contract the forearms, and lift the weight as high as you can without letting your forearms come up off the bench. Forearms, like calves, need a lot of stimulation to grow, so don't be afraid to make them really burn.
PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To isolate and develop the forearms. This is a variation of wrist curls that allows you to isolate one forearm at a time.
EXECUTION:
(1)Take hold of a dumbbell and sit on a bench. Lean forward and place your forearm on your thigh so that your wrist and the weight extend out over the knee, with your palm and the inside of your forearm facing upward. Bend forward, reach over with your free hand, and take hold of the elbow of the working arm to stabilize it. Bend your wrist and lower the weight as far as possible toward the floor, opening your fingers slightly to let the dumbbell roll down out of your palm.
(2)Close your fingers again and, keeping the effort in your wrist, rather than teh biceps, curl the weight up as high as you can. Finish your repetitions, then repeat using the other wrist.
PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To develop the flexor muscles of the forearm. This is a real power exercise for the forearm flexors, and you can go for the heaviest possible weight.
EXECUTION:
(1)Back up to a barbell rack and grasp a bar. Lift it off the rack and hold it down at arm's length behind you, hands about shoulder width apart, palms facing toward the rear.
(2)Keeping your arms steady, open your fingers and let the bar roll down out of your palms. Close your fingers, roll the bar back up into your hands, and then lift it up and back behind you as far as possible, flexing your forearms. Make sure only the wrist moves in this exercise.