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Forearms & Wrists

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Forearm & Wrist Training: The Ultimate Machine for the Martial Artist

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Forearm training is an essential part for athletes of any martial art and fighting sport: stronger and bigger forearms are known  to provide obvious advantages to the committed Martial Practitioner, although too often, in the Martial Physical preparation, not enough time is given to this essential component.

First legs, then Forearms

Because of the following reasons, forearms are second in importance only after legs:

  • they guarantee solid and powerful blocks
  • they make wrists stronger. No matter how powerful you’re hitting your punchbag / real opponent: a broken wrist is an untrained wrist
  • strong forearms mean strong grip: in weapons, in locks, in real life situations

Why putting forearm training after legs in order of importance?

Because if we simplify the purpose of martial arts to the very defense part, nobody can deny that:

Legs can take you away from a fight, as they are responsible of carrying your whole body.
Hands can block attacks or become fists – indeed – but forearms block better, just as a knight wouldn’t fight without his shield.

A machine designed for the Purpose.

I built this forearms training machine with few ideas in my mind:

  • allowing up to eight people to train simultaneously
  • having the ability to choose a proper height
  • having the comfort of working on forearms and wrists only, without tensing up shoulders, neck and back (a common inconvenience when training with just a stick and a rope)
  • using the eight seats for other exercises, like Iron Palm Conditioning

Furthermore, in order to guarantee the smoothest movement of the bar, I used a set of two ball-bearings.

Pro et Contra: our Verdict

Pros
  • improves strength during blocks
  • protects wrist from injuries caused by locks and falls
Cons
  • may cause carpal tunnel if you overload or train without proper warm-up overload
  • may limit the range of your wrist when practicing with weapons (i.e. staff spinning)