Get a grip! (part 1 of 2)
Nautilus forearm machine
I don't know what the technical name for this machine is, so I usually call it the "Squeezer". The principle is simple - load on weights at the far end of a lever, grip the handles at your short end and put your palms against the non-moving handles (the handles are pretty thin, so gripping both is no problem) and start squeezing! Because of the lever-action, you won't be handling any major weights - it's like trying to hold an empty barbell with both hands one inch from the edge = heavy as hell, even though you could hold it with only ONE hand if you were to hold it in the middle.
This physics-lesson aside, what could possible go wrong with a machine like this? For one thing, it's easy to use the back and upper arms to pull the handles towards you instead of bracing your palms against the non-moving handles. It turns into a highly inefficient rowing exercise! To remedy this, I usually make sure to position myself as unsteadily as possible (!), crossing my feet behind the seat and leaning forward so that it'd fall flat on my face if the non-moving handles would come loose. If I'd try to cheat then, I'd tip forward and knock my forehead against the plates! Umm... Make a note of that - make sure that your hands are clean and dry, so you don't accidentally slip and does just that.
Forearm rolls machine
This is an interesting machine, usually found in some dark corner of the gym where nobody ever dares to venture. What it is, is basically a metal-version of a slim rolling pin with a weight tied to it, so that for every round you roll the pin, the weights travel up an inch or two. Don't worry about any line for this machine - no matter how crowded the rest of the gym is, this baby is ALWAYS available! The reason for this is simple: This machine is unbeatable when it comes to dragging you into the pain zone of lactic acid, and for your information, the rest of the guys are either ignorant or afraid of it. However, if you're up for some serious training, you'll be miles ahead right from the start!
Another advantage is that it's excellent for supersets - when you've made one side of your forearms totally cramped up, you just start rolling the handle
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