Buying Guide: How to Choose a Wrist Roller
Step-by-step Instructions
Here is what you need to do...
Step 1
There are a few forearm exercises that do a pretty good job of getting the muscles in the bottom half of your arm toned, ripped, and slightly massive. Still, the hands down best exercise for the forearm remains wrist rolls. To do wrist rolls you need a wrist roller.
Step 2
Choosing the right wrist roller comes down to figuring out where you plan to wrist roll. If you're expecting to do wrist rolling in your home, then a wrist roller that comes with weights is a good choice. Other wrist rollers are used with weights available at a gym. Others come with their own weights. There is not much difference between different wrist rollers, except some have foam padding and some do not. There are also variations of the roller like the gripper and forearm developer.
Step 3
There are different types. Some wrist rollers are weightless and others require you to add weights.
Step 4
Consider differences in construction. Is the handle made of steel or plastic? If it is made of plastic, what is the gauge or thickness?
Step 5
Is the grip textured or smooth?
Step 6
Consider comfort: is the grip padded?
Step 7
Consider durability. Will it break during heavy or intense use?
Step 8
Consider ease of cleaning and maintenance.
Step 9
Some models include accessories.
Step 10
Some models come with an instruction manual or training tips.
Step 11
If it includes a warranty, how long is the warranty? Are there any fees associated with getting the item repaired or replaced?
Step 12
Consider capacity - how much weight can the item hold?
Step 13
Some models incorporate special features.
Step 14
Some models are adjustable. Can it be disassembled when not in use?
Step 15
Consider capacity. How much weight can the chain or cord hold? Will the cable or cord fray from use?
Step 16
Below I'll explain a few of the rollers that I've linked on the page. I'll talk about one expensive roller that can be found on Amazon.
Step 17
CAP Barbell offers a wrist roller that comes at a low price and is a decent product. The steel bar of the wrist roller is solid and has no chance of breaking. But the foam around the handles will only last so long. That being said, the foam is simply a bonus feature. Losing it eventually isn't the end of the world. If you do wrist rolls once a week, this is the roller for you. It costs less than $25.00 and it comes with a cable for attaching weights that would be typically added to a barbell or EZ bar. CAP provides a solid item for those lifters who are in need of some extra equipment, yet don't want to spend a boatload of money to get it.
Step 18
The Ader Power Wrist Roller is another solid steel bar, although this one doesn't come with foam-covered handles. It is slightly more expensive than the CAP barbell roller, but this is only because the Ader Power Wrist Roller comes with a couple of extra weights. If you're planning to use the roller at home, it gives you some weights to get started with. Ader has a line of rollers that increase in price based on how many extra weights they come with. This roller will last for the rest of your life. And it will certainly put a burn in your forearms. For those who are planning to do wrist rolls at home, this product is especially helpful. I would definitely consider the Ader selection of Power Wrist Roller kits. Well worth the money.
Step 19
For high-rollers, Amazon has a product called the SideWinder Pro. It works exactly like a wrist roller, except it doesn't require any weight to be attached. The small, handle-like apparatus functions on a self-resistance mechanism that determines how hard the twist motion will be. This product runs an expensive $100 or more. It's built for comfort, speed, durability, and satisfaction. If you've got the money, the SideWinder Pro might certainly be for you. Give it a look, but don't forget about the other two products linked below.
Special Attention
Difficulties people often experience or parts that need special attention to do it right.
Choosing the right wrist roller comes down to figuring out where you plan to wrist roll. If you're expecting to do a bunch of wrist rolling in your home, the Ader collection is probably your best bet. If you want to bring your wrist roller to the gym and incorporate it into your workouts, grab the CAP Barbell version. It's cheaper and it even comes with foamy handles for comfort. Both wrist rollers will provide stellar service for the job they're meant to do.
Stuff You'll Need
Brand | Product | Price |
---|---|---|
Wrist and Forearm Developer-Golds Gym-MATB-GG409-2 | $22.24 | |
Power Wrist Roller | $49.95 |
Suggested Further Reading
Author | Title | Price |
---|---|---|
Body Balancing Volume 3: Bis Tris & Forearms | $19.95 |
This Student Author
This Student Author's Background
Funny or interesting story about this topic...
One of the kids I used to give advice to in high school was a hockey player. He constantly worked on his forearms in order to help his game on the ice. One of his favorite exercises was wrist rolls, and he did them at his house with a hockey stick, a string, and a jug filled with water. Talk about Jimmy-Rigging something. One day his contraption broke to pieces and he asked me where to get a good roller. I offered the same two that I'm offering you above (although I pushed him more towards the Ader collection, considering that he was doing his wrist rolling at home). He grabbed one and has been happy ever since.
When did you first do this & how did you get started?
I got my first wrist roller during high school. I have tiny arms naturally, so every chance I got I was working on my forearms. My dad got me a roller that came with some weights, and I started using it every day at home. Wrist rollers simply kick ass. They provide an insane burn and they're pretty fun to use. Go get yours ASAP and let me know how it goes.
Happy rollin',
J