Forearms
Rice Bucket
The Rice Bucket is a strength exercise with no equipment for your forearms. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: forearm flexors 78% and forearm extensors 18%.
How to do it
- Fill a deep bucket with dry uncooked rice and set it on a bench or box at hip height.
- Stand in front of it and push both hands into the rice up to the wrists.
- Open the fingers wide against the rice, then close them into tight fists, over and over.
- Switch to twisting the wrists left and right, then bending them up and down.
- Work for 30 to 60 seconds per pattern at a steady pace, breathing normally.
Tips
- Push the hands deeper into the rice to make each movement harder.
- Keep the pace even rather than racing through the reps.
Common mistakes
- Only moving near the surface where the rice gives little resistance.
- Hunching over the bucket instead of standing tall.
Muscles worked by the Rice Bucket
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Pinching or crushing without hanging is forearm only. Hanging or pinching a load is an isometric grip: the finger flexors do the work, the extensors co-contract, and in a hang the lats and lower traps keep the shoulder packed.
Rice Bucket alternatives
Different equipment
Make it harder
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Rice Bucket work?
Mainly the forearm flexors. The forearm extensors assist.
Is the Rice Bucket good for beginners?
Yes. The Rice Bucket is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Rice Bucket?
For example the Fat Grip Hold, Plate Pinch and Two Hand Pinch. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Rice Bucket harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Fat Grip Hold and Plate Pinch.
Log your sets in Zulta
Zulta tracks your sets, weights and muscle load next to your running, riding or Hyrox training. The app opens soon.