Target tension.: Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.: How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.: How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.: How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose farmer's carry

You want to keep adding weight in small steps
You want more load on the forearms while they’re stretched
You want to train more muscles at once

Good reasons to choose plate pinch

You want something easier on your joints
You want to train the forearms on their own

Farmer's Carry

Plate Pinch

You need

Dumbbells

Weight plate

Skill

Easy to learn

Type

Compound

Isolation

Why they rank where they do

Farmer's Carry. Superb for grip strength; less direct for forearm size.

Questions

Which is better for forearm growth, farmer's carry or plate pinch?

For forearm growth, farmer's carry rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress, more stretch. Plate pinch is easier on the joints.

Is farmer's carry or plate pinch easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do farmer's carry or plate pinch at home?

Farmer's carry needs dumbbells, so a home gym covers it. Plate pinch needs a weight plate, so a home gym covers it.

Which is easier on the joints, farmer's carry or plate pinch?

Plate pinch: it rates Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Strong for farmer's carry.

More comparisons

Farmer's Carry Plate Pinch All forearms exercises

Farmer's Carry vs Plate Pinch

For forearm growth, farmer's carry rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress, more stretch.

Plate pinch is easier on the joints.

What these mean

Target tension.: Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.: How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.: How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.: How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.