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 plate pinch

The weight plate is free

Good reasons to choose towel hang

You want the forearms to do the work, not other muscles
You want more load on the forearms while they’re stretched
You want to keep adding weight in small steps

Plate Pinch

Towel Hang

You need

Weight plate

Pull-up bar

Skill

Easy to learn

Type

Isolation

Questions

Which is better for forearm growth, plate pinch or towel hang?

For forearm growth, towel hang rates well ahead on our research criteria: more of the work on the forearms, more stretch.

Is plate pinch or towel hang easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do plate pinch or towel hang at home?

Plate pinch needs a weight plate, so a home gym covers it. Towel hang needs a pull-up bar, so a home gym covers it.

Which is easier on the joints, plate pinch or towel hang?

About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.

More comparisons

Plate Pinch Towel Hang All forearms exercises

Plate Pinch vs Towel Hang

For forearm growth, towel hang rates well ahead on our research criteria: more of the work on the forearms, more stretch.

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.

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 plate pinch

The weight plate is free

Good reasons to choose towel hang

You want the forearms to do the work, not other muscles
You want more load on the forearms while they’re stretched
You want to keep adding weight in small steps

Plate Pinch

Towel Hang

You need

Weight plate

Pull-up bar

Skill

Easy to learn

Type

Isolation

Questions

Which is better for forearm growth, plate pinch or towel hang?

For forearm growth, towel hang rates well ahead on our research criteria: more of the work on the forearms, more stretch.

Is plate pinch or towel hang easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do plate pinch or towel hang at home?

Plate pinch needs a weight plate, so a home gym covers it. Towel hang needs a pull-up bar, so a home gym covers it.

Which is easier on the joints, plate pinch or towel hang?

About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.