Grip Strength
Do you get done with certain exercises, shake your hands out and clinch your hands for comfort? Chances are, your grip has just failed you, again. Considering that most exercises require some level of gripping, it’s no coincidence that our hands tend to give out on us the longer an exercise lasts. The thirty-five tiny gripping muscles in our forearms and hands wear down under increased tension. In fact, it’s not usually the strength of our deadlift, row, pull-up, or any pulling exercise for that matter, that fails us first. That distinction, unfortunately, goes to grip strength. Fortunately, there are ways to increase grip strength, which will lead to heavier lifts, or maybe, more importantly, our day to day tasks at home.
According to studies done at the University of Connecticut, evidence supported “the value of grip strength as a predictor of mortality, disability, complications, and increase length of [hospital] stay.” Even when grip strength was adjusted for potential variables, it was “a consistent predictor of important outcomes.” Under most circumstances that we face whether at home or in the gym, it appears that focusing grip strength should be a mainstay in our workout programs. Taking that into account, why is it important to incorporate grip strength into our workouts?
One easy way to make sure that our grip is getting enough work is to give your forearms enough attention by always include forearm exercises when doing any type of isolated bicep exercises. If the strength of the bicep greatly outweighs the strength in your forearm, common injuries such as tennis elbow or carpal tunnel syndrome could be looming. It’s easy to overlook the forearm and what is does for us because it’s not an aesthetically pleasing muscle, however as famed strength coach Charles Poliquin put it, “when your grip strength improves, less neural drive is needed for the forearm and hand muscles to perform other exercises. That is why many trainees report breaking training plateaus in a host of lifts, ranging from deadlifts to curls, after doing a grip specialization routine.” Since it’s clear that grip strength is important in many aspects of our lives, how do we actually strengthen it?
Of all the fancy and intricate exercises we can do, the most basic exercises are the most effective to have a stronger grip. Here are three exercises that will have your hands and forearms feeling the burn:
1. Farmer’s Carry – Using as many variations as possible (sandbag, kettlebell, dumbbell, milk jug, cinder blocks, etc), and just carrying them in each hand for time or distance is a simple yet taxing exercise for the grip that will be sure to increase that grip. For a greater workout, pick up your torture device of choice and walk uphill, downhill, upstairs, downstairs to really get that heart rate up as well. (Tip: keep the shoulder blades pinched, chest tall, and walk slowly and under control as to keep the objects you’re carrying, off your body.)
2. Sandbell Row – You will need a sandbell for this, or really anything that has texture variation that causes your hands to really grip it (rice bag is another good option if at home). In a hinged position, alternate rowing one sandbell between your legs as to not let it hit the ground. It’s a quick movement that requires reflexes as well as good grip and posture. (Tip: keep the shoulder blades pinched, back flat, hips back, eyes down on the sandbell. Once the bell is in movement, stayed locked into your hip hinge and row the elbow back towards the hip, switching arms as rapidly as possible.)
3. Pull Up or Static Hang – You can use various hand positioning to (front overhand, reverse underhand) to work different gripping muscles to build overall balance. If the pull-up is too much for us, a static or dead hang is another way to increase time under tension without pulling. Simply hang as long as you can until grip fails then rest and repeat. (Tip: when pulling, using a thicker bar is actually a greater benefit that challenges grip even more.)
By incorporating just those three exercises into your workout routine, you’ll see great results in no time. Put them together at the end of a workout or sprinkle them in between other exercises to change the emphasis to the hands and forearms to keep everything else fresh. Seeing how important grip strength is to overall health, just small changes in your routine will go a long way!
