Here at Gods Of Grip, grip training is what we do best. Over the past couple of years we have been polishing up on our grip training techniques, training methods and expanding our overall grip knowledge.
This weeks blog mainly focuses on a few different grip training methods. Why you should be grip training, and how you can improve your grip strength. There are 3 types of grip and we will cover them first to give you a better understanding.
Crush Grip
This is the strength of your grip between your fingers and your palm. Crush grip is used for simple things such as shaking hands or opening stubborn jam jars.
Support Grip
This is the ability to hold onto something for a period of time. Exercises such as pull ups or rows will be improved by having good support grip.
Pinch Grip
This is the grip between your index fingers and your thumb. Sometimes known as a key pinch which is the grip between your index finger and thumb.
Why Grip Training?
Grip training is something we don't often think too much about. You use your grip everyday whether your in the gym or not.
Grip plays a huge part in your everyday routine. You could be opening a door, driving your car, carrying the shopping or even typing on your keyboard.
It is especially important if you are a competitive strength athlete such as a Powerlifter or Strongman.
Strongman
If you're a strongman and you aren't training your grip then you have a serious chink in your armor. In recent times the addition of the Hercules Hold in giants live events has been great to watch. Mark Felix, already well known for his huge grip strength (and hands) has blown everyone away with his time.
Straps are usually allowed in the deadlift, but you will be lucky if they are for events such as farmers walks. You should always train farmers walks / holds without straps, unless you are trying to overload then it's fine.
Events such as loading medleys are heavily reliant on your grip / wrist strength too.
We do actually have a strongman grip training guide which is designed to fit alongside your current training routine.
Powerlifting
One thing we find with a lot of powerlifters who have contacted us is that their deadlift usually out grows their grip strength. Obviously having the right chalk helps.
Fortunately we have some of the best magnesium carbonate available! Our godlike grip chalk will really help compared to the useless crap you will usually find in your gym.
Adding in a few really simple exercises will aid your grip over time and help you achieve a bigger total.
Healthy Hands
Keeping healthy hands and a strong grip will ultimately improve your quality of life. Nowadays a lot of people are suffering from wrist / hand problems caused by working at a computer all day using the mouse + keyboard. The development of ergonomic hardware has improved this, but they can only help so much.
Performing simple stretches and exercises daily will greatly help prevent and rehabilitate any injuries / strains caused.
The Prayer Stretch
- Start with your palms together fingers pointing up near the chin.
- Lower your hands down to your waist, keeping them close to your body then stop when you feel a nice stretch.
- Keep this position for around 10-20 seconds, then raise the hands back up to your chin.
- Repeat this 3 times.
Wrist Flexor Stretch
- Fully extend your arm out in front, palm facing upwards.
- Using your other hand, bend your wrist making sure the fingers point up to the sky.
- Do this until you feel a good stretch in the wrist forearm and hand.
- Hold the position for around 10-20 seconds then repeat 3-5 times on both hands.
Wrist Extensor Stretch
- Fully extend your arm out in front, palm facing down.
- Using your other hand, bend your wrist towards you making sure the fingers point down to the floor.
- Do this until you feel a good stretch in the wrist forearm and hand.
- Hold the position for around 10-20 seconds then repeat 3-5 times on both hands.
These are 3 really simple to follow stretches and will really help with your hand health.
Grip Training Ideas You Can Do At Home
Firstly we will look into a few different ideas on how you can train your grip at home. You will require some equipment but most of it is easy to acquire.
Towel Workout
Surprisingly a towel is also a very good training aid. You can perform a variety of exercise, not just grip specific, with a towel.
One of our favorites is 'wringing out', this is basically you twisting up the towel as tightly as you can clockwise. Then unravel the towel and perform it anti-clockwise. Do this a couple of times and you will start to feel a burn in your forearms and wrists.
When this becomes a bit too easy you can try soaking the towel in water, this adds extra resistance and makes it much harder.
Pull Ups
Pull ups are one of the best exercises for building a strong back and grip. You can get yourself a pull up bar, you've probably seen many fail videos of people using these, so make sure you install it correctly! Once you are set up you've opened yourself up to a variety of great grip training exercises.
Just doing regular pull ups will really help increase your grip / arm strength.
You can add variations in such as holds, these are not only great for your grip but help to decompress the spine and shoulders.
If you can't do a pull up you can try standing on a stool or similar object and try using one leg to take some of the body weight.
Hand Grippers
Our previous post was on 'The Ultimate Grip Trainer' . We concluded the best overall piece of equipment for training your grip is the hand gripper.
Take our Godlike Grippers, they are easily portable, simple to use and with a selection of 5 resistances there's a level for everyone.
Poseidon 100lb – Blue Hand Gripper
Most peoples starting point, comparable to the Captains of Crush 0.5 / 1
Tlaloc 150lb – Blue Hand Gripper
Already got some experience? This is a good selection. Compares to Captains of Crush 1 / 1.5
Achilles 200lb – Gold Hand Gripper
Starting to get tough! Most people will struggle for more than 5 reps. Compares to Captains of Crush 1.5 / 2
Hephaestus 250lb – Red Hand Gripper
Think you've got good grip? This will bring you back down to earth! Compares to Captains Of Crush 2.5 / 3
Hades 300lb – Black Hand Gripper
Good luck closing our strongest gripper! It's a MONSTER! Compares to Captains of Crush 3+
These are the perfect grip training aid wherever or whenever. Take them on holiday, keep it on your desk at work.
Just crush away and you will see great improvement in your grip, especially if you haven't done much grip training before.
Grip Training In The Gym
This is where it starts to get juicy.. A whole other world of grip training exercises open up to you in the gym. Some you may have seen before, some you probably haven't.
Barbell Holds
A really simple exercise to perform that will give you great results is the barbell hold. For this exercise you will need a barbell and preferably a rack, if not they you will have to deadlift the weight up in between sets (extra gains).
You want to start off by setting the rack so the bar lies just below your hips, unless you have extra long arms then just below the tips of your fingers.
Using double overhand grip you want to get a good hold on the bar, preferably using the same grip you would for deadlifts, or just outside of the hips.
Bend down and pick up the barbell lifting the weight off the rack, you want to keep your back tight and hands closed!
Keep holding onto the bar for as long as you can, up to around 30 seconds, if you are getting longer than that you'll want to start increasing the weight!
Curls Curls Curls
There are many different variations of the standard barbell curl, some of which you can specifically target at improving your grip strength.
Wrist Curl
One of our favorite curls is the standard wrist curl, for this you will need a dumbbell. You want to either be standing up or have you arm lay on a bench in the incline position.
Take the dumbbell in your hand, remember to start light so you can get used to the movement, then simply release the dumbbell down your fingers. As it reaches the bottom close your hand back up and curl your wrist towards yourself. This gives a great full stretch in the hands and burn in the forearms and wrists.
For this grip training exercise you want to keep the rep range higher to help build your wrist muscles and tendons before starting to go heavy.
Zottman Curl
An exercise that has been around for a long time but is rarely seen. The Zottman curl is an amazing exercise for building up forearm and wrist strength. A variation of the standard curl that you can set up for in the same way.
Start with the same weight you would a regular curl, begin the motion but pause at the top of the curl. Instead of bringing the weight back down, you want to twist your wrists in so they are facing down then slowly bring the weight back. Twisting back to the neutral grip at the bottom.
Keep the rep range high and take your time with the reps. These will have your forearms begging for mercy!
