If you've spent any time around serious hand gripper training, you'll eventually come across three letters that make the whole subject considerably easier to understand: RGC .
RGC stands for Rated Gripper Calibration . In simple terms, it gives us a standardised way of measuring how difficult a torsion-spring hand gripper actually is to close.
That matters because the number stamped on the handle isn't necessarily the amount of force you'll actually need to apply to close it.
A gripper labelled 200lb doesn't necessarily require 200lb at the end of the handles. Two different manufacturers can both sell a "200lb" gripper and the two can be nowhere near each other in actual closing difficulty.
Welcome to hand grippers. Nothing can ever be quite as simple as it looks.
How Does RGC Rating Work?
When a hand gripper is RGC rated, the gripper is mounted in a rating device and weight is applied at a standardised point on the handle until the handles close and the legs touch.
The amount of weight required to achieve that close becomes the gripper's rating.
So if a gripper has been measured at 105lb RGC , approximately 105lb was required in that standardised test to bring the handles together.
The important word there is standardised . Using the same method and measurement point allows completely different grippers to be compared on something approaching a level playing field.
Instead of:
- "This feels like quite a hard 200."
- "Mine feels easier."
- "I reckon this one is basically a 250."
We can say:
"This gripper rated 105lb RGC."
Much more useful.
Why Is RGC Different From the Number on the Gripper?
This is probably the bit that causes the most confusion.
The nominal poundage printed on a hand gripper and its RGC rating are not the same measurement .
Manufacturers have historically used different methods for assigning resistance numbers to their grippers. Spring specifications, estimated resistance and manufacturer-specific systems can all contribute to the number eventually stamped on the handle.
The addition of handles also changes the mechanical leverage involved. You're not trying to close a bare torsion spring directly; you're applying force through two handles attached to it.
This is why you shouldn't look at a gripper marked "200lb", see an RGC rating considerably below 200lb and assume somebody has measured it incorrectly.
They're measuring different things.
It's also why comparing the nominal numbers of two different manufacturers can be misleading. A 200lb gripper from Brand A isn't automatically equivalent to a 200lb gripper from Brand B.
Why Can Two Identical Hand Grippers Have Different Ratings?
This is where things get particularly interesting if you're a gripper nerd.
Take two examples of exactly the same model and they can still have slightly different RGC ratings.
Torsion springs are physical components. Small differences in wire, winding, spring geometry, mounting depth and manufacturing tolerances can change the final resistance of the gripper.
At easier levels, a small difference may barely matter.
Once you're approaching your maximum, it absolutely does.
If your best close is around 120 RGC, the difference between a 118 and a 128 isn't some meaningless manufacturing detail. One could be a solid working gripper while the other sits there refusing to move the final few millimetres and ruining your afternoon.
This is why experienced gripper athletes often stop asking:
"What model is it?"
and start asking:
"What does it rate?"
Does the Same RGC Mean Two Grippers Will Feel Identical?
No, and this is an important limitation of RGC.
RGC gives you an extremely useful measurement of closing difficulty, but it cannot tell you exactly how a gripper will feel in your hand.
Two grippers with the same RGC can still feel noticeably different because of:
- Handle spread
- Handle diameter
- Knurling
- Spring depth
- Spring characteristics
- How the resistance builds through the sweep
One gripper might feel horrible at the beginning and then move nicely through the close. Another might feel relatively friendly until the final few millimetres and then turn into Satan's clothes peg.
That's why RGC should be treated as an extremely useful measurement rather than a complete description of a gripper.
Why Should You Get Your Hand Grippers Rated?
The biggest reason is simple: better progression.
Imagine you've got one gripper you can close comfortably and another that you can't quite finish.
If all you know is that one says 150lb and the other says 200lb, you don't really know how large that jump is.
Get them rated and you might discover:
- Current working gripper - 82 RGC
- Target gripper - 108 RGC
You've suddenly got useful information.
Instead of repeatedly attacking a 26lb jump and wondering why nothing is happening, you can look for something around 90–95 RGC, then perhaps 100 RGC, before returning to the 108.
That's what makes rated grippers so useful for serious training.
How to Build an RGC Gripper Progression
You don't need twenty hand grippers with microscopic differences between them.
For most people, the goal is simply to avoid enormous jumps around their current strength level.
A useful collection might contain:
- An easy warm-up gripper
- A comfortable working gripper
- A harder working gripper
- A near-limit gripper
- Your target gripper
As you become stronger, knowing the RGC of each one makes it much easier to rearrange that progression or buy the next gripper intelligently.
This becomes particularly valuable when training for something like a Captains of Crush certification . You can use rated grippers from different manufacturers to bridge the gap between your current strength and the particular gripper you're trying to close.
There is absolutely no rule saying your progression has to consist entirely of one brand.
Why Gods Of Grip Uses Gripper Ratings
We think accurate resistance information is one of the most useful things you can give somebody who is serious about improving their gripper strength.
There are numerous manufacturers, spring designs, handle configurations and resistance systems. Looking only at the number printed on the handle makes comparing them unnecessarily difficult.
Our Elite Series Hand Grippers are designed as a progressive training range, and we manufacture the springs to controlled specifications. Even then, torsion-spring grippers are mechanical products and individual examples can vary.
That's why measured ratings become increasingly valuable as you get stronger and your progression becomes more precise.
If you're just starting out, you don't need to become obsessed with whether your gripper is three RGC harder than your friend's.
But when you're chasing a maximum close?
Three pounds suddenly becomes extremely interesting.
Hand Gripper RGC FAQs
What does RGC stand for?
RGC stands for Rated Gripper Calibration , a standardised method used by the grip community to measure and compare the closing difficulty of torsion-spring hand grippers.
Is RGC the same as the poundage printed on a gripper?
No. The manufacturer's nominal resistance and an RGC measurement are different figures and shouldn't be directly compared as though they represent the same test.
Is a higher RGC harder?
Yes. All else being equal, a gripper with a higher RGC rating requires more weight in the standardised rating test to close.
Can two grippers of the same model have different RGC ratings?
Yes. Individual torsion-spring grippers can vary because of manufacturing tolerances and differences in the spring and assembly.
Can two grippers with the same RGC feel different?
Absolutely. Handle diameter, spread, knurling, spring depth and resistance through the sweep can all affect how difficult a gripper feels in your hand.
Do beginners need RGC-rated grippers?
Not necessarily. A beginner mainly needs a sensible progression of grippers they can actually train with. RGC becomes increasingly useful as your strength improves and smaller differences between grippers start to matter.
The Simple Version
If there's one thing to remember, it's this:
The number stamped on a hand gripper tells you which model you've bought. An RGC rating gives you a much better idea of how difficult that individual gripper actually is.
Neither number can completely describe how a gripper will feel, but if you're serious about building a smooth progression and working towards harder closes, RGC is one of the most useful tools we've got.
Just be warned. Once you start knowing the exact ratings of all your grippers, buying another one because it "fills an important 6lb gap" becomes remarkably easy to justify.
