developing grip strength

Grip strength can be greatly enhanced by making the bar thicker and harder to grab but you can also make the object you are lifting or holding onto more awkward to hold by altering your grip, i.e by using a towel wrapped around the bar you will be more likely to find it much harder to hold onto. As an example, you can deadlift 400lbs with a normal grip, but try putting two towels around the bar to pull on and you will soon find that it's not that that easy and it hits your grip from a totally different angle.

This method for grip advancement can also be used many other ways, you can perform pull ups by hooking the towels over the pull up bar. By attaching the towel through a kettlebell you can perform swings with an alternate grip. With a long sheet you can also perform rotations with the kettlebell around your head which is similar to a hammer wind up. Providing the sheet is thick enough you will most definitely develop grip strength.

Pinch gripping is yet another exercise to add to your exercise arsenal. Pinch gripping weight discs is a fantastic hand developer. Place 2 weight discs back to back (flat sides facing outwards) grab them and lift the discs, hold on as long as your grip will take it!

Pinch grips with both hands at once and try to beat your previous best duration every time you practice this exercise. When developing a grip training program, the key point to remember is recovery time, I cannot emphasise this enough. Recovery, recovery, recovery! You must give yourself plenty of rest, the hand can be easily injured when you throw new demanding exercises at it.

Three days per week should suffice, alternate the exercises trying different combinations. i.e. Monday - gripper work, thick bar swings. Thursday - Towel deadlifts, towel pull ups. Saturday - Thick bar, pinch grip.

Work up to 5 sets of each exercise. Set off at 2 and add a set per week then swap the exercises around or substitute with new ones. Remember you should always be looking for new ways to challenge yourself!


develop grip strength