Hand Exercises to Improve Grip

It's great to have strong and shapely arms, but many exercises, strength sports, and daily functional activities require a strong grip as well. Maybe our arms and back are strong enough to do body-weight pull-ups, but we lose our hold on the pull-up bar before we can make any progress. Frequently our legs and low back are strong enough to deadlift some serious weight, but we find that our hands can't hold on to such a heavy weight. Strongwoman events like the farmer's walk (see chapter 13) require a superstrong grip, but often our grip gives way before our true strength is tested. Assistive devices like straps and wraps can take some of the pressure off your grip, but why not train your hand and forearm muscles so that you can lift with hands alone? Not only does it look impressive, but it also saves you some money.

You can use a few tricks of the trade to improve the strength of your grip. Wrap a towel around any handle that you have to grip for any exercise. The thickness and size of the towel should increase as your grip strength increases. The towel adds dimension to the handle and forces you to grip even harder to hold on, which in time will strengthen your grip. Using the thick rope attachment on certain exercises like pull-ups and cable pushdowns can also help you strengthen your grip. The instability of the rope challenges your neuromuscular system, and your grip will improve tremendously. You can also simply hang from a thick rope or a pull-up bar. Time yourself and see how long your grip can hold you. If you want to purchase an excellent item for grip training, visit www.ironmind.com and check out the Rolling Thunder Revolving Deadlift Handles. They are thick, rounded handles that rotate and attach to any apparatus with a clip.

Figure 10.4 Use a towel to improve the strength of your grip.

CLEAN HOLD