Post: #1

What do you guys recommend for improving grip strength?

My deadlifts are going up lockstep each workout since I started deadlifting last year. Just did 5 reps of 270 today. But lately on the last rep my grip is loosening to where today I almost felt like I was going to drop everything. I do mixed grip.

How should I approach this problem?

Post: #2

Try bars with fatter grips to improve your grips, try pullups with a towel draped over the pull up bar so you grab the towel for pullups. You can try plate pinches to improve your grip or order some Captain of Crush grips to improve your grips strength.

I think the best method is old school, use fatter bars, plate pinches (google dat) and pullups with the towel.

Post: #3

Are you using chalk? If not, that will make a huge difference.

Hand a towel from chin-up bar. Knock out some chins.

Get Fat Gripz. You put them over dumb bells to get benefits of fat grip training.

Also, check out Iron Mind. It's the best source on web for grub training.

Post: #4

http://artofmanliness.com/2011/11/10/mol...-strength/

Post: #5

Even regular pull ups, if you do them routinely and for the long haul are very good for developing impressive grip strength, not to mention a crushing handshake.

Post: #6

Just keep deadlifting and your grip will naturally progress. You can also buy one of those door pull up bars and do a few pull ups everyday.

hammer curls, Heavy one Arm DB rows and reverse grip curls will also contribute to digit flexor strength.

Post: #7

It won't build grip strength directly, but alternating hand grip works for some (one "palm down", the other "palm up"). Some say this creates unwanted torsion, but I did note that I was able to lift more doing it because my hands didn't feel like they were going to slip.

Post: #8

(04-09-2012 07:36 PM)MikeCF Wrote:  Are you using chalk? If not, that will make a huge difference.

Hand a towel from chin-up bar. Knock out some chins.

Get Fat Gripz. You put them over dumb bells to get benefits of fat grip training.

Also, check out Iron Mind. It's the best source on web for grub training.

I saw the biggest guys in the gym using these yesterday....

I tried deadlifting for the first time yesterday an i feel like i was fucking it all up. I asked the trainer guy there to show me how to do it an the way he showed me was way diffrent then the youtube videos i saw about it... i hurt my back lifting in November an it hurt until Febuary, i dont wanna go threw that again

Post: #9

I have found that for long term grip strength, engaging the lat and doing dead hangs by one arm from a pullup bar will increase grip strength exponentially. I can hang from the bar by one hand for about a minute and have been doing dead hangs once weekly for about five weeks. I barely use my thumb, just fingers.

For strictly deadlifts though, just use a hook grip. It takes getting used to but it works great. Also prevents unequal development of the back.

Post: #10

(04-10-2012 01:28 AM)Hades Wrote:  I have found that for long term grip strength, engaging the lat and doing dead hangs by one arm from a pullup bar will increase grip strength exponentially. I can hang from the bar by one hand for about a minute and have been doing dead hangs once weekly for about five weeks. I barely use my thumb, just fingers.

For strictly deadlifts though, just use a hook grip. It takes getting used to but it works great. Also prevents unequal development of the back.

I use the hook grip as well. I've seen people hook grip 700+ pound deadlifts, so I think I'll be able to continue using this grip w/o having to switch to mixed at higher weights.

Post: #11

(04-09-2012 11:08 PM)Stitch Wrote:  It won't build grip strength directly, but alternating hand grip works for some (one "palm down", the other "palm up"). Some say this creates unwanted torsion, but I did note that I was able to lift more doing it because my hands didn't feel like they were going to slip.

He said he has been doing that for a year already and his grip is failing..
Mixed grip IS an alternating grip.

Post: #12

Exercise suggestions:

1. Close-grip pull-ups (overhand grip) - this emphasizes using forearms vis-a-vis your lats. Hands should be adjacent.

2. Farmer walks. Grab the biggest dumbells and walk from one end of the gym to the other and back (at least 50ft). Do 12-15 rounds, at least. You can also grab some plates and try it with a "pinch" grip where you pinch 45lbs plates with your fingers and thumbs.

3. Corpse drag. If you have access to a large floor area, place two mats on top of each other in a v-shape, and pile about 200lbs onto the nadir of the v. Bend your elbows, then drag it (50ft), first pulling backwards with your arms in front, then turn around and drag it with your arms behind your back. Maintain elbow angle. Again, 15-20 rounds.

And finally... on the deadlifts, ignore the searing pain in the forearms. Let go of the barbell when you reach the floor, if necessary, and give your forearms a 2-sec break before grabbing the bar again and go back up. But mind over matter is also a factor.

Post: #13

(04-10-2012 04:53 AM)Moma Wrote:  He said he has been doing that for a year already and his grip is failing..
Mixed grip IS an alternating grip.

Oh, that's because I was being lazy and not reading properly again. Apologies.

Hades/Laser--Actually a bit surprised you can do this comfortably; I use hook grip for cleans et al, but I don't remotely have heavy weights for deadlift and it hurts my thumb like hell. Interesting.

Post: #14

2. Farmer walks. Grab the biggest dumbells and walk from one end of the gym to the other and back (at least 50ft). Do 12-15 rounds, at least. You can also grab some plates and try it with a "pinch" grip where you pinch 45lbs plates with your fingers and thumbs.

This is a very underrated exercise that improves your entire body. After three sets of this walk, your arms will be really burning. In my gym, I like to
walk with the 35 lb plates up and down stairs.

Also, I used to do forearm work with this rope gadget. Most gyms have these ropes tucked away in a corner. Just do 3x8 sets with a 10 lb plate to start and then you work up to more weight. Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbkDRcUTGGI

These exercises should improve your grip strength.

Post: #15

I already do pull ups so looks like pinch grips and farmer walks are a good next step.

What do you guys think of bar hangs?

Post: #16

You can also try weighted pullups if you haven't already.

I don't see how two-handed bar hangs would help - you'd be doing it for several seconds, whereas the deadlift is much briefer. It'd be like running a mile to get your 100m sprint time down. A one-handed hang, or some one-handed action with a towel to assist, might help though.

The dowel rod exercise that tjf78 posted is good too. Just use more weight than that guy, and you can leave your arms at your sides instead of holding them out. Farmer walks are a good idea too.

Do pinch grip exercises build grip strength as fast as a general grip (eg the dowel rod) exercise? Just wondering if the pinch grip exercises don't develop your overall grip as fast, because it seems to isolate the fingers from the palm.

Post: #17

Go to http://www.gripboard.com/ and check out their beginner routine. Easy and fairly quick to add to the end of your workouts.

What kind of routine are you doing? 270 after a year of deadlifting is very low. Check out "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe if you are serious about your strength training. You can find most of the info from his book if you Google "starting strength wiki". At 180ish pounds I was able to do a set of 5 for 350+lbs after less than 3 months. I had never lifted before and had average strength for someone my size.

I recommend the book a lot, but most people blow it off. It is like the Bang of strength training books.

Post: #18

(04-10-2012 08:35 AM)tjf78 Wrote:  You can also grab some plates and try it with a "pinch" grip where you pinch 45lbs plates with your fingers and thumbs.

This is a very underrated exercise that improves your entire body. After three sets of this walk, your arms will be really burning.

This.

It's basically the same exercise used in Okinawa martial arts. They use jars filled with sand called nigiri game - you hold it by it's 'mouth' with your fingertips, lift it up/down in a slow, controlled manner, and walk up/down in stances. I used to do the same with 25 kg iron plates. They have a bit of a ledge - maybe 5-10 milimeters, enough to get a good pinch grip with your fingertips. Builds grip strength very quickly.

Post: #19

Get some tennis balls and squeeze them whenever you're doing nothing. I popped 2 tennis balls with my crushing man strength ha. I should get back to doing that. Get a bucket and fill it up with 15 pounds of rice and squeeze the hell out of the rice while twisting your hands.

Post: #20

RioNomad: Well I don't workout continuously due to travel. Only one month on, one month off sort of thing. I'd say it took me 6 months of staggered gym time to get to 270. Every time I go back to the gym is takes me nearly 2 weeks just to get to my previous level.

Post: #21

(04-10-2012 03:08 PM)calex Wrote:  

(04-10-2012 08:35 AM)tjf78 Wrote:  You can also grab some plates and try it with a "pinch" grip where you pinch 45lbs plates with your fingers and thumbs.

This is a very underrated exercise that improves your entire body. After three sets of this walk, your arms will be really burning.

This.

It's basically the same exercise used in Okinawa martial arts. They use jars filled with sand called nigiri game - you hold it by it's 'mouth' with your fingertips, lift it up/down in a slow, controlled manner, and walk up/down in stances. I used to do the same with 25 kg iron plates. They have a bit of a ledge - maybe 5-10 milimeters, enough to get a good pinch grip with your fingertips. Builds grip strength very quickly.

(04-10-2012 03:15 PM)Big Nilla Wrote:  Get some tennis balls and squeeze them whenever you're doing nothing. I popped 2 tennis balls with my crushing man strength ha. I should get back to doing that. Get a bucket and fill it up with 15 pounds of rice and squeeze the hell out of the rice while twisting your hands.

Old school! I love it.

Post: #22

Since the deadlift allows you to lift the most weight, really, deadlifting is the best way to do it.

chalk is the best answer given thus far.

Post: #23

Also, do above-the-knee rack pulls.

Relative strength (the number of reps you can do relative to your max weight) is always going to be a reflection of maximal strength. If you increase relative strength (your max), you'll increase your relative strength.

So..........Load the bar up with 315. Do rack pulls. Your grip will improve.

Rack pulls will help your deadlift generally, since it gets your body used to handling more weight.

Post: #24

Avoid using lifting straps until your grip absolutely gives out.

Post: #25

(04-10-2012 03:23 PM)Roosh Wrote:  RioNomad: Well I don't workout continuously due to travel. Only one month on, one month off sort of thing. I'd say it took me 6 months of staggered gym time to get to 270. Every time I go back to the gym is takes me nearly 2 weeks just to get to my previous level.

It's a real bitch to make progress like that for sure. Had the same troubles with Jiu Jitsu due to moving so frequently. I can for sure recommend Starting Strength for strength training and GripBoard.com for grip training. Great info to be had there.

The beginner program at GripBoard.com consists of wrist curls with a barbell. Reverse wrist curls. Plate pinches, as described above. And the last one is where you hold the barbell in your grip, slowly extend your fingers so that it rolls down to the tips of your fingers, and then you close your grip again bringing the barbell back into your closed fist. Do this 2-3x a week and try to add weight 1-2x a week. But only add a pound or two. You can get big magnets to add 1lb at a time if your gym doesn't have plates in small increments.