Post: #1

Hi,

I am looking for tips on how to increase grip strength. The reason is that I am always trying to deadlift at least as much as I can squat. However, my grip strength limits my deadlift capacity and now I squat more than I lift.

What do you guys do?

I try to avoid those straps, to keep it basic. I have been recommended hanging from a (chin-ups-) bar, but perhaps any of you has a good exercise that I can squeeze into my routine?

Post: #2

If you're looking to keep it as simple as possible, go with hangs.

I do hanging from a door frame/pullup bar, and then loop a towel over the bar and hang from that. The thicker the towel, the harder it is to grip.

You can also do one-arm variations, although I can't say I'm at that point yet.

I'm not one for hyperbole, but I'm pretty sure that after six months of this routine, you'll be able to beat a gorilla in an arm wrestle just by crushing his hand.

Post: #3

Interesting! I didn't think to use the towel. Thanks, I'll try! (Hope I don't break my towel.. )

Post: #4

(09-27-2012 07:59 AM)muc Wrote:  Hi,

I am looking for tips on how to increase grip strength. The reason is that I am always trying to deadlift at least as much as I can squat. However, my grip strength limits my deadlift capacity and now I squat more than I lift.

What do you guys do?

I try to avoid those straps, to keep it basic. I have been recommended hanging from a (chin-ups-) bar, but perhaps any of you has a good exercise that I can squeeze into my routine?

Use a hook grip.

Post: #5

Hand strength can take a while. Fingertip pushups and grip hangs are all you need. I also recommend free handstand work.

Post: #6

captains of crush grippers

pinch grip exercises

'thor hammer' exercises.

google for specifics

Post: #7

Another real easy one is the walk.

Grab heavy weights each arm. Keep your back straight, glutes flexed and try to walk 200 meters, walk around the gym holding the heavy weight.

As you get more and more tired your hands will feel like the "weight is slipping" keep holding on for dear life.

When you're done, you shouldn't be able to close your hand easily. That's the level of stress it takes to build true tendon strength , without anabolics which effectively do the same thing giving you temporary tendon strength.

Post: #8

Get a bucket, fill it with rice, and get grabbing for 5 minutes a day.

Post: #9

Roosh seemed to have a similar problem, lots of good info in this thread
/thread-11939....p+strength

Post: #10

Consider exercises that strengthen your wrists and forearms. One example is reverse-grip exercises, like this:





Also, curls with the reverse grip (and lighter weight).

Not an expert, but these have helped me.

Post: #11

for deadlifts when you get into heavy weight you can have one hand
supinated (palm facing up), the other pronated (palm facing down).
The reason this works is because it activates a certain reflex (I can't
remember what the reflex is called, but you can look into it.)

Post: #12

Also picking up and carrying awkward shaped objects helps a ton as well.

Post: #13

Sign up and follow the beginner routine on this board: http://www.gripboard.com/

You can do it after your workouts, or on your off day.

Also, if you are squatting more than you deadlift, you may be having problems with your deadlift form. Might want to read up on that and make sure it is ok.

Post: #14

Thanks everyone. Excellent advice.

RioNomad: I shall check, but I think I am limited by my hands. When I use straps (is that the right word? it's like a belt or ribbon) that I put around my wrist, I can lift much more.

Post: #15

(09-27-2012 01:34 PM)muc Wrote:  Thanks everyone. Excellent advice.

RioNomad: I shall check, but I think I am limited by my hands. When I use straps (is that the right word? it's like a belt or ribbon) that I put around my wrist, I can lift much more.

Gotcha. Well, what you can do is add the grip routine to your workout 3x per week (wrist curls, reverse wrist curls, barbell crushes, plate pinches) and then do your warmup deadlifts WITHOUT straps, but your work sets WITH straps.

This way you are building your grip strength to catch up to your deadlifts, but at the same time you are still making gains in your deadlifts.

Don't get reliant on straps though, because you don't want to be using them for your everyday lifting.

Are you using chalk when you deadlift? Chalk makes a HUGE difference in your grip. Gotta use it for your deadlifts or your grip will give out way too quickly.

Post: #16

(09-27-2012 01:39 PM)RioNomad Wrote:  Well, what you can do is add the grip routine to your workout 3x per week (wrist curls, reverse wrist curls, barbell crushes, plate pinches) and then do your warmup deadlifts WITHOUT straps, but your work sets WITH straps.

Hm, yes, that is a good idea.

(09-27-2012 01:39 PM)RioNomad Wrote:  Are you using chalk when you deadlift? Chalk makes a HUGE difference in your grip. Gotta use it for your deadlifts or your grip will give out way too quickly.

I am not sure it's allowed. At least I haven't seen people do that. I will ask. By the way: What I sometimes use are those things:



I got them for 8 Euro off Amazon or eBay. They help a little, but ultimately I lose my grip.

Post: #17

This is the #1 source for grip training info.

http://www.ironmind.com/

Post: #18

Don't use those, and don't ask. Keep a towel and spray bottle in your gym bag and just wipe everything down after you are done. It will stick to plates like crazy too, so be sure to wipe those down. Don't ask though, because they will probably just say no out of ignorance.

If they have a problem with that, find a new gym. Or you can try liquid chalk. I've never used it, but you can get it on Amazon.

I even use chalk when I bench press sometimes because your hands start to sweat, and your grip starts to slip outwards.

Chalk is a safety item. People should use it when they bench. Bench is the most dangerous exercise in the weight room. I would bet if everyone used chalk when they benched, there would be quite a bit less bars slamming into peoples craniums.

Post: #19

Instead of normal deadlifts, do trapbar deadlifts. The neutral grip will allow you to lift more weight without straps as compared to normal deadlifts.

Post: #20

(09-27-2012 12:12 PM)Snowflake Wrote:  Roosh seemed to have a similar problem, lots of good info in this thread
/thread-11939....p+strength

What seemed to help was 5 sets of pull ups (alternating between wide and narrow) every time I go to the gym. I also did "farmer walks" where I carried heavy weight around the gym until my hands failed.

Post: #21

This guy hasn't been doing his grip strength exercises..

Post: #22

Increased grip strength is an ancillary benefit of Renegade Rows.

Post: #23

For finger strength try crumpling up a newspaper page with one hand. Vary the number of pages you crumple for the difficulty. You can also, if you have large enough hands, use your entire hand to pinch the dumbbell from the side. Rice buckets are good too.

For increasing grip, you can use a towel either wrapped around a pull-up bar or grabbing both ends of the towel. An alternative is to use a thicker bar. Another option is to practice with a hammer or use thick rope (Either pull a loaded sled or climb a rope)

One thing I haven't seen mentioned much is stretching your fingers. Wedge the fingers of the one hand in between the other fingers. It stretches the fingers and increases your grip span. It's a little painful in the beginning because most people don't do it but it yields good dividends imo.

Post: #24

today I did a 1000M farmer's walk with 45lbs in each hand.

try that a few times

Post: #25

(09-27-2012 07:59 AM)muc Wrote:  Hi,

I am looking for tips on how to increase grip strength. The reason is that I am always trying to deadlift at least as much as I can squat. However, my grip strength limits my deadlift capacity and now I squat more than I lift.

What do you guys do?

I try to avoid those straps, to keep it basic. I have been recommended hanging from a (chin-ups-) bar, but perhaps any of you has a good exercise that I can squeeze into my routine?

Exercises that helped my grip immensly

Dumbbells rows done with High reps for as heavy as you can handle.

Overhand dead lifts

Farmers walks

Pinching plates

And these helped alot as well