{"id":1009,"date":"2021-08-08T13:28:30","date_gmt":"2021-08-08T13:28:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ultimatehealthreport.com\/6-ways-to-improve-your-grip-strength\/"},"modified":"2021-08-08T13:28:30","modified_gmt":"2021-08-08T13:28:30","slug":"6-ways-to-improve-your-grip-strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ultimatehealthreport.com\/6-ways-to-improve-your-grip-strength\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Ways To Improve Your Grip Strength"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Have you ever challenged yourself to get all<\/i> your grocery bags from the car to the house in only one trip?<\/p>\n

I do this all the time, which usually means I\u2019m grabbing five or six bags in each hand. Whether you consider it laziness or efficiency, you can\u2019t deny it requires some serious grip strength!<\/p>\n

Grip strength is often perceived as something only men \u2014 not women \u2014 train. (When I was a kid, my dad had these blue plastic-handled grippers. I would try to squeeze them, but even with both hands, I still couldn\u2019t make them budge.)<\/p>\n

But developing a stronger grip is something we should all prioritize if we want to level up our training. In this article, you\u2019ll learn exactly why grip strength training is important as well as six of the best exercises to help you develop your grip.<\/p>\n

What Is Grip Strength?<\/h2>\n

Grip strength is the measure of force and power you can generate from your forearms and hands. While it\u2019s an easily overlooked component of training, it\u2019s an integral part of strength development that significantly affects the results you can achieve.<\/p>\n

There are three types of grip. The crush grip is the grip between your fingers and palm (think of squeezing something in your hand). The pinch grip refers to pinching between your fingers and thumb, while the support grip is a static move in which you need to hold the position for an extended period of time. All three types of grip can be developed.<\/p>\n

Why Is Grip Strength Training Important?<\/h3>\n

You\u2019re only as strong as your grip allows. If you have a weak grip, you may hit some plateaus in your training simply because your grip limits how much weight you can move and how many reps you can perform.<\/p>\n

The better your handgrip strength, the more you can focus on your lifting technique and mechanics without compensation, which in turn can reduce your risk of injury.<\/p>\n

Grip strength training also improves your connective tissues \u2014 the increased blood flow contributes to improved muscle function and adaptation to training. Grip strength (like strength training in general) additionally increases your bone density, especially through your wrists and elbow joints, therefore reducing your risk of injury to these areas. If you don\u2019t condition your grip and forearm muscles for mobility, strength, and endurance, you may experience injury or chronic pain down the road.<\/p>\n

Outside of its benefits in your training, grip strength can help improve the quality of your everyday life, from opening jars to shoveling snow to upping your tennis, baseball, and golf game.<\/p>\n

6 Exercises to Improve Grip Strength<\/h2>\n

There are six grip strength exercises I recommend including in your training program \u2014 and as you’ll see, getting a good grip takes a lot more than wrist curls, stress balls, and grippers! Each of these movements and types of grip will help with a different aspect of your grip strength and ensure you\u2019re continually challenging yourself.<\/p>\n

Exercise #1. Heavy Barbell Deadlift<\/h3>\n

One of the easiest ways to increase your grip strength is by including heavy barbell deadlifts in your program. Heavy deadlifts are my favorite functional strength training movement. In addition to working your crush grip, they target the major muscle groups of your posterior chain and core. (Plus, you can mix this movement up by using kettlebells or dumbbells.)<\/p>\n

How to Perform a Barbell Deadlift:<\/h4>\n
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  • Stand with your feet hip-width apart. The bar should be close to your shins, and your shins should be vertical.<\/li>\n
  • Take a deep breath and engage your core, creating tension throughout your entire body. While maintaining the tension, send your hips back to find your hinge position. Imagine holding an orange between your chin and your chest to ensure your neck and back stay in a neutral position throughout the movement.<\/li>\n
  • Grab the barbell with both hands in an overhand grip (palms facing toward your body). Load your lats by drawing them down and back away from your ears (imagine having to hold a piece of paper in each armpit). Think about externally rotating the pits of your elbows \u2014 turning the inner elbow so it faces forward \u2014 as you do this. You should also feel some tension in your hamstrings.<\/li>\n
  • Before standing, imagine splitting the floor with your feet to activate your glutes and maintain tension throughout your lower body.<\/li>\n
  • Drive your hips forward to full extension and exhale at the top of the movement.<\/li>\n
  • Maintaining tension in your core and lats, return to your starting position by sending your hips back and hinging to return the barbell to the ground.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Important Tips for Training Grip Strength:<\/h4>\n
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    • Start with a conventional overhand grip, with your hands holding the bar about shoulder-width apart in a pronated position (palms facing your body).<\/li>\n
    • As you get stronger and develop your grip, you can increase the weight.<\/li>\n
    • As you progress, start incorporating a mixed grip \u2014 as demonstrated in the video below \u2014 with one hand in a supinated position (palm facing away from your body).<\/li>\n
    • Alternate sides on your mixed grip to avoid creating any muscular imbalances by favoring one side over the other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n