Let’s be honest, how often do you consider your grip strength when training? Probably not a lot. We get it, there are way sexier things to think about, like how you’re going to smash your squat PB or what finisher you’re going to do to blow up your biceps. But, having solid grip is a simple way that you can fast-track your strength.
Think about it. We’ve all been let down by our grip before; the barbell slipping out of our hands just before locking out that deadlift, or not being able to get that extra pull-up because our hands are slipping (despite having smothered them in chalk). It doesn’t matter how strong the rest of your body is; if your hands can’t hold on, you’ll be leaving gains on the table.
If yours has been slacking, then it’s time to get a grip (pun intended) by adding some exercises into your training that will help unlock impressive grip power, so you can lift more and get better results.
What muscles contribute to grip strength?
You may think grip strength is only to do with your hands, which would be understandable, as that's what you're gripping with. But far more muscles come into play.
"The main muscle groups involved in grip strength are the forearm and hand muscles," says Eryn Barber, Personal Trainer at The Fitness Group. "These include the forearm flexors and extensors, extensor digitorum and adductor pollicis.Your biceps also play a part. Although they don’t directly contribute to grip strength, they help to stabilise the elbow joint, which indirectly contributes to your grip."
Beyond the gym
It's not just on the gym floor and in sports that will benefit from a stronger grip. We use our grip for practically everything, from carrying the shopping, to those natural everyday tasks we don't even think about, like holding a toothbrush.
Evidence also shows that better grip can lead to improved longevity and health too. A large study, which looked into the health of over 140,000 people over a four-year period, found a strong link between reduced grip strength and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. In the study, they reported that: "Grip strength was inversely associated with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, non-cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, and stroke."
Benefits of having better grip strength
- Better strength in the gym, especially for pulling movements, such as deadlifts, rows and pull-ups
- Increased strength leads to more muscle gains
- Makes daily activities easier, e.g, carrying bags, opening jars, and holding on to objects
- Less susceptible to wrist injuries
- Lower mortality risks
Best exercises to boost your grip strength
Thankfully, you aren’t going to have to do endless wrist curls or sit squeezing a stress ball for minutes on end to give your grip a boost (although you can if you want). “There are several exercises that will work on your grip strength as well as targeting other large muscle groups, so you can make the most of your training,” says Eryn.
Below, are Eryn’s top picks to add into your training to help you get a better hold over your grip. You’ll most likely find that you’re already including a few of them in your workouts
“If you train two to three times per week, then I’d select two to three of these exercises and include them in each workout,” she says. “Not only will it give you the opportunity to improve your grip strength, but many of them are great for improving your posterior chain strength too.”
Deadlifts
Heavy lifting is one of the best ways to build monster grip strength. What’s great about the deadlift is you can also use a variety of different grips (overhand, wide, mixed) to challenge your grip in new ways.
Farmer’s walk
Incredibly simple – walking carrying a dumbbell or kettlebell in either hand – yet extremely effective in toughening up your grip, as you continuously squeeze the weights to make sure you don’t drop them.
Suitcase carry
Very similar to the farmer’s walk, the only difference being that it takes a unilateral approach, where you carry a single weight in your hand at a time. Itll also challenge your core and oblique strength more.
Zottman curls
The Zottman curl is a type of bicep curl that uses a mixture of underhand and overhand grip, the latter really targeting the forearms, thus improving your grip strength. It also delivers a phenomenal arm pump afterwards.
Dead hangs
As the name implies, all you have to do for a dead hang is hang from a pull-up bar for as long as you can. They’re not as easy as you think and quite a humbling exercise. Plus, they can improve your pull-up performance.
Pull ups
Speaking of! Being able to shift your bodyweight up and down continuously requires a solid grip. If you’re a pro, try adding a towel around the bar and perform your reps while holding onto it. The friction will fire up your forearms like never before.
Plate pinch walk
This strengthens the muscles in your hands, forearms and wrists. It will also make carrying those weight plates to put away far easier.
