Our hands go through so much.
From the moment we wake until we turn into bed, they’re in play, spooning breakfast cereal into mouths, smoothing hair, grappling for Oyster cards, tap, tap tapping away at keyboards or phones.
So when an accident happens or you realise that fumbling for stuff has become more than just a case of butter fingers, it can be alarming. Luckily, help is at hand in the form of grip strengtheners.
Just as it says on the tin, these tools are used by athletes, physios and gym bunnies to add a new dimension to workouts. Grip strengtheners are also useful for rock climbing fans, cyclists, weightlifters, rowers - anyone whose hands are instrumental to their sport.
They can hone the entire hand, wrist and forearm while others are made to dial up the power in individual digits.
The great thing about grip strengtheners is that anyone can give them a go, from the recovering to the elderly. As with anything, consistent use is key in seeing significant gains. Practically all of them are on the small and compact side - stuff one into your bag to work your mitts on the go, from the back of an Uber to a long-haul plane ride.
Whether you’re looking to improve your handshake, raise your workout game or just stop your phone from falling on your face when you’re scrolling in bed (just me?), we’ve rounded up the best grip strengtheners to get your paws on below.
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NIYIKOW Hand Grip Strengthener
One of the top-rated Amazon grip strengtheners with 26,599 reviews, these simple but effective tools will see you increase your hand and arm agility in no time. They’re sold as a pair, so you can train both hands at once or have a spare on standby if you’re just trying to increase strength in one. Resistance goes from 10kg to 60kg, so you can increase it according to your needs.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
Corength adjustable handgrip 8 - 40kg
It may resemble a fancy corkscrew, but this adjustable grip is for upping hand strength. Ergonomic design and textured handles help to keep it in the palm of your hand, and an indicator on the front makes it easy to increase the challenge.
Buy now £7.99, Decathlon
Sphere Hand Gripper Strengthener
Designed for increasing hand agility and relieving stress, this finger and hand grip trainer is compact enough to hold and use when you’re doing even the most mundane things - think waiting for the bus or watching telly. The non-slip surface is also machine-washable, so you can throw it in the wash if it starts to smell.
Buy now £5.99, Amazon
Hozzen Grip Strengthener Trainer Set - 6 Pack
You’ve got your dumbbells and kettlebells - now it’s time to invest in a set of hand strengtheners to raise your grip game. This pack of six ranges from 50lbs in the low end to 200lbs at the most challenging. Whether you’re straight up strength training, adding a new twist to your workouts or going through physio, this tool can help.
Buy now £26.99, Amazon
PROHANDS Gripmaster Hand Exerciser
After something to hone finger strength as well as hand grip? This Prohands exerciser uses spring-loaded pistons to train individual digits, which may be useful if you’ve damaged certain tendons. Train each finger with up to 1.5lbs.
Buy now £10.52, Amazon
Hand Grip Strengthener, 5-60kg Adjustable Hand
Train your hands, fingers and wrists with this set of adjustable grips, which can go from 5kg - 60kg. They’re compact and lightweight, so you can throw them in your bag for on-the-go training when you have an idle moment.
Buy now £6.99, Amazon
Opller Hand Dynamometer Grip Strength Trainer
If you’re a data nerd who needs to know exactly how your training is progressing, add this gadget to basket - stat. The LCD screen reveals your current grip strength and 18 other user-definable data points, storing up to 25 previous results at a time. Perfect for rock climbers and weight-lifters, it can be charged with a USB or with AAA batteries.
Buy now £16.99, Amazon
FitBeast Grip Strength Trainer
This set of nine tools includes colourful finger trainers and grip strengtheners to help damaged hands on the path to recovery. Resistance levels are denoted by different colours, so once you’ve mastered one, you can move up a gear.
Amazon customers love it, with one raving: “I had a completely numb index finger on my left hand and carpal tunnel and tennis elbow on my right hand. The finger strengtheners work fine, but the rings are the absolute star here. Starting from the lowest resistance and slowly increasing it has built back up my arm grip and strength.”
Buy now £12.99, Amazon
