Grip strength is a skill that many athletes simply miss the boat on, and yet it does not take a ton of time to develop. Even though grip strength may not seem obviously applicable to certain sports, it is a surprisingly prevalent physical quality that can makes a huge difference in athletic performance in almost all areas.
Grip Training
In this video, we cover three simple methods for improving grip strength. We’ll show you how easy it is to target your grip by making small adjustments to the exercises that you’re already doing…
3 Simple Grip-Strengthening Methods:
1.) Use grip-force grippers, which can be incorporated into a variety of different exercises, including:
- Pull-ups
- Dumbbell rows
- Kettle bell swings or jump squats
- Virtually any dumbbell or barbell exercises
Tip: For an additional challenge, you can use grippers to hold the plates. You’ll feel your forearms burning in no time!
tweet this2.) Use a pinch grip for static plate holds (30-90 sec) and deadlifts
3.) Do dowel exercises with a partner, including:
- Using an overhand grip to roll dowel toward and away from the body with tension supplied by partner
- Conducting a reverse dowel curl with partner providing concentric and eccentric resistance
- Applying force to the dowel at different angles while partner resists movement
Improve Sports Performance
If you have already developed some grip strength, these exercises can be a great supplement to your warm-up.
If you are relatively new to increasing grip strength, these methods may best be applied at the end of your workout so that you’re grip isn’t fried for the duration of your training time.
These methods are simple, easy, and inexpensive, yet they can make a huge difference in sports performance
Stay tuned for more performance-enhancing tips…
@Joel, what is your opinion about specific gripper products like “Vulcan Gripper” or “Captain Crush Gripper” ?
I haven’t tried “Vulcan Gripper” but I do like the Captain of Crush grippers and have used them quite a bit.
Great topic Joel! Could you also do a video in regards to Neck strength and stability in application for sports performance? I feel this is a very controversial topic. Both in it’s general prescribed application, and it’s relation to the main stream media’s comments involving head injury.
Judging by your Grip strength video I would be interested if you had some innovative information on how to train the neck beyond the popular “neck harness”.
Thanks again for sharing!
Yes, at some point I’ll do one on neck training as well. I also think it’s hugely important and often not trained particularly well.