Weak grip strength, suggestions.

[Laver]

Ive often found while doing certain exercises my grip fails before the muscles do, resulting in poor form and not working target muscle groups.

Apart from specifically working on grip strength, which I would like to be last resort, what are some changes I could make to my exercises to reduce stress on my grip, different grips or perhaps different form?

I use chalk at the gym to keep the sweat off, this helps a bit, I dont use lifting straps as yet as it seems silly with the weights I am lifting, but if I find I need to use straps after trying some suggestions I will do.

Exercises I struggle with due to lack of forearm/grip strength

Seated Cable Rows, sorry I dont know the grip, its the bar that you hold two vertical bars, which are about 20cm apart, like your shaking somebody by the collar/chest with both hands

Wide grip lat pulldowns (to a lesser extent)

Deadlifts, overhand, just from the ground to waist.

1 Arm dumbell row

[2guns]

have u tryed sponges?

[chchardgainer]

hmm yea i usually struggle with deadlifts and shrugs but thats coz the weights gettin up there, id say work on grip,forearm strength..... even though you dont want to, and it wouldnt hurt to use straps if it means youll be using correct form

[Laver]

Yeh I agree straps proberbly the way to go, but it seems a bit silly to me to need them is all, esp considering im relativly new to the sport, id be the only person in my gym who uses them ><

With doing exercises for forearm/grip strength, I would have thought that it would be like overtraining them? considering they get pretty hammered on most days I goto the gym!

Never tried sponges, dn0 wot they are.. here comes google..

[AlBundy]

Let them get hammered your arms will get used to it. Mine did anyway. I'm pretty sure everyones forearms and hands hurt during the first few months of training.

I reckon straps should be used when your back strength continues to grow at a faster rate than your grip strength can keep up with.

[frogie2001]

Let them get hammered your arms will get used to it. Mine did anyway. I'm pretty sure everyones forearms and hands hurt during the first few months of training.

I reckon straps should be used when your back strength continues to grow at a faster rate than your grip strength can keep up with.

agree, their is nothing wrong with using straps if you need them.

[2guns]

Never tried sponges, dn0 wot they are.. here comes google..

well its quite self-explanitary... just square bits of sponge slighty bigger than your palm, bout 40mm thick and preferably quite dense otherwise theyll get ripped up.

some people like them some dont

[Cammo]

Nothing wrong with straps if you need them - don't let your grip hinder your progress.

If you decide to do some grip work, do strongman things such as farmers walks etc. - don't worry about no poxy wrist curls... I think they're close to worthless for building grip strength.

[deeepsouth_nz]

Straps are definately ok to use when you are needing to lift big for your back etc and your forearms / hands lose strength...and there are other exercises I will use them for if Im wanting to take my concentration off what my hands are doing and focus it somewhere else (doesnt necessarily have to involve big weights).

Specific exercises for your forearms should help also - you shouldnt have to do alot of these to get results as they are much smaller than the bigger muscle groups .

Also as people have said your strength will increase indirectly through other means......I find myself pinch-gripping 20's across the gym sometimes, not usually intentionally, thats just where they end up when I lift them off barbells etc sometimes.....so what Im getting at is you get stronger just by moving equipment between sets / exercises too

[Tonka]

Grip strength has nothing to do with forearm strength. Its all about crushing strength - hence finger strength!!

Double overhand deadlifts (the only time you should go to an alternative grip is when doing either triples or singles)

Rack pulls - static holds for time

BB shrugs/DB shrugs

Farmers walk - dummbells over distance or time

Fat bar deadlifts

Plate pinches

Opened hand DB holds

Strngman gripper squeezes

If you want your grip to improve try and do as much as you can without straps. Straps are good when overloading with max+ weight but for doing normal sets with pulldowns, seated rows, one arm rows, bent rows, pullups, pulldowns, deads etc etc...try and avoid weraing the straps.

Something elase to try if you can handle the initial pain is using the hook grip - used by weightlifters during the snatch and clean/jerk.

Give it time L, it will improve.

[Cammo]

If you want your grip to improve try and do as much as you can without straps.

It sounds like he has already reached that stage where his grip strength is going to hinder his improvement in the larger muscle groups (ie. he can't do much more without straps and/or supplementary grip work).

[Tonka]

It sounds like he has already reached that stage where his grip strength is going to hinder his improvement in the larger muscle groups (ie. he can't do much more without straps and/or supplementary grip work).

Thats why its importatnt for Laver to continue his work ethic and avoid straps if he can. Resorting to straps on every heavy set in every back workout isnt the answer to improving grip. Just keep plugging away because your grip tolerance will come up but like anything to improve you have to put in the time.

Laver, think of his hands as being hooks locking your thumb over your fingers BUT squeeze the bar with your fingers rather than squeezing the bar in the palm of your hands. Squeezing the palms only activates the forearms and its this muscle that blows out first - once the forearms go, the grip will go.

Good luck

[poos_n_wees]

This thread might help too:

http://www.nzbb.co.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1331

[deeepsouth_nz]

Actually Tonka,

There is alot more potential for you to increase your grip strength via working the muscles of the forearm....the intrinsic muscles of the hand are relatively tiny in comparison and whilst they can be developed for sure, not to the same potential strength of the forearm flexors and extensors which aid in finger joint flexion and extension etc

[2guns]

Nothing wrong with straps if you need them - don't let your grip hinder your progress.

agree with cammo, thats wat straps are for

[Tonka]

Actually Tonka,

There is alot more potential for you to increase your grip strength via working the muscles of the forearm....the intrinsic muscles of the hand are relatively tiny in comparison and whilst they can be developed for sure, not to the same potential strength of the forearm flexors and extensors which aid in finger joint flexion and extension etc

I think you are missing my point DS-NZ, grip strength and forearm development are two totally different things. In order for Laver to build his grip strength (which is question that Laver has asked and the reason this thread was started) he has to continue to work as many sets without straps. I see it time and time again where people become so dependant on straps that they use them from set 1 to when they finish.

As a powerlifter I choose not to use straps during any back/deadlift work (mainly because we arent allowed to use straps during deadlifts in competition) and I will admit that when I started (a long time ago) I too suffered with the forearms blowing out which bascially destroyed my grip.

I am currently training with regional NABBA bodybuilding champ and his grip strength was very poor when we started out and he relied heavily on the straps. I managed to convince him to leave the straps and get his grip strength up. He has since gone from 140kg x 2-3 for Barbell shrugs to holding 220kg x 6 for sets just over a period of 8 weeks. He will then use his straps for some max rep shrugs with 260kg just to finish off. Other numbers are 140kg x 10 for sets doing bent rows, Heavy latpulls, one arms DB rows, pull-ups, double overhand deadlifts with 200kg etc etc without the need for straps.

The benefits have been great for him, not only does he now possess an exceptional grip but his forearm development has also improved without any real specific forearm training.

So thats what my point has been for Laver, avoid the straps and put in the yards and the grip will improve.

Stay strong

T

[Laver]

Hey guys thanks for the good discussion! (Don't stop yet!!!) Really helpful for me, Ive always been of the mindset that they should just get stronger through doing my normal exercises, but they havent which has been a fustrating point for me.

Heeding advice, Ill try to incorporate 1 or 2 exercises during the week to focus a bit more on them and see how that goes!

[deeepsouth_nz]

I havent said he should use straps for all his sets...Im not in favour of that idea at all either! :roll:

[Tonka]

I havent said he should use straps for all his sets...! :roll:

Yeah I saw that in your first response to this thread! I have never needed to do extra forearm work as an assist to improving grip strength and even in competition my grip has never been an issue while deadlifting with max weight. I suppose its just years of training (like yourself DS-NZ) without the need for straps but I will admit that I use them when wanting to perform some overload max weight sets.

[Old Bull]

Hey T,

I am sure we have had this discussion somewhere on here?

Laver,

Forearm and Grip Strength are two different entity's.

In brief certain forearm exercises make your fingers fatter, making it harder to grip the bar. We keep away from those, more finger pinch grip type exercises.

ie. Hex DB Holds, Fat Bar Grips, Plate Grips, DB Farmers Walks, 2" Pull Up Bar, use 2" bars for all your rows etc. These will get the grip up in no time.

Cheers

OB

[Pseudonym]

In brief certain forearm exercises make your fingers fatter, making it harder to grip the bar.

Really? That makes sense, I guess. Which exercises specifically would do this?

[deeepsouth_nz]

Unless you are doing say wristcurls incorrectly and rolling the bar up and down in your fingers, which may stretch tendons and perhaps cause some compartmental syndromes, I very much doubt this from an anatomical viewpoint. The fingers are basically composed of expanser tendons for the flexor and extensor muscles of the forearm, granted there are some small muscle groups but predominantly tendinous....

[Tonka]

Unless you are doing say wristcurls incorrectly and rolling the bar up and down in your fingers, which may stretch tendons and perhaps cause some compartmental syndromes, I very much doubt this from an anatomical viewpoint. The fingers are basically composed of expanser tendons for the flexor and extensor muscles of the forearm, granted there are some small muscle groups but predominantly tendinous....

Dude....are you like a doctor or surgeon? or do you read biology books in your spare time? :shock:

[2guns]

Dude....are you like a doctor or surgeon? or do you read biology books in your spare time?

its called google..

[ngapuhi strong]

Unless you are doing say wristcurls incorrectly and rolling the bar up and down in your fingers, which may stretch tendons and perhaps cause some compartmental syndromes, I very much doubt this from an anatomical viewpoint. The fingers are basically composed of expanser tendons for the flexor and extensor muscles of the forearm, granted there are some small muscle groups but predominantly tendinous....

Dude....are you like a doctor or surgeon? or do you read biology books in your spare time? :shock:

He teaches this stuff for a living so i would take his advice