T H E F O R M U L A T O R

[Grip_Maniac]

What do yall know about the "formulator" being sold on www.functioalhandstrength.com ? To my understanding, he's saying that you can use much heavier weights for wrist strengthening, especially by eliminating the thumbs, but what if you just do wrist curls with a "thumb-less grip", isn't that the same?

Plus, the thing's a bit pricey

g r i p m a n i a c

[DAN PRAYDIS]

What do yall know about the "formulator" being sold on  www.functioalhandstrength.com ? To my understanding, he's saying that you can use much heavier weights for wrist strengthening, especially by eliminating the thumbs, but what if you just do wrist curls with a "thumb-less grip", isn't that the same?

Plus, the thing's a bit pricey

g      r      i      p      m      a    n      i    a      c

                                     

←

i usually make all my equipment im married and money goes for other stuff unless it is something you need to belong or join in a group like this and i had to buy grippers nails and so on i would just do what you said use a dumbell but if your singele and have plenty money it might be a good product it throughs the weight out farther which to me means you will use less weight than you can wrist curl any way you do it you will get stronger.

[jad]

What do yall know about the "formulator" being sold on  www.functioalhandstrength.com ? To my understanding, he's saying that you can use much heavier weights for wrist strengthening, especially by eliminating the thumbs, but what if you just do wrist curls with a "thumb-less grip", isn't that the same?

Plus, the thing's a bit pricey

g      r      i      p      m      a    n      i    a      c

                                     

←

That's kinda what I thought, in fact that's how I do my wrist curls, but John Wood has probably forgotten more about handstrength than most people will ever know and he seems to really like it, so I'm going to keep an open mind until I at least try one.

[Bill Piche]

Here's a good action shot I just uploaded from Zcor.

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?act=mod...cmd=si&img=1669

[John Wood]

I can't say enough good things about it. I meant taking the thumbs out of reverse wrist curling which makes a big difference. Trust me, theres nothing else like it. If anyone is interested, there will be one available to try at NOS III.

[Rick Browne]

I first became aware of the Formulator after reading Wannagrip`s

post about it in Novemeber in this equipment forum. (I believe it was in

Nov)

Anyway, I PMd Bill and asked him if he seriously thought the Formulator

was a good, high quality made piece of equipment. Afterall, I too thought

the cost was a bit high, but not to me if it is superior quality and well made.

To me, "Cheap shit brings you no happiness" Bill, based on recommendations

from people he knew, told me he felt it was a good piece of equipment.

That was good enough for me!

It is deluxe, with high quality materials and a solid piece of equipment!!!

I feel it to be superior in working your wrist and forearms to the max.

25lbs. feels like it is a 100lbs or so..

It is compact, portable, requires very little space. The movement is

ultra strict and isolates the wrist and forearms to performing the work.The hands are actually removed from the movement other than holding on to the Formulator.

Don`t mean to sound like an infomercial, but if you do not listen to me,

listen to J Wood, He knows

[terminator]

I have to echo everything Zcor has said. It really is a top quality piece, and not for a minute did I think I paid too much for it.

The Formulator also has another intangible benefit. I spend TONS of time at work, and prioritize my free time to be spent with my wife and young son. I also spend a lot of time training, often at odd times. I simply would not do wrist curls or reverse wrist curls if I had to lug a bar out and load all kinds of weight on it. It is true that 25lbs feels like 100lbs. This thing is so convenient I'm hitting my extensors on a regular basis, something that I have been neglecting due to time constraints.

[austinslater]

Thanks for the report guys. Is the movement similar in feeling to a plate wrist curl? The weight is out in front of the hands and it looks like it would be a good tool to improve plate curling or plate wrist curling strength. Thanks in advance,

Austin

[HAMMERHEAD]

I really like how you can use it palm up and palms down.

-HH

[Rick Browne]

I really like how you can use it palm up and palms down.

-HH

←

By far the best extensor work I have ever experienced. No more rubberbands

or buckets of sand for me

[rolf]

By far the best extensor work I have ever experienced. No more rubberbands or buckets of sand for me

Aren't you confusing finger extensors and wrist extensors here? There's no finger extension with the Formulator, just like there is no wrist extension with rubber bands.

Rolle

[Rick Browne]

By far the best extensor work I have ever experienced. No more rubberbands or buckets of sand for me

Aren't you confusing finger extensors and wrist extensors here? There's no finger extension with the Formulator, just like there is no wrist extension with rubber bands.

Rolle

←

Yeah, maybe you are right?? Since finger action is controlled by the forearm

muscles, I felt the extension move with the Formulator would cover it.

A little confused now

A question if I may, Are you saying the fingers have seperate extension

capabilities that are independent of forearm extendors?. If so , this is something

I did not know. Do you recommend continuing with the bands? I use the new

Ironmind bands that just came out.

I have read on the board that doing rubber bands and sand were for

pain relief in the elbows. I was using bands and sand as a preventative

against developing elbow problems.

[rolf]

Zcor,

I'm definitely off my area of expertise here. My layman's logic says that since you can extend your wrist without extending your fingers and you can extend your fingers at only some knuckles (without extending your wrist), there must be a bunch of small "finger extensor" muscles. The wrist extensors definitely contract during hard finger extensions, but it's the same with the wrist flexors and finger flexion - heck, even the wrist extensors contract when you squeeze your hand into a tight fist.

To me it appears you should still continue with whatever finger extension exercises you do. I myself should add some wrist extension work, and that Formulator thingy seems very attractive thanks to this thread. I'll sue you all once I'm broke.

Rolle

[Rick Browne]

Zcor,

I'm definitely off my area of expertise here. My layman's logic says that since you can extend your wrist without extending your fingers and you can extend your fingers at only some knuckles (without extending your wrist), there must be a bunch of small "finger extensor" muscles. The wrist extensors definitely contract during hard finger extensions, but it's the same with the wrist flexors and finger flexion - heck, even the wrist extensors contract when you squeeze your hand into a tight fist.

To me it appears you should still continue with whatever finger extension exercises you do. I myself should add some wrist extension work, and that Formulator thingy seems very attractive thanks to this thread. I'll sue you all once I'm broke.

Rolle

←

Rolle,

Thank-you for the enligtenment. I have been sitting here doing finger

extensions then wrist extensions comparing the two. I do see and feel a

different movement between the two. The forearm extensor muscles

are worked with both movements, but they seem to be worked in

different planes. I can`t explain it properly but now I agree that finger extension

work should be continued as a seperate exercise.

It is all good to have confusion clarified

[RiotGrip]

Just to further clarify, there are definitely TWO entirely different MUSCLE GROUPS involved with wrist extension versus finger extension. and actually you have a set of finger extensors in the hand(the muscles the spread your fingers apart) , and a set of finger extensors in the forearm (the ones that straiten your fingers). The muscles that extend your wrist are totally separate. The thumb muscles for its six different movements are also all separate. Hope this isn't being redundant, but the forearm and hand is definitely the most complicated musculoskelatal anatomy in the body.

[jad]

Besides the obvious anwser of "train both" is one better to train than the other (finger extensors vs wrist extensors)for injury prevention, particuliary the elbow soreness?

Edited January 19, 2005 by jad

[RiotGrip]

Besides the obvious anwser of "train both" is one better to train than the other (finger extensors vs wrist extensors)for injury prevention, particuliary the elbow soreness?

←

If you only do crushing grip and little wrist work, training the finger extensors is more important, because every time you use your finger flexors, the finger extensors exert inhibition of the movement as well as slowing of the release, and do contract. I'm sure you remember when you first started training with grippers, you may have noticed soreness in the top of your forearms, not just your gripping muscles.

If you do wrist curls then training the wrist extensors is equally important, for the above reasons. If this doesn't make sense, PM me and I'll try to explain it more in depth.

[Rick Browne]

Besides the obvious anwser of "train both" is one better to train than the other (finger extensors vs wrist extensors)for injury prevention, particuliary the elbow soreness?

←

If you only do crushing grip and little wrist work, training the finger extensors is more important, because every time you use your finger flexors, the finger extensors exert inhibition of the movement as well as slowing of the release, and do contract. I'm sure you remember when you first started training with grippers, you may have noticed soreness in the top of your forearms, not just your gripping muscles.

If you do wrist curls then training the wrist extensors is equally important, for the above reasons. If this doesn't make sense, PM me and I'll try to explain it more in depth.

←

RiotGrip,

Thanks for further information! After comparing the movement of extending

the fingers only to extending the wrist only, I feel a different sensation

between the two. However faint, but it is different..........

If I recall correctly you are a medical MD? If you are, I am having a pain

in my right side that......... (Jus' kiddin')

[Incindium]

One question... if this basically eliminates the hands and works the wrist and forearms independantly what is its true benefit? Because if the hands are the weakpoint then it doesn't matter how strong the wrists and forearms are they are going to be limited by weak hands. I can see how this might help bending ability as there is less grip involvement and more wrists. What benefits have you seen in other movements as a result of training with this device?

[HAMMERHEAD]

Incindium,

Remember, that this is an assistance exercize to help create greater grip strength.

(at least the way we will tend to use it)

Two areas I see that this will directly help is with thick handled dumbells like the Inch, and card tearing. Wrist stability is vital here.

As far as bending...... This great piece of equipment doesn't work in the planes that the wrist is used in bending, which tends to be side to side.

-HH

[John Wood]

Actually, you can work radial & Ulnar Abduction / Deviation (moving the wrists side to side) fairly easily with the Formulator. These movements will be covered in detail on the instructional posters.

[HAMMERHEAD]

That's great to hear John! I'm assuming the instructional posters come with the Formulator?

-HH

[Dargath78]

I just got an email that said they will be free with Formulators ordered in Janurary.

[HAMMERHEAD]

Check this out. A little more info.

Formulator

-HH

[DrewBaye]

There are several biarticulate muscles that both flex the wrist and fingers, and extend the wrist and fingers, as well as muscles that only have a significant role in wrist movement or finger movement.

The muscles which spread the fingers are considered abductors, not extensors. Only the muscles that straighten the fingers are considered extensors.

I'm currently working on an article for the High Performance Training newsletter www.hptnews.com which will include a matrix of forearm and hand muscles and their functions, so you can see what exercises or movements work what muscle groups. For complete development you need both wrist and finger flexion and extension movements, as well as pinching and extension/abduction movements for the thumb.

Self-applied manually resisted finger and thumb extension is more effective and less awkward than using bands, although it doesn't provide an objective standard for performance measurement.