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Discussion: Grip Training Implements NEEDED for Well-Rounded Grip Strength


Onerepman

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Hey guys, so I'm curious as to which grip training implements you think one NEEDS to develop well-rounded grip strength? Please provide rationale as to why.

Here's my short list:

  • Grippers (warmup, working, and goal gripper) - to develop a strong crush
  • The Flask - to develop a strong pinch
  • 2.5" Rolling Handle - to develop open hand/support grip
  • #94 Rubber bands - to train your forearm extensors and to prevent muscle imbalances

I believe with just these three grip training implements one can develop great grip strength. Thoughts? Anything that should be added to this list?

 

Edited by Onerepman
Removed grippers. Not needed for well-rounded grip.
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People have such a funny definition of the word need. 

What do you NEED? A bunch of stones, (varying in weight, size and shape) from the woods, a tree branch and some thick towels. Maybe even a decent size sledgehammer. 

Edited by FrankSobotka
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10 minutes ago, FrankSobotka said:

People have such a funny definition of the word need. 

What do you NEED? A bunch of stones, (varying in weight, size and shape) from the woods, a tree branch and some thick towels. Maybe even a decent size sledgehammer. 

Unfortunately that's not feasible for people that live in an apartment building within a city. That's one of the reasons why I included these grip training implements, as they are lightweight and don't take up much space. 

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20 minutes ago, Onerepman said:

Unfortunately that's not feasible for people that live in an apartment building within a city. That's one of the reasons why I included these grip training implements, as they are lightweight and don't take up much space. 

Valid point, didn’t think of that. 

Wish I discovered grip implements and loading pins back in my city dweller days! I settled on bands, kettlebells and a doorway pull-up bar. 

Edited by FrankSobotka
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A sledge hammer, a thick handle, something to pinch. Grippers aren't required unless your goal is to compete on grippers. 

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31 minutes ago, FrankSobotka said:

Valid point, didn’t think of that. 

Wish I discovered grip implements and loading pins back in my city dweller days! I settled on bands, kettlebells and a doorway pull-up bar. 

Don't get me wrong, if I had a house with a garage I would have most of what you listed. Those are fine implements for overall grip development.

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6 minutes ago, Climber028 said:

A sledge hammer, a thick handle, something to pinch. Grippers aren't required unless your goal is to compete on grippers. 

I can't believe I forgot about the sledgehammer. Wrist strength is imperative for overall grip development.

How come grippers aren't necessary? Physical therapists use the hand dynamometer as one of their diagnostic tests for upper extremity strength. Wouldn't a strong crush be better than not training crush?

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30 minutes ago, Onerepman said:

I can't believe I forgot about the sledgehammer. Wrist strength is imperative for overall grip development.

How come grippers aren't necessary? Physical therapists use the hand dynamometer as one of their diagnostic tests for upper extremity strength. Wouldn't a strong crush be better than not training crush?

Grippers get you better at using grippers. If your goal is to compete, then you need them but they are not needed if you just want to have a strong grip.

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3 hours ago, Climber028 said:

Grippers get you better at using grippers. If your goal is to compete, then you need them but they are not needed if you just want to have a strong grip.

Wouldn't grippers also improve your performance on the hand dynamometer?

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3 hours ago, Joseph Sullivan said:

This nearly identical thread has already been started not too long ago. Many good answers there to comb through.

Which thread are you referring to? Because I try to utilize the search engine but sometimes I don't get results for simple searches like "grippers" or "hub."

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1 hour ago, Onerepman said:

Wouldn't grippers also improve your performance on the hand dynamometer?

Yes.  If your goal is to get stronger numbers on a hand dynamometer, then grippers will help you acheive that.

If it was me:  axle, 2", 3", and 4" pinch blocks with a loading pin, and a sledge if you want to work your wrists.  

Rolling handles are great and they take up less space, but an axle works your open hand support grip way better imo.  Plus you can incorporate it into all your barbell work.

Edited by Mike Rinderle
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2 hours ago, Onerepman said:

Wouldn't grippers also improve your performance on the hand dynamometer?

Yes, but you stated the goal was to get well rounded grip strength. A dynamometer does not measure overall grip strength, it is a proxy tool for putting a value on one aspect of grip strength that is convenient and simple to measure. The advantages are its fast, cheap, easy, and repeatable for research or clinical purposes. This is very little to do with overall hand strength. It would be impossible to measure all aspects of grip and distill it down to a single number. 

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6 minutes ago, Climber028 said:

Yes, but you stated the goal was to get well rounded grip strength. A dynamometer does not measure overall grip strength, it is a proxy tool for putting a value on one aspect of grip strength that is convenient and simple to measure. The advantages are its fast, cheap, easy, and repeatable for research or clinical purposes. This is very little to do with overall hand strength. It would be impossible to measure all aspects of grip and distill it down to a single number. 

The number is 7.

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3 minutes ago, Climber028 said:

Yes, but you stated the goal was to get well rounded grip strength. A dynamometer does not measure overall grip strength, it is a proxy tool for putting a value on one aspect of grip strength that is convenient and simple to measure. The advantages are its fast, cheap, easy, and repeatable for research or clinical purposes. This is very little to do with overall hand strength. It would be impossible to measure all aspects of grip and distill it down to a single number. 

I agree with you, a hand dynamometer only measures crush. We only disagree on the necessity of training crush to develop well-rounded grip strength. I can't think of any other movement that would train your forearm flexors in such a dynamic way other than grippers; other grip training implements would train your flexors in an isometric contraction.

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4 minutes ago, Onerepman said:

I agree with you, a hand dynamometer only measures crush. We only disagree on the necessity of training crush to develop well-rounded grip strength. I can't think of any other movement that would train your forearm flexors in such a dynamic way other than grippers; other grip training implements would train your flexors in an isometric contraction.

You can get very strong using only isometric. Look at climbers, there is very very little dynamic finger flexion in climbing, it is all static holds and you can still build great strength. Also the fact that grippers are a relatively recent invention, but there were still grip monsters doing world class feats. Block weights, axles and hammers used to be pretty much the only implements in existence and people still built amazing strength. I like grippers, I just think we would be fine if they were never invented. 

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1 minute ago, Climber028 said:

You can get very strong using only isometric. Look at climbers, there is very very little dynamic finger flexion in climbing, it is all static holds and you can still build great strength. Also the fact that grippers are a relatively recent invention, but there were still grip monsters doing world class feats. Block weights, axles and hammers used to be pretty much the only implements in existence and people still built amazing strength. I like grippers, I just think we would be fine if they were never invented. 

You make a great point, I forgot to think of it like that. In fact, I remember that youtube video of Ronnie Coleman almost closing a CoC 3 for the first time without even setting it.

 

Still, grippers are fun.

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Were I to select some implements I felt would lead to a well rounded grip I'd just go with:

- A gripper (something around a CoC #2.5)

- A sledgehammer (10lb)

- A revolving handle (2.5" dia.)

- A pinch block (2" or 3" width)

- A pony clamp (3")

- Rubber bands (extensor training)

 

There are plenty of exercises/variations you can do with a gripper (other than just conventionally trying to close it) which will help to develop your overall crushing strength.

A strong grip isn't the be all if you have weak wrists - so a sledgehammer is an absolute must.

The pinch block can be the type you use with a loading pin or one has a shaft (which makes it great for wrist curls and few other exercises).

Just my 2 cents. . . . .

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Do you Train at home with only grip stuff or do you also have a barbell, dumbbells and plates?

You can improve your overall handstrength with pretty minimalistic equipment. 

Barbell finger curls, plate curls, plate pinch, DB work with fat gripz. 

If you want to train with more grip specific stuff I would try to achieve the classic grip implements:

Gripper and/or Gripmachine

Blockweights (Blobs), I would choose medium size Blobs that you actually can train with. 

Axle

Fat Dumbbell or Revolving handle, 6cm or 2.5"

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1 hour ago, Hopefully said:

Finger curls with full rom 

Some dynamic thumb exercise 

*Because dynamics build muscle much more efficiently than isometrics. The isometrics is simply learning to use those muscles, specializing. 

Some thick bar implement 

*For getting efficient at isometrics. 

In your trainning log I have seen an excercise you call "ulnar deviation." How that looks like, which implement is involved?

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10 hours ago, Climber028 said:

Yes, but you stated the goal was to get well rounded grip strength. A dynamometer does not measure overall grip strength, it is a proxy tool for putting a value on one aspect of grip strength that is convenient and simple to measure. The advantages are its fast, cheap, easy, and repeatable for research or clinical purposes. This is very little to do with overall hand strength. It would be impossible to measure all aspects of grip and distill it down to a single number. 

I 100% approve of this message as a clinician who uses these in physical therapy. 

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Bottom line, for brutal grip strength, a thick bar axle, a pinch bar of at least 2 inches and a hammer (you can slide plates up the shaft to make heavier by fastening with a fat grip or a clamp making it adjustable) are all you need! Hint on the hammer, you can use it as a gripper by levering it with an open hand and squeezing it closed like a gripper.  But I digress.....

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4 hours ago, Florian Kellersmann said:

You can improve your overall handstrength with pretty minimalistic equipment

Agreed.  As a teenager, I developed a pretty wicked grip just using the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.  

Before you judge, we didn't have the innerwebs back then.  

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50 minutes ago, Mike Rinderle said:

Agreed.  As a teenager, I developed a pretty wicked grip just using the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.  

Before you judge, we didn't have the innerwebs back then.  

Very unbalanced though. Right hand at least %40 stronger than the left 

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5 minutes ago, FrankSobotka said:

Very unbalanced though. Right hand at least %40 stronger than the left 

And here is the reason why almost all grippers have better crush strength in right hand. The rest of us few balanced ones were good church acolytes when we were young and innocent.

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