Grip training questions

[Rick Walker]

Since all of my grip tools are homemade except for the COCs, I have some questions about training in general.

I know a lot about strength training and I know that the best way to train for maximal gains in strength is isotonic movements- or training through a full range of motion with a constant weight and varying velocity.  Isometric training does not show much improvement in strength due to the countless variables.  You never know how hard you are pushing against the "unmoveable" object and you must work the isometrics at all angles to insure strength gains at all degrees.

It seems that most of my grip training is isometric in nature.  I hold stuff: hubs, boards, plates, pliers, COCs, ETC. for timed periods.  This has me wondering if this is truely the best way to train to maximize my grip potential. Yes, i am currently making improvements in both time held and weights used-but am I doing what needs to be done, eveytime I train?

Granted, I do do the COCs for reps, plate wrist curls, levering, wrist roller which are more isotonic in nature, but the bulk of my training is static holds.

This seems to be how most train their grips-so maybe isometric actvity works best for grip training but I find that hard to believe.

Maybe I am thinking about it too much?

Rick Walker :hehe

[underdawg]

i think as long as you're makin gains you're doin somethin right.  just make sure you're workin hard no matter how you go about it.

[Guest ando]

I'm pretty new to grip stuff, but I've thought about this, too.  This what I've decided:

First of all, isometrics are great for improving strength, BUT only near the range of motion of the isometric exercise.  Most people who take grip seriously do lots of different exercises with objects of different sizes and shapes.  This makes you work your grip from all kinds of different angles, so you end up working your grip over a pretty good range, just not all with one exercise.

Another thing that makes grip training different from most other kinds of training is that a lot of the feats of strength that you are training for are isometric.  One of the main purposes of your hands is to hold things so that the rest of your body can move them.  Of course there's also crushing grip, but most grip enthusiasts seem to do some isotonic exercises for that.

For comparison, the back (spinal erectors) is another muscle group that is worked mostly isometrically by most lifters.  If you keep your back set through the whole exercise, be it a squat, deadlift, clean, or whatever, your back muscles are staying the same length the whole time.  The tension on the muscles will change with different leverages in different parts of the lift, but they're still only being worked through a very small range of motion.  Is this bad?  Not for most people, because thats the range of motion that most people want to be strong in.

This is why I think including a lot of isometric stuff in your grip routine isn't bad.

[Scott Styles]

I asked a question similar to this on Hardgainer a few weeks back.  They told me to go to the grip board.  I just finished reading the old threads and didn't see this addressed.  

I would think while building up to an advanced level of grip strength one would want to stick to isotonics - a COC (or better yet a gripinator), a titans telegraph, and some levering / wrist curls.  Only when signifigant strength has been built up would it be time to start practicing isometrics for feats of strength.

This would be similar to how one sticks to large basic exercises to get big and strong, then focuses on specifics like calf or neck development to refine the strength.

Of course I struggle with a #1, so I bet I'm missing something.

[Tou]

You got it Scott. Build a solid core strength then work on the specifics. One thing, you'll build solid tendons strength by working isometric movements. Plus, you'll learn to resist to pain, which is animportant factor in grip training. I don't work the COC for reps. Only strap holds, singles and negatives. I work many sets of low reps (3-5 reps) on weaver stick and wrist curls. Everything else is singles and holding for time. Whenever I break a 10 seconds hold (in any lift), I add weight. Progression is too often forgotten.

[Scott Styles]

I wasn't even considering how tendon strength figures into things, though it does seem to be commonly accepted here that a lot of grip strength comes form the tendons.  Since muscle strength is required to move tendons I don't really understand why it would factor in more than with a squat or bench press.

Personally, in the month I've been doing the grip work (only COC's for now) I have seen my four fingers on each hand grow thicker, but just assumed it was muscle growth.  I'm going to have to go review how tendons adapt.  Perhaps the answer to why one should do isometrics lies in that.

I can do the pain, am sticking with low reps and negatives, but have a REALLY hard time contracting only my hand.  By the last set my entire body is contorted and there is a horrible grimace on my face.  I need to work on this.