Clay Edgin Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Closing a big gripper is cool, but what real world benefit is achieved that doing basic thickbar or pinch grip work can't achieve? I can't think of any time in the last 3 years where I've said "Gee, I'm sure glad I can close a big gripper or else I couldn't have done ____________." If gripper certs weren't around and grippers weren't contested, would anyone train them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 i think grippers toughen your hands and make them feel more solid all around, and although i'm sure some would disagree i do feel that gripper strength carries over to other things. i would still train with them if there were no certs. also, i think grippers are the most fun and addicting grip exercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king crusher Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 grippers are a hobby with benefits. there not the end all be all,but there fun to test yourself with. there very versatile,you can bring them anywhere. there very easy to let non grip people have some fun....unlike other lifting equitment. i just think there fun,i dont care to much about the certing,so id do them without a cert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonL Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 My deadlift grip stayed strong when not doing deads from using grippers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttedford Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 You can close your fist really tight for that KO punch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunny Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Because There There Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milkbone Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 I like them because they are a measured challenge, not because there are certs for them. The certs are nice because they give you something to shoot for and let you perform the close under official conditions. Past a certain point, what good is any strength? Not many of us could say that we can do our job better because of how much we squat, bench, deadlift, or how heavy a stone or sandbag we can pick up. It's just fun and creates an individual challenge that (some) people like to attempt. The same could be said for bending nails, bolts, horseshoes, wrenches, busting soda cans, ripping decks of cards. Most of it is simply a display of strength which at a certain level, if you are not a professional competitive athlete, does not benefit your lifestyle at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grh122 Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Grippers increase overall hand strength as well as crushing strength. There is a high carry-over to functional hand strength (more open-hand than crush) in my opinion. While hiking recently, a close relative of mine was helping his wife to cross a raging stream in a rugged mountainous area. He was holding her hand ... as she crossed, she lost her balance and if it were not for his strong grip I think she might have fallen (I'm not going to contemplate the potential injuries she might have incurred). He's a grade 5 bolt bender (6" and 5.5" recently), and can close a BB Supermaster. He's never even seen a thickbar as far as I know, and isn't especially good at pinch grip, but his gripper and bending work paid off in this instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darco Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 (edited) Cutting Sheet metal with shears, really stout staple guns, holding on to pliers, that seems to be the limit of their use. Edited November 23, 2005 by Darco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soilworker Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Clay, you're absolutely right but the same thing could be said for powerlifting, or track and field, or (dare I say it, so very close to T-day) football. Now I know you said grippers, not gripping altogether, but my point is simple: it's fun, and mildly competetive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldtime Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 There are carryovers to alot of things in life... Same for powerlifting, that can make everydaylife easier. That being said, the reason why we do it, is because it is fun, and is a great feeling geting Pr's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neno Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 I like closing grippers because it is a challenge to me. I could care less about certing. I lift weights because I enjoy it, I grip because I enjoy it, no other explanation is needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larsontodd Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Yes, grippers have helped the cramps I experience in my hands while cracking peanuts for extended periods of time TL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soilworker Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Same for powerlifting, that can make everydaylife easier. ← I know what you mean. One time I had to help my brother change his oil in his little Dodge, and we didn't have a jack. So I just squatted the the front end of the car. He he...wrong thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Lipinski Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 I think that 99% of the things we do in training are for their own sake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unseenbeat Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Closing a big gripper is cool, but what real world benefit is achieved that doing basic thickbar or pinch grip work can't achieve? I can't think of any time in the last 3 years where I've said "Gee, I'm sure glad I can close a big gripper or else I couldn't have done ____________." ← This is my belief, but I still mess with them occasionally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muscle Turtle Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 if there wasnt a cert for grippers, and they werent contested, would I train em? you bet your panty hose I would, why you may ask? cause I have an ADDICTION to be the biggest and best at what I do, Elite is all that matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number Ten Ox Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 I was sure glad I could close a big gripper last night so my wife would let me go out to the garage instead of watching "The Gilmore Girls". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSW Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 I think Clay's right. Closing grippers, even no-set closing tough grippers, has very little carryover into other feats. That is part of what makes them such an impressive stunt: so few people can close a tough gripper without specialized training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watzd411 Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Clay what are you talking about. If its wasnt for my grip everytime I looked away from my plate the missus would steal my chicken legs.... ....after I caught her red handed I gripped onto my chicken sooo hard, and shattered the bone. After that she knew I werent playin I owe it all to grippers ( as i used a thumbless grip) If someone does not use their hands for a sport of activity then yeah grip can be pointless. By hands are used for a number of different things. My friend was getting all the symptoms of RSI ( repetitive strain injury) from using a keyboard. Trained him up on setting and closing the 1. Now he has no problems. So you see, it helps for retaining chicken legs and helping typing ) Rydini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 I would train the grippers even if they were proven to cause cancer. I like them that much. And I think that they have a huge carryover to grabbing clothing...very useful for law enforcement officers, wrestlers, and probably some pimps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 I would train the grippers even if they were proven to cause cancer. I like them that much.And I think that they have a huge carryover to grabbing clothing...very useful for law enforcement officers, wrestlers, and probably some pimps. ← I'm with Ben. I've loved grippers since I was a kid and will likely be buried with mine . My Grandpa used to squeeze the plastic ones until they broke which I thought was just superhuman at the time. In Jr. High my buddy had a "tough" DP black handled gripper that we would contest reps on. When I found out you could get heavy duty ones I was THRILLED. The certs and contests make it motivating but I look at the certs as more of a measuring stick than something I have to get my name on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruffhans Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 i got into gripping for the purpose of a hefty hand shake and a lill strength for working. when i bought my cocs i knew nothing about how the hand works, so i also bought mastery of hand strength by broookfield. after having th grippers for about a year and a half i started some thick bar and levering work and thats when i hand strength realy boomed! i ended up selling all of my grippers on here. i dont miss them at all,...................actualy it would be cool to close a 3 or 4 someday. but for now ill stick with other more functoinal stuff. i do have to admit though that most guys who can close a 3 or 4 gripper usualy can do other stuff too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Left Side Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I am in love with grippers but it's true that, at least subconsciously, this must in part be caused by the promise of a certification at the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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