Exstenor Band Workouts?

[ObsceneJester]

Alright I posted a thread of me being able to close the #2 just 1 month into grip training.. and I was reading about the exstenor muscles in your hand and that you don't want a gator grip (Good crushing strength, but opening weak) and was wondering what the people who do grip training think about this. I just bought some of them off of IM and going to try it out. Now I was also reading that the exstenor work helps in Kung Fu type of martial arts (which I'm not interested) and was wondering was their anyother plus to having to work these muscles out? Will it help in my goals of crushing the #3?

Again thanks Gripboard

[shaolincop]

Alright I posted a thread of me being able to close the #2 just 1 month into grip training.. and I was reading about the exstenor muscles in your hand and that you don't want a gator grip (Good crushing strength, but opening weak) and was wondering what the people who do grip training think about this. I just bought some of them off of IM and going to try it out. Now I was also reading that the exstenor work helps in Kung Fu type of martial arts (which I'm not interested) and was wondering was their anyother plus to having to work these muscles out? Will it help in my goals of crushing the #3?

Again thanks Gripboard

I don't know about how much these bands will help you get to your next gripper goal(s) (I have had mine a short time) I do know that these bands just make sense. Any begining level human anatomy student can tell you that training one muscle group and not training the opposing muscle group is an invitation to certain injury. So, I see these training bands as a back-up to prevent injury and to ensure training never stops, this is valuable as is. If the bands help to bridge the gap to your next gripping goal that is just extra... I think IM includes this in the bands description for sales more than fact. Every one wants to hear about training gains but most people don't think about injuries until they have already occurred. Thats my .02

[big bri]

working your extensors is crucial in trying to close bigger grippers only because for one, like shaolincop said it will prevent injury, and it will also relieve a lot of pain that you'll experience from training that would probably convince you to stop training. It wouldn't help in your crushing strength though but it is very important nonetheless.

[neilkaz]

working your extensors is crucial in trying to close bigger grippers only because for one, like shaolincop said it will prevent injury, and it will also relieve a lot of pain that you'll experience from training that would probably convince you to stop training. It wouldn't help in your crushing strength though but it is very important nonetheless.

Presumably from working my extensors moderately, I have fewer issues with the tendon that goes into my right elbow and less pain in the backs of my hands after hard gripper and pinch workouts.

[big bri]

working your extensors is crucial in trying to close bigger grippers only because for one, like shaolincop said it will prevent injury, and it will also relieve a lot of pain that you'll experience from training that would probably convince you to stop training. It wouldn't help in your crushing strength though but it is very important nonetheless.

Presumably from working my extensors moderately, I have fewer issues with the tendon that goes into my right elbow and less pain in the backs of my hands after hard gripper and pinch workouts.

i wouldn't doubt that this is a direct result of your extensor training. it's supposed to be great for dealing with "tennis elbow" which may be what you had in your right elbow. my only advice to anyone who reads this is to ease into the extensors. i have made the mistake of overworking them too soon and the back of your hands get very sore and cramp up.

[Teemu I]

To tell you the truth, muscle balance is more than just an insurance against injuries. If your muscle balance is far from what it should be, here's what results:

If your antagonist muscle groups are considerably weaker than your agonists in given movement, nervous system starts to inhibit your agonists contracting too strongly to avoid injury, thus preventing you to close those hard grippers for example. So if you neglect your extensors, you are likely to develop a situation where your nervous system acts as a brake.

This isn't something I made up, I recall reading about it in Supertraining by Mel Siff and I also remember that Charles Staley has written about it. John Brookfield also wrote that he has started to understand just how critical those excercises for your extensors are and he sure has enough long term practical experience.

So I think there's enough proof for how important those extensors are for your grip strength. Sure you can close #3 without doing any, but as you get there you propably have some kind of pains, if you don't train your extensors.

I have personally noticed through my own training, that as soon as I started training my extensors seriously, I've been able to make progress in every aspect of my grip strength at faster rate than I did before. Plus my left thumb that I injured 10 years ago playing hockey and which felt like it would never heal properly, is now totally painless and it doesn't get numb anymore when training. All thanks to couple of months of serious extenxor training with rubber bands. So I think IronMind doesn't promise too much at all in their ads about those bands. It is a fact that it will boost your strength in other movements as well, which you can notice if you train your grip long enough.

[Joaorv]

Alright I posted a thread of me being able to close the #2 just 1 month into grip training.. and I was reading about the exstenor muscles in your hand and that you don't want a gator grip (Good crushing strength, but opening weak) and was wondering what the people who do grip training think about this. I just bought some of them off of IM and going to try it out. Now I was also reading that the exstenor work helps in Kung Fu type of martial arts (which I'm not interested) and was wondering was their anyother plus to having to work these muscles out? Will it help in my goals of crushing the #3?

Again thanks Gripboard

you can fill a jar half way with some weight then put your hand inside the jar open your fingers and lift the jar.

You can also fill a bucket with sand or rice and dig in and open the hands dig in and open the hands.

Two good alternatives to train the extentiors.

[HitMan]

To tell you the truth, muscle balance is more than just an insurance against injuries. If your muscle balance is far from what it should be, here's what results:

How true that holds, this goes for ANY sort of training. Found that out the hard way. IF your going to train something, train everything as a package. Your weakest link will come back to haunt you in the future.

[Teemu I]

To tell you the truth, muscle balance is more than just an insurance against injuries. If your muscle balance is far from what it should be, here's what results:

How true that holds, this goes for ANY sort of training. Found that out the hard way. IF your going to train something, train everything as a package. Your weakest link will come back to haunt you in the future.

That's right.

[Soban]

I have looking for finger extensor bands of somesort and came across this -

Climbing works your finger flexors, the small but strong hand muscles that cause you to make a fist, carry groceries, hold onto crimpers, and pull anything toward you. In order to prevent tendinitis in the fingers, there are several simple and inexpensive ways to work the opposing muscle groups, the finger extensors, to keep the hand muscles in balance.

Just like what mr. teemu said about opposing muscles beeing weaker and causing tendonitis etc.

I am gonna have to look into buying some extensor bands for my fingers because these rubber bands are not the best.

I was just wondering what muscles i should train to rid the tendonitis in my elbow (The tricep side of my arm, just above the elbow point).

Thankyou - Adios

[Starkmann]

I won't pontificate on the value of extenser training as that has been more than covered. Instead I will tell you that the bands sold by iron mind are easy and that those bands have the same flaw as grippers, as you get stronger, they get weaker. At this point I am using multiple bands around my fingers to get any effect. My suggestion is that you save your money up and buy a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with sand, do the exercise everyone talks about where you work your fingers in while they are ina pinched position. The expand your hands in the sand. Also buy a 3 or 4" PVC pipe. Cut a section that is 6 or 8 inches and do a reverse hublift, put your fingers inside and expand against the pipe. Then load it with to make it a challenge.

One pitfull to avoid, your extensor strength will never be like that of your flexors, hands don't work that way. I have seen guys workout logs on here who can't open their hands against the Blue or Red bands, many of them can close the three. I can use the red band and my wife, who is half my body weight and does little weight training, can easily pinch my hand closed.

Best of luck

[Teemu I]

I won't pontificate on the value of extenser training as that has been more than covered. Instead I will tell you that the bands sold by iron mind are easy and that those bands have the same flaw as grippers, as you get stronger, they get weaker. At this point I am using multiple bands around my fingers to get any effect. My suggestion is that you save your money up and buy a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with sand, do the exercise everyone talks about where you work your fingers in while they are ina pinched position. The expand your hands in the sand. Also buy a 3 or 4" PVC pipe. Cut a section that is 6 or 8 inches and do a reverse hublift, put your fingers inside and expand against the pipe. Then load it with to make it a challenge.

One pitfull to avoid, your extensor strength will never be like that of your flexors, hands don't work that way. I have seen guys workout logs on here who can't open their hands against the Blue or Red bands, many of them can close the three. I can use the red band and my wife, who is half my body weight and does little weight training, can easily pinch my hand closed.

Best of luck

You are absolutely right, resistance of those bands isn't enough in the long run. For the beginner, more than enough. Those muscles get stronger pretty quick, if they are previously unused. As I first tried the red band, it was simply too much. Now it's just about right to do reps with.

You'll also right that extensors will never be as strong as flexors, that is just natural, but balance is important all the same.

That reverse hub lift with pvc-pipe is a good idea by the way. Thanks.

Edited May 10, 2006 by Teemu I

[s_aloisio]

I won't pontificate on the value of extenser training as that has been more than covered. Instead I will tell you that the bands sold by iron mind are easy and that those bands have the same flaw as grippers, as you get stronger, they get weaker. At this point I am using multiple bands around my fingers to get any effect. My suggestion is that you save your money up and buy a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with sand, do the exercise everyone talks about where you work your fingers in while they are ina pinched position. The expand your hands in the sand. Also buy a 3 or 4" PVC pipe. Cut a section that is 6 or 8 inches and do a reverse hublift, put your fingers inside and expand against the pipe. Then load it with to make it a challenge.

One pitfull to avoid, your extensor strength will never be like that of your flexors, hands don't work that way. I have seen guys workout logs on here who can't open their hands against the Blue or Red bands, many of them can close the three. I can use the red band and my wife, who is half my body weight and does little weight training, can easily pinch my hand closed.

Best of luck

I've been doing the PVC pipe lifts for a while, I found I get the most benifit if I lift with finger and thumb pairs not my whole hand.

[ArchRaid]

Good idea on the PVC lifts. I just ordered some of IM's extensor bands along with the Mastery of Hand strength and a #3 COC. Should be entertaining . I am looking forward to the bands though, all I use now it s crappy office rubber band that is way too big for my hand. It does the job though.

[Joaorv]

Very true on the extensor bands, i bought them and thought they were gona be a lot harder, i've worked up to the blue already. Still i like them can do higher reps adn can use more than one at same time as i get stronger.

I'm saving all my bent nails and i'm gona put them inside a empty protein jar and use it for extensor lifts.

[Alawadhi]

Any begining level human anatomy student can tell you that training one muscle group and not training the opposing muscle group is an invitation to certain injury.

So you're saying it's the same as ying yang (don't know how to write it) harmony balance?

[menace3000]

Cissus Quadrangularis helps with tenditinitis...also speeds up healing of bones/ligaments....u can buy powder(which I did) or u can buy pills with a product like Cissus RX

I have recently started doing extensor work...I go cheapo way...I use regular brown rubber bands and just stack them....

I was wondering how do you guys properly set up the bands for extensor work? ie. where on the fingers do u set them up, etc...i am a bit confused with that...

[Martin_Arildsson]

Cissus Quadrangularis helps with tenditinitis...also speeds up healing of bones/ligaments....u can buy powder(which I did) or u can buy pills with a product like Cissus RX

I have recently started doing extensor work...I go cheapo way...I use regular brown rubber bands and just stack them....

I was wondering how do you guys properly set up the bands for extensor work? ie. where on the fingers do u set them up, etc...i am a bit confused with that...

I'm placing them right behind the finger nails and tries to open my hand as much as possible.

[Joaorv]

Cissus Quadrangularis helps with tenditinitis...also speeds up healing of bones/ligaments....u can buy powder(which I did) or u can buy pills with a product like Cissus RX

I have recently started doing extensor work...I go cheapo way...I use regular brown rubber bands and just stack them....

I was wondering how do you guys properly set up the bands for extensor work? ie. where on the fingers do u set them up, etc...i am a bit confused with that...

i put it bellow the second joint counting from the tip of the fingers, theres a litloe bit of skin there that helps hold them in place. and i do the work with my fingers pointing at the floor, that way the elastic does not get out of position so easely.

p.s. on the thumb its bellow the first joint.

Edited May 11, 2006 by Joaorv

[Steve B.]

IM also makes the outer loops for extensor lifts.

The rubber bands that hold brocholi together at the grocery store also work well.

[neilkaz]

Cissus Quadrangularis helps with tenditinitis...also speeds up healing of bones/ligaments....u can buy powder(which I did) or u can buy pills with a product like Cissus RX

I have recently started doing extensor work...I go cheapo way...I use regular brown rubber bands and just stack them....

I was wondering how do you guys properly set up the bands for extensor work? ie. where on the fingers do u set them up, etc...i am a bit confused with that...

i put it bellow the second joint counting from the tip of the fingers, theres a litloe bit of skin there that helps hold them in place. and i do the work with my fingers pointing at the floor, that way the elastic does not get out of position so easely.

p.s. on the thumb its bellow the first joint.

I do it differently and use broccoli bands and put them across all 5 finger nails as much and as best as I can although sometimes on some fingers they slide down my finger a bit.

[Autolupus]

Bought a bag of 3 1/2"x1/2" (approx. 55) rubber bands from Staples(any stationers will sell them) for 99p.

Nice price, a good size/fit and plenty of bands to double, treble, quadruple... up with(should be plenty for even the strongest gripmaster out there).

Keep 3-4 in my pockets so I can do a bit of extensor work anywhere, and you never know when a few rubber bands may come in handy!

[lifesnotfair]

What about doing wrist curls, but not reverse wrist curls? .... Are the reverse wrist curl muscles trained a bit from other grip excercises like pinch, RT, grippers, wrist curls, or anything else.. enough so that you don't have to specifically do reverse wrist curls if you do wrist curls??

[greenBuddah]

I think front lever exercises train this muscle, too.

[superfeemiman]

Damn. I've been skimpy on the extensor work lately.

This was a great read (specifically Teemu's post).