Grip training for the martial artist

[Guest 112-1009065229]

Anyone that has any finger/hand strengthening suggestions the would help with "trapping techniques, locking, holding and any other technique used in the martial arts would be appreciated.

[bender]

The reason I started hand strength training was for Jiu-Jitsu.  I started with the Captains Of Crush grippers, but found that thick bar work and any pinch movements GREATLY improved my grappling/trapping techniques.  

   As I advanced in BJJ, I noticed that even moderately strong guys could twist out of my grip, and this enraged me.  I saw how having a stronger grip on a fore-arm-sized object would allow me to apply more strength to my opponent, all while preventing him from twisting out of grip.

   If you look at the thumb-side, pull and twist technique from freeing yourself from somebody else’s grip, you will see how weak the thumb is when gripping your opponents wrist.  Any training that strengthens your ability to keep your thumb locked tightly on your opponent will do wonders for your techniques.

   Specifically, 2-2.5” thick handled dumbbells work well.  At IronMind.com, they sell an awesome, revolving deadlift handle at a reasonable price.  Training with that and any thick wrist roller will do wonders for your grasp and locks.  Any other type of hand strength training will also keep adding on to your over all strength, like grippers and pinches.  

    Another favorite of mine that develops grappling/trapping strength is sledgehammer levering.  If you wish to increase your grappling/trapping ability and buy no other product, go and buy a 10-lb sledgehammer and play with it as needed.  Lever it straight up, using any hand position, and then try twisting it from side to side.  You’ll notice that some of these twisting and

[bender]

(dang, I got cut off)  You’ll notice that some of these twisting and locking movements are identical to many traps and locks.

   

Hope that helps.

[bender]

...one more thing...    

   Wrist/hand strength training for even a few months will do wonders for your techniques.  The look on someone’s face when you absolutely lock onto his wrist is priceless, especially when you do it with the intent of trying to break their wrist with grip strength alone.  It’s like hitting a pressure point, where they go limp with shock for a half-second, now you can apply your wrist strength and upper body strength.  

     Other things I’ve noticed is when you have even a half-assed hold of your opponents gi, it’s solid and won’t slip.  

    Since training hand/wrist strength, I’ve quickly developed the ability to stay competitive with larger opponents.  My grip is no longer a problem, and I’ve stopped experiencing the frustration of having guys my size twist out of a lock.  

  Dude, go buy a sledge and some grip tools, and your abilities will increase quickly.  Don’t wait, do it now!

[Guest 112-1009065229]

Thanks I have incorporated thick handled dumbell curls/hammer curls to my grip training and I also work with pinch gripping a 50lbs. plate for finger strength.  I work with the No. 3 gripper from IronMind but don't come close to closing it but I do a few reps with all the grip strength I can muster. I feel like my hands are morphing, good thing I suppose. What are better timed reps or repeated repetitions of a movement?

[Guest mg6680]

Just keep squeezing it...Do a few negatives (with other hand or against the thigh, etc) at the end of your workout.  Do that a few times a week and your strength will sore.  One exercise I've recently started doing is farmers walks - lift a plate by the rim w/your fingers and walk around with it.

[Jonathan McMillan]

Someone over at old school strength training ezboard (I can't remember sorry) thought he might try hanging his gi over a bar to do chins gripping the gi.  I've done this with some old t-shirts hanging over my power cage and it works the grip in a unique way.

I would suggest some kindof dynamic grip work as well since you want a fast grip as well.  here's some ideas for that which I've read about on this board and elsewhere:

1.  hang a gripper by a string and quickly reach out and crush it.

2.  Block weight(blob) or a dumbell end cut off.  throw it back and forth catching it with an overhand grip.

3.  Fill a money bag with steel shot, screws, nuts then tape it up with duct tape and throw and catch it.

Out of all these ideas I've only tried the block weights and I love playing with these.  Well worth the effort and money to make some for yourself

Jon@han

[young'un]

hey, this is my first time posting, but i guess this is a topic i can relate to.

i originally started gripping 1 or 2 years ago for fun. after about three weeks i realized pretty noticeable improvements in my bjj and wrestling skills, the hand strength just gave me that extra edge. especially since i'm a little guy (~5'6" & 145#), improved hand strength really aided my ability to work the larger guys. when i was working a lock or stuck in a tight spot and had to stop somebody bigger from getting a hold of one of my limbs etc., being able to just clamp on to something and work from there has proved invaluable.

i started off w/ CoC's and after i discovered ironmind's catalogue and the GripPage, i started doing some pinch stuff and becoming a little more creative. some stuff i found really useful were pull-ups using a rope tossed over a bar, and pinch grips with either a stack of 5# or 10# plates. the pinch grips w/ stacks of little weights helped me out especially b/c they helped me really hold on to stuff that was going to slide away if i let up for just a sec. playing with fat-handled dumbbells/broken parking meters/whatever else i found laying around, and vertical bars helped me out a lot also.

[python]

This information has been most helpful and I appreciate any ideas that serve to increase gripping strength for street combat should I ever engage in any. One question if anyone has the answer to it is, does doing timed rolling thunder dead lifts increase tendon strength? Curious as to what exactly do they mean by supporting strength? Thanks :ninja

[Guest mg6680]

Any heavy grip exercise is going to increase your tendon strength. Supporting strength generally means how long you can hold an object. For example, doing long, heavy farmers walks would be a good exercise to develop supporting strength. Timed (more than just a few seconds) rack holds w/a thick bar ( or RT) would be another.

[vince]

Anyone that has any finger/hand strengthening suggestions the would help with "trapping techniques, locking, holding and any other technique used in the martial arts would be appreciated.

trapping is a "range" not a technique, strengthening of your hands, or fingers won't help you here. i suggest you work on your trapping and techniques to get them down perfect, and be fluid with them.

it is good to have strength but, and will help you indirectly by helping you hold your structures better, but you first need a good foundation of skills. look at paul vunak or dan inosanto, they're not as strong as the strong guys here but would slaughter anyone.

i will say it is really good to have really strong wrists. leveraging with a sledge hammer, thor's hammer, wrist curls, reverse wrist curls and wrist rolling. started bending and that's feeling good too.

i like to strengthen all aspects of my hand. grippers, thick bar work, pinch gripping, wrist and doing extension work.

hope it helps.

[Guest drewbaye]

The reason trapping range is called that is because that is the range where trapping most often occurs. Trapping is a tactic performed to open up a line of attack.

Any technique performed for the purpose of immobilizing an opponent's limb or limbs, even only momentarily, can be considered a trap. Most people think of Wing Chun or Jun Fan's Pak Sao, Lop Sao, Jut Sao, etc. when they think of trapping, but many martial arts contain movements which involve trapping of one sort or another. Even something as simple as stepping on an opponents foot could be considered a trap, because by doing so you take away some of their mobility.

Edited December 4, 2003 by drewbaye

[dave]

if your wearin a gi or shirt i think the grippers would help more than anything, since youd be grabbing it for leverage for a choke or as a block. and i dont think youd really have to have a super cursh, but alot of endurace with your grip. so strap holds and closes for time would be better help than an all out max effort on a heavier gripper. the gi pullups sounds like a great exercise.

thick handled liftin will help hold on to wrists and arms and such. all and all, anything you do for your grip will help.

[vince]

The reason trapping range is called that is because that is the range where trapping most often occurs. Trapping is a tactic performed to open up a line of attack.

Any technique performed for the purpose of immobilizing an opponent's limb or limbs, even only momentarily, can be considered a trap. Most people think of Wing Chun or Jun Fan's Pak Sao, Lop Sao, Jut Sao, etc. when they think of trapping, but many martial arts contain movements which involve trapping of one sort or another. Even something as simple as stepping on an opponents foot could be considered a trap, because by doing so you take away some of their mobility.

i agree 100% well said

[Guest drewbaye]

If you're interested in studying the Filipino martial arts, there are a lot of stick drills in Arnis, Eskrima, Kali, etc. which, if performed with heavier sticks (kamagong, bloodwood, purpleheart, hickory, etc), work the grip and forarm pretty well. For partner drills you'll want to stick to rattan though, or you'll be tearing up everyone else's sticks.

This probably wouldn't be as effective as other exercises for strictly strength purposes, but it's an option that also broadens your skills.

Speaking of martial arts and hand strength, did anyone see the National Geographic special on Shaolin Kung Fu? They've got kids doing handstands on only two fingers (index and middle finger) of one hand.

If anybody is interested, I've got it in an AVI file, and could transfer it to them over AIM. Screen name = DrewBaye

[Razorman]

Don't neglect back training for these trapping techniques, either. Pak sao is simply holding the centerline as you step forward (tendon strength). But I had a mean-ass lop sau that'd haul my opponent out of his shoes. Explosive thick handled dumbbell low rows.

[RMbros]

If you're interested in studying the Filipino martial arts, there are a lot of stick drills in Arnis, Eskrima, Kali, etc. which, if performed with heavier sticks (kamagong, bloodwood, purpleheart, hickory, etc), work the grip and forarm pretty well. For partner drills you'll want to stick to rattan though, or you'll be tearing up everyone else's sticks.

That triggered a couple of questions for me:

Are most of the Filipino MAs that you mention stickfighting or knifefighting arts?

Does anyone here know anything about European quarterstaff MA forms? I seem to remember that the French version involved a ton of spinning with the wrist. Seems like that would be really good for grip strength.

[Monte Cristo2]

....any other technique used in the martial arts would be appreciated...

If you do block weights, grippers, thick bar etc. , you will notice that your hands will thicken overall. Altough you did not specifically mention it, this will help your striking as well in at least two ways. One, the increased strength of your hand and wrists will help protect your hand when you punch or do other strikes. Two, your hand will become heavier and thicker and therefore more damaging to the target when you strike. It is sort of like a roll in nickels in your fist, but better in that a thicker hand will not compromise making a correct hand position and is always with you. Since the increase is gradual and part of you it won't slow down the the speed of your strikes provided you continue to practice them in addition to training the grip.

[EdwardsNH]

" Another favorite of mine that develops grappling/trapping strength is sledgehammer levering. If you wish to increase your grappling/trapping ability and buy no other product, go and buy a 10-lb sledgehammer and play with it as needed. Lever it straight up, using any hand position, and then try twisting it from side to side. "

Try doing this with a towel wrapped around it to make it even tougher.

Troy

ps - Thanks bender, for the sport specific advice. Much appreciated.

[supermagnamon]

i would agree with bender on his suggestions. mainly wrist, pinch and supporting exercises helped me a lot with judo and jj. i was able to hold on to a lot of holds better and grab on to ppl better to chock or armbar, most of the time.