bender Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 I just found an amusing way to improve the vise-like grip for bending, scrolling or for general hand strength. Purchase a 3' X 1/2" or 5/8" bar, and have a hole drilled through the bar at the midway point. Then, thread it and load it like you would a wrist-roller. Now roll for reps. It's difficult, hard on the hands, and much cheaper than re-stocking your personal HRS collection. To brace the mini-roller, I place it over dip handles, but across the knees in a seated position works too as you can't move that much weight. I recommend it to any one who likes bending and is looking for something new. The other vise-like grip lift I do is a two-handed V-bar style dead lift with a "U"d 3' x 3/8" and 1/4" HRS bars. It's like Brookfields string/rope lift, but more specific to 3/8" and 1/4" HRS. :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Say Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 I thought you meant lifting things with a pair of vice grips. That wouldn't help much! :p That wrist rolelr thing is a good idea though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 Freudian slips? You refer to vise grips, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bender Posted November 20, 2002 Author Share Posted November 20, 2002 No, there's nothing to do with pliers, I was refering to the grip Brookfield mentions in MOHS, the "Vise" grip. The grip of 'holding something tightly in your hand', much like a "Vise" would hold something tightly. Recall that it doesn't matter how strong the body is, if you can't latch on to a piece of steel with a "vise-like grip", you can't transfer the strength. I guess you could stick a bent hand into a VISE and try to keep it bent while you slowly tighten it down. This may also be a great strength builder, or a sure-fire way of breaking your hand. I'm not sure, as I have yet to try any VISE work outs. Vise, grip work outs. Vise-grip work outs. Work outs resembling the grip of a vise. Vise-like hand-strength work-outs. There we go, perhaps over-hyphenating is the way to avoid confusion. To rephrase my question, does anybody else have any unique "vise-like hand-strength work-outs" to help develop "vise-like hand-strength". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bender Posted November 20, 2002 Author Share Posted November 20, 2002 Oh ####. I suppose there is a world of difference between a “vice grip” and a “vise grip”. :p :hehe Sorry about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gripster Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 I 'm going to try a couple of exercises Brookfield mentions in MOHS. Has anybody tried these? 1. hammering cut nails into wood or steel and pulling them out with your fingers 2. picking up weight with someting as thin as a knitting needle or drilling a hole in a piece of steel the size of a quarter or half-dollar, tie string through hole, add weight, and pinch lift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan McMillan Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 Excellent idea Bender!!!! I've been doing Saxon's string lift to work my vice grip a little bit. I think Brookfield mentions it as well to assist in a vice grip for bending stuff. Would working the vice grip help in the end stages of closing a gripper? Jon@han Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bender Posted November 20, 2002 Author Share Posted November 20, 2002 I’m not sure about the vise-like-grip exercises carrying over to the grippers. The hand position is similar, but the application of strength is much different. On one, it’s a directionally specific motion and a specific squeeze at the end. The other is just a mad, squeeze-the-life-out-of-it crush. In both cases, they build total hand strength, and I would have to assume there would be some carry-over, especially for those last few millimeters. Maybe you could get two ¾” bar and weld (glue) them together and form some gripper-specific V-bar handle or hammer-curl device that would specifically target the final mm of closing a gripper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersqueeze Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 What I do is similar to the string lift. I use a thin (approx. 0.5 inch) smooth nylon rope doubled over my pull-up bar for doing pull-ups. I try to keep the thumb out of the squeeze and just hold on with the tight fist. As I get tired I move my thumb up so that I can also pinch the rope between the thumb and first finger. I also use a thick (3 inch) rope, but the thin one works the hand in the way you ask about. WARNING: If you are heavy this may result in rope burns! Mike M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan McMillan Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 I've been using a clothesline for my lift, I do it strict style first and am working with 35lbs in that manner. Then I do these hammer style with 50-60lbs depending on how tired my grip is. And yes Supersqz ya hafta whatch out for that rope burn!!! Bender, I might try that idea as well since that is the weakest section in my grip right now. Jon@han Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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