mcalpine1986 Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 I'm a firm believer in getting the CNS activated before starting grippers in a workout, I'm curious as to what others like to do before they train grippers? Or if you do nothing and jump straight into grippers without any kind of exercise or lift, why? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubyagrip Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 (edited) I warm up my extensors with light bands, and I am now experimenting with a bullring. I do 10 reps on the lowest three levels of my Baraban adjustable, followed by 5 reps on my CoC Trainer and 3 reps on my #1. Then I jump straight into the heavy stuff. I rest a few minutes between each set. EDIT: These are TNS reps, btw. Edited October 31, 2023 by dubyagrip 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchapman Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 Squats 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcalpine1986 Posted October 31, 2023 Author Share Posted October 31, 2023 7 minutes ago, dubyagrip said: I warm up my extensors with light bands, and I am now experimenting with a bullring. I do 10 reps on the lowest three levels of my Baraban adjustable, followed by 5 reps on my CoC Trainer and 3 reps on my #1. Then I jump straight into the heavy stuff. I rest a few minutes between each set. So no weights or normal lifting beforehand and pretty much straight into grippers. Interesting thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubyagrip Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 Just now, mcalpine1986 said: So no weights or normal lifting beforehand and pretty much straight into grippers. Interesting thanks. Correct. Apologies for not giving insight into, "why?," but I truly don't have a good answer other than if I want to train grippers then I need to be fully immersed in grippers. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcalpine1986 Posted October 31, 2023 Author Share Posted October 31, 2023 2 minutes ago, dubyagrip said: Correct. Apologies for not giving insight into, "why?," but I truly don't have a good answer other than if I want to train grippers then I need to be fully immersed in grippers. No worries man, it's always good to read how others tick. I get that although i would have thought a man as strong as you would have done some sort of heavy lifting beforehand maybe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcalpine1986 Posted October 31, 2023 Author Share Posted October 31, 2023 7 minutes ago, jchapman said: Squats Great. I always find squats are Good to train before grippers, they get me fired up but don't tax the hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubyagrip Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 1 minute ago, mcalpine1986 said: No worries man, it's always good to read how others tick. I get that although i would have thought a man as strong as you would have done some sort of heavy lifting beforehand maybe. I think it's a cool idea, but I am constantly on the verge of overtraining with trying to manage competition prep and grippers, so there's very little room for anything else. That said, I am pleased with my progress and results. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fist of Fury Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 (edited) Powerlifting, or just arm training, biceps, triceps etc. Actually anything works but it depends on what type of gripper workout I'm planning to do. If I want to go for heavy singles I usually stay away from pulling exercises before. If I do volume work I can do pulling exercises before or at the same time. I used to do only gripper before some years ago when I trained. The good thing I found out with doing that is that I build up a base strength level which I can reach anytime without having to prime my CNS. The downside with that is that it gave me very bad bicep tendonitis, so I don't do that anymore because of that. Edited October 31, 2023 by Fist of Fury 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcalpine1986 Posted October 31, 2023 Author Share Posted October 31, 2023 4 minutes ago, Fist of Fury said: Powerlifting, or just arm training, biceps, triceps etc. Actually anything works but it depends on what type of gripper workout I'm planning to do. If I want to go for heavy singles I usually stay away from pulling exercises before. If I do volume work I can do pulling exercises before or at the same time. I used to do only gripper before some years ago when I trained. The good thing I found out with doing that is that I build up a base strength level which I can reach anytime without having to prime my CNS. The downside with that is that it gave me very bad bicep tendonitis, so I don't do that anymore because of that. Thanks for chiming in. That's pretty much what I do, if going lighter with grippers anything upper body wise will do. If heavier I like squats or bench, heavy pressing etc. Hopefully the bicep Tendonitis will stay away now. Tendonitis is no picnic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex K Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 I usually just take my 2.5 and get a couple of closes. Quite simple actually, no reps counted or anything, just so that it feels right. After that I typically jump into my regular training 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fist of Fury Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 6 minutes ago, mcalpine1986 said: Thanks for chiming in. That's pretty much what I do, if going lighter with grippers anything upper body wise will do. If heavier I like squats or bench, heavy pressing etc. Hopefully the bicep Tendonitis will stay away now. Tendonitis is no picnic. Yup it's completely cured from doing a lot of arm training, got tennis elbow instead now. I guess left hand was doing too well, it almost surpassed my right hand, now I've been slowed down again but I think going lighter for a while will solve it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcalpine1986 Posted October 31, 2023 Author Share Posted October 31, 2023 8 minutes ago, Alex K said: I usually just take my 2.5 and get a couple of closes. Quite simple actually, no reps counted or anything, just so that it feels right. After that I typically jump into my regular training So another one just grippers only, Interesting. Do you feel any difference in gripper strength if you did train bench, squats, or something first then grippers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex K Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 1 minute ago, mcalpine1986 said: So another one just grippers only, Interesting. Do you feel any difference in gripper strength if you did train bench, squats, or something first then grippers? That's a great question. Recently, my grip training has been going on both in the gym and at home. When I am at the gym, it sometimes is easier for me to have my CNS where I want it to be for gripper work. At home I am too chill sometimes haha, but often times this is not the issue. I feel like some general physical activity before some intense grip work can't be harmful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilBB Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 I've tried squatting before/while training grippers and it didn't do anything for me, so I either just go straight to grippers or take a short bike ride before. The worst for me is benching before grippers, I always end up getting some sort of tendonitis in my left elbow when setting grippers after benching. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Myerscough Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 I have tried all ways. Doing lifts that stimulate your cns, like squats, cleans, clean and press, dumbbell snatch etc will allow you to pick up a gripper and start at a much higher percentage of your 1 rep max. Eg if I do some presses I can just go straight to a 3 then 3.5 and be ready for top sets but invariably the top end is a little lower and not better than if I do grippers only. So I do my normal limbering up/dynamic warmup and then build slow on the grippers, trainer, 1, 2 etc with 3 minutes rest and that has always taken me to the best results. During the warm up sets I do some light tricep and rear delt band exercises and light plate wrist curls, I consider those just warming up. However when I was really chasing my goal on grippers and it was elevated to the upmost of importance in the week, the body would start to prepare itself, really. So my resting heart rate normally 68 would go to 100 just sat in the chair before I began the workout. 5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcalpine1986 Posted October 31, 2023 Author Share Posted October 31, 2023 27 minutes ago, EmilBB said: I've tried squatting before/while training grippers and it didn't do anything for me, so I either just go straight to grippers or take a short bike ride before. The worst for me is benching before grippers, I always end up getting some sort of tendonitis in my left elbow when setting grippers after benching. Thanks. That's unusual about grippers causing Tendonitis if you bench beforehand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcalpine1986 Posted October 31, 2023 Author Share Posted October 31, 2023 8 minutes ago, Carl Myerscough said: I have tried all ways. Doing lifts that stimulate your cns, like squats, cleans, clean and press, dumbbell snatch etc will allow you to pick up a gripper and start at a much higher percentage of your 1 rep max. Eg if I do some presses I can just go straight to a 3 then 3.5 and be ready for top sets but invariably the top end is a little lower and not better than if I do grippers only. So I do my normal limbering up/dynamic warmup and then build slow on the grippers, trainer, 1, 2 etc with 3 minutes rest and that has always taken me to the best results. During the warm up sets I do some light tricep and rear delt band exercises and light plate wrist curls, I consider those just warming up. However when I was really chasing my goal on grippers and it was elevated to the upmost of importance in the week, the body would start to prepare itself, really. So my resting heart rate normally 68 would go to 100 just sat in the chair before I began the workout. Fascinating stuff Carl, thanks. A resting heart rate of 68 for a man your size is very good. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jermiah Merciconah Posted October 31, 2023 Share Posted October 31, 2023 I typically reserve grippers for my bench days as i find its the perfect thing to warm up on, If i know i'm only doing 2-3 heavy top sets then i'll do grippers after the bench, But if i'm doing a pyramid working up to a 1RM then i'll do grippers between sets 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Knowlton Posted November 1, 2023 Share Posted November 1, 2023 powerlifting is a great way to warm up for life itself. But for grippers anything that gets the blood flowing in the muscles moving is a good warm-up 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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