How to Improve Your Grip Strength
Here are my top 3 tips on how to improve your grip strength that will help prevent injury and keep you on the path to success.
If the universe came up with jokes, one of them is that I’m a pole dancer and weight lifter with small hands the size of a child and weak grip. Good one, universe.
Flipping upside down in a pole dance studio or deadlifting my bodyweight are two activities that have required me to strengthen my grip, because sometimes, my grip strength is the only difference between success and serious injury.
If you’ve got small hands like me, or even regular sized hands, (can you feel my hand size envy?) here are my 3 best tips for strengthening your grip, regardless of your sport:
3 Tips For Improving Grip Strength
Using Tonal to strengthen your grip using an Isolated Chinup Hold: (Note, you can also do this with a lat pulldown bar or heavy resistance band). Pop on your barbell attachment and turn the weight on in Free Lift Mode, as if you’re going to do a Barbell Chinup. Turn your wrists to face you and pull the barbell into the lower chinup position while you remain seated or kneeling. Watching the time under tension counter on the screen, challenge yourself to hold that position for as long as possible. You should be driving the elbows down while squeezing the armpits, and squeezing your hands. When you reach your limit, control the bar back up and record the time you made it to.
Bottoms Up Kettlebell marches: Grab your kettlebell in the middle of the handle and then flip it upside down, so the bottom faces the ceiling. Keep your arm close to your body for safety. Begin a slow, controlled march in place, keeping an eye on the kettlebell to help you control the stability of the kettlebell. Progress to lunges when you’re ready. Please practice this safely and use your free hand as a safety net to catch the bell if it falls.
Eccentric Hand Grip Strengthener: You can purchase this tool off Amazon (I get a small commission if you use my link, thank you!) Fit all of your fingers into the band, and extend your hand and control the release. Try to use all 5 fingers to extend the band, then try isolating one finger at a time. The kit also comes with a squeezing tool, and you can squeeze with all fingers, your entire hand, or just 2 fingers at a time.
There are lots of ways to improve your grip! Weight lifting on its own will help, along with weight plate pinches, chinup bar hangs, and even carrying heavy groceries with your hands and a strong bag!
What exercises do you do to strengthen your grip? Comment below, I want to hear from you!
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