Grip Strength

[Being_the_Don]

This is for WBA and the other guys in the forum, what have you done to improve grip strength? My right arm is fine, grip is good but I've noticed that my left forearm gets sore and gets tired after I finish a set of deads, db squats or bench press. Suggestions?

 

[Supremo]

Sit on a flat bench and lean over so your forearm is lying flat on the bench with your wrist and hand off. Get a 30 lb (or lower, or higher, depending on where you're at) dumbell and proceed to do curls.

I find it easier to push down on my working out forearm with my offhand because it keeps your elbow from coming up.

3x20 and you're set.

 

[Drum&Bass]

- Hang from from a pull up position (ideally with a wide bar).
-reverse curls
-hammer girls..i mean curls

2:58 seconds into this video clip.

 

[Visions007]

Rock climbing will get your forearms and hands really strong quickly

 

[EFFORT]

Rack Lockouts

 

[MrS]

Rack lockouts?

Captain of Crush grippers are excellent.
Plate holds.
Dumbell holds.
Farmers walks.
Heavy deadlifts!

 

[Being_the_Don]

Everybody's making some good suggestions, and that video has some exercise variations I'll look into. Farmer's walk used to be part of my regular routine but then I switched out for a while for other exercises. The reason I decided to post about this is that when I went to the gym yesterday and started a farmer's walk, I was only able to make it the 15 feet up and then 3 feet back. I had to set down the dumbbell in my left hand. I have to check the journal for what I was carrying in farmer's walk before switching out but yesterday I was carrying 85 pounds. I shouldn't have been having trouble with my left forearm. That exercise Supremo mentioned I was doing at the gym last Thursday with 25 pound dumbbell with my left elbow rested on my knee. But my arm was so sore that I couldn't do more than two reps. For the most part I'm ignoring it and continuing to lift heavy to force it to work but I want to correct the problem now instead of allowing it to continue any longer.

 

[Charm]

Be careful with heavy deadlifiting though because you can easily injure your back if you sacrifice form.

 

[Being_the_Don]

Be careful with heavy deadlifiting though because you can easily injure your back if you sacrifice form.

Thanks, Charm. I take care to watch my form when I'm lifting, I have the same concerns that you do. We never want to injure our backs.

 

[Damand]

Rock climbing will get your forearms and hands really strong quickly

vision has the right idea.
i dont mean to bring up an old thread but this definitly got my attention
of climbing experience
i have been climbing for 2 years and climbers have developed plenty of exercises to improve grip strength.

i am 6'1'' 170 lbs and 6% body fat. Before i started rock climbing i was 145... lanky as a motha fu*ka and probably 12% body fat.

Dead hangs, hang as long as you can on a pull-up bar, hang from one arm and shake out the pump on the other arm, then rinse and repeat on the other arm. (with this technique and a lot climbing experience i have been able to dead hang for over 13 minutes)

take a 10lb plate, sit down on a bench, and lean over pinching it with one hand in between your thumb and fingers for as long as you can, then switch hands, go back and forth between hands until you cant hold it longer than 30 seconds... the next time you do this exercise try 15 lbs.

Typewriters: Do a a wide chin up, then once your chin is up above the bar, you shift your body as far as you can to one side so 'most' of your weight is on one of your arms/hands, then stall for a second or two, and shift your weight to the other side

The above exercise is incredible not only for specific hand grip strength but your back, abs, and arms as well...