Best Ways to Improve Grip Strength

Best Ways to Improve Grip Strength

Good grip strength is a must. It’s what helps you open those tightly sealed jars of peanut butter, grasp the barbell when lifting, and so much more. But how do you improve your grip strength? It’s simple enough: hold onto heavy items. And how does that translate into your workout? It can take many forms, from simply hanging onto heavy weight in a plate pinch to grabbing heavier weight for your deadlifts.

Understanding Grip Strength Muscles

The muscles of your forearm are the primary contributors to your grip strength. The flexor digitorum profundis (FDP) and flexor pollicis longus (FPL) help produce grip force and flex your wrist. The extensor digitorum communis (EDC) does the opposite, helping with grip relaxation and wrist extension.

These muscles work together to help you grasp objects, whether you’re holding a bar loaded with weight or a jug of milk.

How to Improve Grip Strength

Improving your grip strength requires you to hang onto heavy items. With time and plenty of holding time, those muscles will begin to strengthen, improving your overall grip strength. So, how do you incorporate those moves into your exercise routine?

Thankfully, you might not have to change your routine much to begin working on your grip strength. Many of the moves you might already do (deadlifts, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks) already work on your grip strength, especially if you use heavier weights.

That said, there are a few grip strength exercises that can help you focus more on the muscles responsible for it. Here’s how to get better grip strength:

1. Dead Hang

The dead hang uses your body weight to hone in on your grip strength muscles. Of course, it also helps with all sorts of other things, including strengthening the muscles of the upper back and decompressing the spine. It’s a win-win!

To do it, start underneath a stable pull-up bar. Grasp the bar with both hands, positioning your hands just outside your shoulders. Wrap your hands around the bar, wrapping your thumb around the underside. Step off the box you’re using to reach the bar (if you’re using one), or bend your knees to suspend yourself from your hands.

2. Farmer’s Carry

The farmer’s walk or carry is another excellent move that targets grip strength. You hold a heavy weight in each hand and walk slowly back and forth for 45 to 60 seconds. Repeat multiple times, resting between each set.

If possible, use a weight with a thicker grip. This will better target those grip-strength muscles, requiring you to engage them to keep a good grip on the weight.

3. Wrist Curls

While these curls have a tiny range of motion, they’re excellent for focusing on your grip-strength muscles. They’re similar to bicep curls, but instead of bending at the elbow, you’ll bend at the wrist.

To do them, grasp light to medium weights in your hands. Find a sturdy place to rest your forearms and elbows on, like a bench. Let your wrists hang off the edge to allow for a full range of motion. Curl the dumbbells toward your forearms, engaging those grip-strength muscles through the entire movement.

4. Reverse Grip Curl

Reverse grip bicep curls are another good option for targeting your forearm muscles while also working on building your biceps. Instead of doing the curl with your palms facing forward, you’ll rotate your wrists so that your palms face you, knuckles facing forward.

Complete the bicep curl as usual, engaging the muscles of your forearms and biceps throughout the movement.

5. Plate Pinch

The plate pinch is a killer for your forearms. You won’t be doing much besides holding the weight. Simply grasp two weighted plates, one in each hand. Instead of grasping the handle (if it has one), pinch the plate with your thumb on one side and the rest of your fingers on the other.

Since you won’t have the stability of your palms to help hang onto the weight, this move truly hones in on your forearms and grip strength. If you want to take things up a notch, combine the plate pinch with walking (think the farmer’s carry) or grab heavier plates.

Improve Your Grip Strength With a Tailored Workout Program

We use our grip-strength muscles every day, whether to grab a gallon of milk from the fridge, a bottle of shampoo from the supermarket shelf, or the bar to power through deadlifts. So, building that strength isn’t a bad idea. After all, it’ll give you functional strength that you can use on a daily basis. No more struggling to open the pickle jar!

Of course, grip strength training should only be a small portion of your entire workout plan. A well-rounded workout regimen should target muscles throughout the body, not just the forearm muscles. If you’re at a loss for what to do or how to increase grip strength through training, chat with a personal trainer near you. They can help you by creating a custom workout tailored to your unique needs and goals!