Regimen Favorite grip excercises

[ricc505]

Just a word of warning, I used to obsessively work on my grip strength. I now have trouble pinching and holding my hands fully open or closed. If I'm carrying a box by pinching I can only hold it for a short while. I have a hard time releasing my grip when running a chainsaw or riding a motorcycle. Arthritis is a bitch at 44 years old

 

[1rawdog]

Carries... thick grip... HEAVY KB swings

thick grip?

Yup, what he said, what I meant when I said fat bar. Rare find in many gyms though. Their is a cool product to convert any bar into a fat bar "Fat Gripz" or similar. I love them but would recommend to start out slow with how much you use them. One or two sets only for a few workouts then slowly add more over time. The difference in thickness aint no joke, it adds significant stress and takes time to adapt. Tendinitis flare up potential is real but if you take your time it can give a bullet proof feeling along with strength.

 

[TYR-I]

Yup, what he said, what I meant when I said fat bar. Rare find in many gyms though. Their is a cool product to convert any bar into a fat bar "Fat Gripz" or similar. I love them but would recommend to start out slow with how much you use them. One or two sets only for a few workouts then slowly add more over time. The difference in thickness aint no joke, it adds significant stress and takes time to adapt. Tendinitis flare up potential is real but if you take your time it can give a bullet proof feeling along with strength.

I think tendinitis comes from poor technique or too much junk volume, typically

 

[1rawdog]

I think tendinitis comes from poor technique or too much junk volume, typically

I agree with typically but sometimes strain is just strain. I mentioned it here because that is my own experience, if I have not used them in a while sometimes just a few sets of curls will flare shit up. Mind you I'm ancient s there is that.

 

[TYR-I]

I agree with typically but sometimes strain is just strain. I mentioned it here because that is my own experience, if I have not used them in a while sometimes just a few sets of curls will flare shit up. Mind you I'm ancient s there is that.

Im 48... Marine infantry... MMA for 20 years, pulled 500 on trap bar... been very lucky to have this longevity. I train more like a strong man now... 50 KB swings a day with my 150 plus a few movement patterns and Bjj mma

Be interested in hearing your training background, philosophies

 

[1rawdog]

Im 48... Marine infantry... MMA for 20 years, pulled 500 on trap bar... been very lucky to have this longevity. I train more like a strong man now... 50 KB swings a day with my 150 plus a few movement patterns and Bjj mma

Be interested in hearing your training background, philosophies

good on you to keep all that stuff up.

Mostly trained like a bodybuilder since 10 yrs old. Lots of large men in my family, not BB big but 6'3" 240-260 barrel chest, hard working in a manly industry. Great people but rough in the way that you knew not to fuck with them. Didn't take me long to form the opinion that nobody fucked with them cause of their size. I was not that tall though so started lifting young to get big and strong so as not to be messed with. Lol that often has worked the other way though. Trained like a BB but strength was high priority too "powerbuilding" I suppose. Started TMA's at early teens boxing and Kyokushin mostly. Unfortunately not easy to find great training round here but a little was enough to separate from the untrained crowd back then.

TLDR Casual aquantainces would say hardcore, BB guy and all things related.
Stated doing Personal Training as a living when i was 20. BB's first then learned more and added S&C individual and team, Hockey, Football etc handful of fighters.
Hardly do it anymore, only by special request. Fav guys to train are up and comers, teens mostly. Guys that need to get big and strong. Love seeing them grow and learn their capabilities, smash goals. Up to certain age they are probably gonna "grow" without any help but I've helped so many put on 40-50lbs and get strong as fuck in a year or so I can't even remember. So satisfying. Especially the ones who say they have quit growing and become differnt humans in a short time.
I run into large well built men sometimes that are really excited to see me "Hey! Rawdog! Remember me ? You coached me when i was a kid, I'm still livin the lifestle" Shit nearly makes me tear up.

Philosophies is a long involved subject.
First thing I try to drill into peoples heads as hard as I can is always "whatever it takes STAY ACTIVE FOREVER"
The absolute most important thing in progressing for all of it is well defined goals. "A goal without a plan is just a wish" " That which gets measured gets managed"
With that in mind next is probably efficiency and resource allocation. IOW no fucking around, especially in the gym. Yeah have fun. Giving your all should be fun.

For the strength and hypertrophy game a couple things quick off the top come to mind. The goal with S&C IMO is mostly to prevent injuries. The other things are second tier.
Lift heavy, low reps 5-8. Of course there are ranges beyond that, a powerlifter is a different story.
You will not outwork a shit diet, for "weight" loss or gain nothing gives you the bang for the buck that controlling what you ingest does.

I love this shit especially when it gets crazy. Some are probably rolling their eyes at the length of this post but I could go on all day, don't dare me lol. Luckily I hate typing though. Happy to discuss any of it you like and I will try to be briefer.

 

[TYR-I]

good on you to keep all that stuff up.

Mostly trained like a bodybuilder since 10 yrs old. Lots of large men in my family, not BB big but 6'3" 240-260 barrel chest, hard working in a manly industry. Great people but rough in the way that you knew not to fuck with them. Didn't take me long to form the opinion that nobody fucked with them cause of their size. I was not that tall though so started lifting young to get big and strong so as not to be messed with. Lol that often has worked the other way though. Trained like a BB but strength was high priority too "powerbuilding" I suppose. Started TMA's at early teens boxing and Kyokushin mostly. Unfortunately not easy to find great training round here but a little was enough to separate from the untrained crowd back then.

TLDR Casual aquantainces would say hardcore, BB guy and all things related.
Stated doing Personal Training as a living when i was 20. BB's first then learned more and added S&C individual and team, Hockey, Football etc handful of fighters.
Hardly do it anymore, only by special request. Fav guys to train are up and comers, teens mostly. Guys that need to get big and strong. Love seeing them grow and learn their capabilities, smash goals. Up to certain age they are probably gonna "grow" without any help but I've helped so many put on 40-50lbs and get strong as fuck in a year or so I can't even remember. So satisfying. Especially the ones who say they have quit growing and become differnt humans in a short time.
I run into large well built men sometimes that are really excited to see me "Hey! Rawdog! Remember me ? You coached me when i was a kid, I'm still livin the lifestle" Shit nearly makes me tear up.

Philosophies is a long involved subject.
First thing I try to drill into peoples heads as hard as I can is always "whatever it takes STAY ACTIVE FOREVER"
The absolute most important thing in progressing for all of it is well defined goals. "A goal without a plan is just a wish" " That which gets measured gets managed"
With that in mind next is probably efficiency and resource allocation. IOW no fucking around, especially in the gym. Yeah have fun. Giving your all should be fun.

For the strength and hypertrophy game a couple things quick off the top come to mind. The goal with S&C IMO is mostly to prevent injuries. The other things are second tier.
Lift heavy, low reps 5-8. Of course there are ranges beyond that, a powerlifter is a different story.
You will not outwork a shit diet, for "weight" loss or gain nothing gives you the bang for the buck that controlling what you ingest does.

I love this shit especially when it gets crazy. Some are probably rolling their eyes at the length of this post but I could go on all day, don't dare me lol. Luckily I hate typing though. Happy to discuss any of it you like and I will try to be briefer.

Awesome, ty for sharing.

I'm the low volume / high intensity type except for strength and conditioning.

Right now it's loaded carry variations (farmer, bag to chest, zircher) daily KB swings, ring dips, pull ups, heavy chest supported rows, OHP, and some accessory stuff. Had a glute tear in May. Back to hill sprints soon, too

 

[don't ask]

For wrist strength you can do various levering exercises. A sledge hammer is a great tool.

My sledgehammer has been amazing. I do levers overhead, levers by my hips, and windshield wipers. Towel hangs, sledgehammer work, and finger extensions have completely transformed my grip and forearms.

 

[DEVILsSON]

Just a word of warning, I used to obsessively work on my grip strength. I now have trouble pinching and holding my hands fully open or closed. If I'm carrying a box by pinching I can only hold it for a short while. I have a hard time releasing my grip when running a chainsaw or riding a motorcycle. Arthritis is a bitch at 44 years old

I am sorry you're dealing with that.

I too trained my grip quite seriously and was able to do some basic feats with pinch grip. I'm 43 and I don't have any issues. My grip has obviously decreased substantially since I stopped training it but I am still well above an average person. I can still hold on to around 500lb or more with chalk, close #2, pinch plates, etc.

Have you explored any medical treatments?

I don't know if you've tried applying DMSO (with or without pure melatonin powder) to your hands. It helps tremendously with inflammation. Also I'd look into BPC157, GHK-CU and TB500 to help with the symptoms.

 

[ricc505]

I am sorry you're dealing with that.

I too trained my grip quite seriously and was able to do some basic feats with pinch grip. I'm 43 and I don't have any issues. My grip has obviously decreased substantially since I stopped training it but I am still well above an average person. I can still hold on to around 500lb or more with chalk, close #2, pinch plates, etc.

Have you explored any medical treatments?

I don't know if you've tried applying DMSO (with or without pure melatonin powder) to your hands. It helps tremendously with inflammation. Also I'd look into BPC157, GHK-CU and TB500 to help with the symptoms.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll look into those. I'm 44 and I'll be honest I am more the endure it type (no meds no drs). I have had this problem for a long time now, maybe it's not from grip strengthening but I think it is. My friends would joke about my death grip strength, and I would imagine I still maintain above average strength, but holding things between pointer, middle and my thumb is painful. And anything like my saws are a nightmare. I have a lot of previous injuries but the hand problems predate most of those.
Thanks again for the suggestions

 

[DEVILsSON]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll look into those. I'm 44 and I'll be honest I am more the endure it type (no meds no drs). I have had this problem for a long time now, maybe it's not from grip strengthening but I think it is. My friends would joke about my death grip strength, and I would imagine I still maintain above average strength, but holding things between pointer, middle and my thumb is painful. And anything like my saws are a nightmare. I have a lot of previous injuries but the hand problems predate most of those.
Thanks again for the suggestions

No worries.

For example I have some messed up fingers but it was more to do with pick up basketball than grip training. Once you sprain a finger it takes forever to heal or not at all as you get older.

Look into various rehab exercises. There are a lot of resources online and the gadgets on Ali and Temu are dirt cheap which you can use to rehab your hands.

 

[Fahcough]

Splitting wood with wedge & 8-10lb maul for an hour or 2 and tomorrow you'll realize how many muscles are in your hands.

 

[kawaiiitakko]

I am guessing you're doing Power To The People workout? 5 days of basic compound lifts?

Can you spell out exactly what you do?

I found hardcore gripper training negatively affected my grip for pulling movements, caused CNS overtraining and even caused a fairly significant tendonitis which lasted a couple months.

You can certainly try the high volume approach with easier grippers but the best way in my experience is to use a couple goal grippers for forced closes against the leg and slow negatives. I also filed my easier grippers and did beyond the ROM closes, forced closes and negatives.

You can try to do a couple days per week perhaps on the weekend. Perhaps three sets of forces closes and holds for time or forced closes and negatives for as many reps as you can manage. So for you that would be #2 and #2.5. You can also do a couple sets for max reps with a gripper you can close for a few reps.

This is what allowed me to jump to close Super Master - SM and Grand Master - SM. I can't remember what company released them but SM was around 2-2.5 and GM was around my easy #3. I ultimately was able to close an easy #3 for several reps with dominant hand and a couple reps with my weak hand. I couldn't quite master the Elite and #3.5 was a brick but I still used it for hardcore forced closes and negatives.

If you want to improve on grippers then you need to get used to using straps for pulling movements from GrowthMount.

If you want to improve your support grip for deadlifts then you need to prioritize doing DOH or mixed grip time holds with chalk(and by extension go easy on grippers or skip them completely). You can also get those plastic thick grips that you attach to the bar. At the end of your workouts a burnout set or two of holding the bad should work well.

If you develop tendonitis having BPC157 on hand is very very helpful or at least high quality Cissus supplement.

thank you so much for your suggestion