CarnalSalvation
Trying to make a Milankey
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Note: This is not a thread for me to explain a million different grip exercises, it's for people who've got the grip training figured out, but aren't quite sure how to impliment it. So please, don't clutter this up with too many non routine related Q's.
I believe volume/frequency is key for the grip. For that reason when I am training hard I train grip five days a week. Some people train it even more. I'll give an outline of how I do my training.
Grippers 1
Warm-up with easy grippers
overcrushes (high intensity)
Singles on semi-challenging gripper (as a #3 closer, I might use the beefbuilder supermaster here for example) as well as singles on an easy gripper for max volume
Thickbar
2" or 2.5" barbell deadlifts for 1-3 rep sets, or rack pulls for timed holds
2" bar high pulls from the hang for doubles
Rolling thunder up to heavy singles then timed holds
2" or 2.5" barbell or dumbell curls
Pinch
Plate pinches for timed holds, or heavy singles, usually one handed, occasionally two handed
I then do an exercise where I pinch a weight in excess of my one handed max with two hands, and hold it with one. For some reason you can hold more than you can pick up. It's kind of like a negative.
After I do the plate pinching I move onto my block weights. I have a light one and a heavier one. Neither is extremely challenging for me, so I've found various ways to make it harder such as using fewer fingers, tossing it from hand to hand, doing dynamic things like cleans and snatches (the increased force makes it harder to hold onto, same reason for the highpulls with the 2" barbell). Simply picking them up, or picking them up and holding them for time is great though if you have challlenging blocks. If you're looking to increase gripper strength, I highly advise trying to lift and hold one of your block weights with your ring/pinkie and thumb only. If this is too difficult, put athletic tape on the block and see if this helps. Clay Edgin gave me the tip of strengthening my pinkie and ring (especially ring) fingers, as they are farthest down the lever of a gripper handle. It works, I will attest to that. I did a lot of training for those fingers in the weaks leading up to my dominating the #3 for the first time.
Then I'll usually do some burnout pinching on my pinch block, or using 2 25's per hand for several sets
lastely I use the "telegraph key" to work my thumbs and my pinkie/ring fingers. If you don't have a telegraph key, try lifting plates by the lip using only limited fingers and holding them this way.
Grippers 2:
Warm-up
Singles on hard grippers and attempts on uncloseable grippers
No Set Closes on challenging grippers
Overcrushes (medium intensity)
Wrist/Lowerarm
Bending, doing max bends all the time will wear you out in a hurry, so try bending for max volume in a set period of time. I fyou did 6 60 penny nails in 10 minutes last week, try seven the next, something like that. Also, bending isn't something you have to go balls out on all the time to get results on, and it requires more rest than most other types of "lifts".
Wrist Roller (2")
Levering (2" bar)
2" DB Hammer curls
Some overall grip tips:
-Recovery for grip is important too. Get one of these squishy stress balls, and a pair of those clangy chinese balls (the ben wa balls bwahaha). Seriously, playing with your balls (I meant the ones I was talking about in the previous sentence sicko!) in your offtime will help your hands recover and improve your work capacity
-Grippers all the time! When I was training to close the #3, I kept the #1 around all the time when I was at home. Whenever it'd cross my mind I'd pick it up and bang out 10 singles with each hand either set or no set, or maybe do a rep set. Nothing too hard, but I found playing with an easy gripper while I was working hard on other days improved performance overall.
-Learn to bend. There is a reason bending is becoming the hot new thing, it makes your wrists and lower arms freaky strong. I can't think of a grappler who WOULDN'T benefit from doing some bending. The only issue could possibly be a shoulder or elbow injury, if you jump into bending too quickly, or bend without warming up, it places a great deal of stress on the joints. The key with bending isn't in your hands, it's in your head. You need to really EXPLODE on the nail.
You heard Brooks say it you guys, grip is key for grapplers, fighters and wrestlers. It's 100% true. I was inspired to make this post by a PM I got from a wise man who knew that stronger hands would make him a better grappler, and sought to learn how to make his hands powerful. Your hands and wrists transfer the power of your body to your opponnent, whether it be a strike, a hold, a sub, a throw, whatever it is, most of the time, your hands/wrists are the link to the individual you're trying to hurt. Don't let your hands and wrists be a weak link in your chain, especially when there are so many benefits to be reaped from having a pair of really strong hands. You owe it to yourself, train grip, train it hard, and if you have any money, spend some of it on grip toys.
And any of you who are serious about getting some meathooks to grapple with, I really would advise The Mastery of Handstrength by John Brookefield, unless you are already quite well versed in grip trianing. The book is excellent, it offers a ton of inovative training ideas, breaks grip training and how/why to do it down in an easy to understand way, and Johns enthusiasm for grip is evident throughout the book. You can pick it up at Ironmind.
I believe volume/frequency is key for the grip. For that reason when I am training hard I train grip five days a week. Some people train it even more. I'll give an outline of how I do my training.
Grippers 1
Warm-up with easy grippers
overcrushes (high intensity)
Singles on semi-challenging gripper (as a #3 closer, I might use the beefbuilder supermaster here for example) as well as singles on an easy gripper for max volume
Thickbar
2" or 2.5" barbell deadlifts for 1-3 rep sets, or rack pulls for timed holds
2" bar high pulls from the hang for doubles
Rolling thunder up to heavy singles then timed holds
2" or 2.5" barbell or dumbell curls
Pinch
Plate pinches for timed holds, or heavy singles, usually one handed, occasionally two handed
I then do an exercise where I pinch a weight in excess of my one handed max with two hands, and hold it with one. For some reason you can hold more than you can pick up. It's kind of like a negative.
After I do the plate pinching I move onto my block weights. I have a light one and a heavier one. Neither is extremely challenging for me, so I've found various ways to make it harder such as using fewer fingers, tossing it from hand to hand, doing dynamic things like cleans and snatches (the increased force makes it harder to hold onto, same reason for the highpulls with the 2" barbell). Simply picking them up, or picking them up and holding them for time is great though if you have challlenging blocks. If you're looking to increase gripper strength, I highly advise trying to lift and hold one of your block weights with your ring/pinkie and thumb only. If this is too difficult, put athletic tape on the block and see if this helps. Clay Edgin gave me the tip of strengthening my pinkie and ring (especially ring) fingers, as they are farthest down the lever of a gripper handle. It works, I will attest to that. I did a lot of training for those fingers in the weaks leading up to my dominating the #3 for the first time.
Then I'll usually do some burnout pinching on my pinch block, or using 2 25's per hand for several sets
lastely I use the "telegraph key" to work my thumbs and my pinkie/ring fingers. If you don't have a telegraph key, try lifting plates by the lip using only limited fingers and holding them this way.
Grippers 2:
Warm-up
Singles on hard grippers and attempts on uncloseable grippers
No Set Closes on challenging grippers
Overcrushes (medium intensity)
Wrist/Lowerarm
Bending, doing max bends all the time will wear you out in a hurry, so try bending for max volume in a set period of time. I fyou did 6 60 penny nails in 10 minutes last week, try seven the next, something like that. Also, bending isn't something you have to go balls out on all the time to get results on, and it requires more rest than most other types of "lifts".
Wrist Roller (2")
Levering (2" bar)
2" DB Hammer curls
Some overall grip tips:
-Recovery for grip is important too. Get one of these squishy stress balls, and a pair of those clangy chinese balls (the ben wa balls bwahaha). Seriously, playing with your balls (I meant the ones I was talking about in the previous sentence sicko!) in your offtime will help your hands recover and improve your work capacity
-Grippers all the time! When I was training to close the #3, I kept the #1 around all the time when I was at home. Whenever it'd cross my mind I'd pick it up and bang out 10 singles with each hand either set or no set, or maybe do a rep set. Nothing too hard, but I found playing with an easy gripper while I was working hard on other days improved performance overall.
-Learn to bend. There is a reason bending is becoming the hot new thing, it makes your wrists and lower arms freaky strong. I can't think of a grappler who WOULDN'T benefit from doing some bending. The only issue could possibly be a shoulder or elbow injury, if you jump into bending too quickly, or bend without warming up, it places a great deal of stress on the joints. The key with bending isn't in your hands, it's in your head. You need to really EXPLODE on the nail.
You heard Brooks say it you guys, grip is key for grapplers, fighters and wrestlers. It's 100% true. I was inspired to make this post by a PM I got from a wise man who knew that stronger hands would make him a better grappler, and sought to learn how to make his hands powerful. Your hands and wrists transfer the power of your body to your opponnent, whether it be a strike, a hold, a sub, a throw, whatever it is, most of the time, your hands/wrists are the link to the individual you're trying to hurt. Don't let your hands and wrists be a weak link in your chain, especially when there are so many benefits to be reaped from having a pair of really strong hands. You owe it to yourself, train grip, train it hard, and if you have any money, spend some of it on grip toys.
And any of you who are serious about getting some meathooks to grapple with, I really would advise The Mastery of Handstrength by John Brookefield, unless you are already quite well versed in grip trianing. The book is excellent, it offers a ton of inovative training ideas, breaks grip training and how/why to do it down in an easy to understand way, and Johns enthusiasm for grip is evident throughout the book. You can pick it up at Ironmind.
