Men’s Health Shares Four Grip-Strength Training Tips
The strategies add more forearm-focused work to your workouts.
Grip can become the bottleneck when lifting a barbell or carrying groceries. Weaker grip has been associated in studies with greater cardiovascular disease risk and earlier death, while researchers have proposed hand-grip strength as a clinical vital sign. It also matters in the gym: insufficient grip can contribute to injury and stop a lifter from handling more weight.
The first strategy is to grasp every weight as firmly as possible. During a one-arm exercise such as a dumbbell row, the resting hand can be clenched too. Second, use thicker equipment for deadlifts and other pulling movements. These bars are about double the usual thickness, making lighter loads harder to hold. Wrapping a towel around a regular bar creates a similar challenge.
Dan John’s weekly test combines a pullup with a 30-second hang. Repeat without releasing the bar until the grip gives out or another pullup is no longer possible. Completing 10 repetitions adds up to more than five minutes of hanging. The fourth approach changes the gripping surface with towels, thick ropes, or PVC pipes. Weekly work can include at least three sets involving towel-assisted pullups or chinups, PVC carries or drags, or rope-based pulling variations.
- Use thicker grips for deadlifts and pulling movements.
- Try the pullup-and-hang challenge once each week.
- Hold the bar for 30 seconds after each pullup.
- Complete at least three weekly sets using towels, ropes, or PVC pipes.
- Ten repetitions total more than five minutes of bar time.
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