Why grip strength

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Grip strength refers to how tightly you can hold something in your hand and how long you can hold it for compared to how heavy that something is.

Put simply: Grip strength is how much force you can create with all the muscles in your fingers, hands, forearms, and upper arms. Day-to-day tasks like opening jars and shampoo bottles, lugging around your overstuffed bag, and even vacuuming are all i-m-p-o-s-s-i-b-l-e without adequate grip strength.

Plus, the risk of dropping something on your foot like a dumbbell while working out is way higher if your grip strength is MIA. One study showed that strong er grip strength can result in a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, while weak er grip strength is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Another research review suggested that grip strength can be used to predict the risk of mortality in people 60 or older.

Do these two studies mean that everyone with a Gorilla Grip will outlive everyone with a soft handshake? But they do suggest that grip strength is a decent stand-in as an indicator of overall muscle strength, which is widely known as a key indicator of overall health, according to a research review.

Consider the deadlift. Indeed, if your grip is so weak that it keeps you from completing certain exercises, your overall quest for strength suffers, while if your grip is bone-crushing, your gains will surge. Your grip style dictates which muscle group takes the lead for that grip. To strengthen your muscles needed for a good grip, try any of these workout programs.

Ever seen a metal barbell clip? These little devices help to strengthen your crush grip by squeezing it… and then squeezing again… and again. No matter what your rep count is, be sure to do the same number on both hands. Grab dumbbells or a kettlebell from the floor and stand to full extension. Hinge at the hip and bend your knees as you keep your chest up until the weight touches the ground. Do 10 to 15 reps and four sets. Standing with your chest up and shoulders back, weight in your heels, hold one kettlebell between your legs.

Stand and squeeze your glutes as you send the kettlebell into the air up to chest height. Maintain a strong grip and an upright chest as it swings back between your legs. Poulin recommends incorporating the barbell shrug into your strength routine for a better grip. You can do this with a barbell, a trap bar, dumbbells, or a machine.

Hold a barbell using a pronated overhand grip at shoulder-width in front of your hips with your arms straight. Stand holding the barbell with your shoulders back and head facing forward. Keeping your arms straight, raise your shoulders and traps towards the ceiling, pause for three seconds, then return to the starting position.

Hold a barbell you can do this with a dumbbell too with an overhand grip behind you, two to three inches from your lower back. With an upright posture, let the barbell roll onto your fingertips while keeping your arms straight. Then, make a fist and contract your forearms to grip the bar with a closed grip. That's one rep. Be sure to do this slowly and avoid using momentum to move the barbell.

Touch all of your fingertips together so your thumb is touching the tip of your other four fingers. Place a rubber band around the bendy part of your finger closest to your fingernail, and push your fingers against the band until your hand is open, as if you were giving someone a high-five.

Bring your fingers back together. Poulin likes this exercise since it trains your ability to hold onto something for an extended period of time. Place a pound plate or heavier flat on the ground. Keep a bench or box nearby. If it can stand up on its own, have it stand up.

Grab the plate with your right hand using just your fingers, keeping your thumb on one side of the plate. Stand straight up with the plate so that it's at your side. Researchers say grip strength can predict your overall strength and health, as well as your risk of cardiovascular disease. As you age, the stronger your grip, the more likely you are to survive diseases like cancer. Maintaining muscle mass and, as part of that, grip strength is important for mobility and strength.

This is especially true after age 40 , when muscles tend to lose their mass as part of aging. A strong grip at an older age is an indicator of longevity. In a study , researchers collected , grip strength measurements in 17 countries to test ongoing disease and discovered significant results.

The study suggests that, for each pound decrease in grip strength, there is a 16 percent higher risk of death from any cause. Grip strength can be measured with a dynamometer, a tool that measures strength in kilograms by squeezing it. There are ways to specifically strengthen your grip, though experts suggest focusing instead on overall muscle strength to improve fitness and health.