Getting mad!!!! Anyone have success on increaseing grip strength w/ exercises?

**Twin** · 02-01-2012, 02:17 AM

Im trying to barbbell row 2 plates and i cant, my grip fails on me before my muscles fatigue...

And I was deadlifting 3plates the weight dropped on the ground because i lost grip...(i use double overhand, idont want to use power grip because for some reason i tend pull the weight and i cant help it.. and dont want to risk bicep injury..)

i dont want to use wraps, i just want to increase my grip strength. any good exercises to increase it that u guys had success with?

**-KJ-** · 02-01-2012, 03:39 AM

Do you work your forearms? I work on grip strength.. Just hold a plate for as long as you can (example 10kg plate)
Next set hold 2 x 5Kg plates. Note its the same weight but a wider grip required to work a different aspect of your grip.

I done this and my grip strength improved a lot. Ive never used straps.

**Dr Pepper** · 02-01-2012, 04:40 AM

What's wrong with wraps?

**Twin** · 02-01-2012, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by Dr Pepper

What's wrong with wraps?

Idk. I just feel that it will mess with my grip strength when im doing certain dumbbell exercises like dumbbell incline press and i wont be able to keep the dumbbells stable. And also my forearms are already lagging.. Iv never did any direct work with them... makes sense how my grip strength is weak, with my forearms compared to my other body parts.. so thats why i prefer to get my grip strength up. without any use of wraps...

Originally Posted by -KJ-

Do you work your forearms? I work on grip strength.. Just hold a plate for as long as you can (example 10kg plate)
Next set hold 2 x 5Kg plates. Note its the same weight but a wider grip required to work a different aspect of your grip.

I done this and my grip strength improved a lot. Ive never used straps.

Iv never worked forearms directly. But just 2 weeks ago, I started to add dumbbell hammer curls to my bicep/back workout. I will try out that grip exercise with the plate(s) 2x a week(tuesday and friday). Hopefully i i have success with it. Thank you...

**-KJ-** · 02-01-2012, 05:35 AM

Originally Posted by Dr Pepper

What's wrong with wraps?

Im not against straps infact I may get some soon! I still try work my grip strength so I rely on straps less

**Dytum** · 02-01-2012, 01:47 PM

Hand squeeze things and a weight on a rope and a pole / stick. also wrist curls

**Dr Pepper** · 02-01-2012, 09:55 PM

Trust me your grip strength isnt going to suffer that much. Get the wraps. Some weights are impossible to hold to no matter how good your grip strength is. For example heavy heavy dumbbell shrugs

**Noles12** · 02-01-2012, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Dr Pepper

Trust me your grip strength isnt going to suffer that much. Get the wraps. Some weights are impossible to hold to no matter how good your grip strength is. For example heavy heavy dumbbell shrugs

Exactly. Grip strength is something you can continue to work on but i wouldnt let my grip affect the muscle i am focusing on. Now i wouldnt use straps for weights you can handle but if grip is an issue then use the straps

**stpete** · 02-01-2012, 11:25 PM

Exercise the forearms directly. In the meantime use the straps imo.

**baseline_9** · 02-02-2012, 04:11 AM

Use straps.....

Continue to work your grip...

Put 225 on the bar and do a dead lift, let it hang for as long as you can...

Repeat while increasing the weight

**gazza1980** · 02-02-2012, 06:38 AM

I use alternate grip for deads 1under hand 1 overhand and for bent over barbell row I use reverse grip (palms up) for some reason I get better grip and movment

**DeadlyD** · 02-02-2012, 09:08 AM

One thing I've noticed is,while deadlifting, start with a double over grip continue till your grip fails, then go to over under grip, you'll notice that your grip gets stronger.

**gazza1980** · 02-02-2012, 09:14 AM

I agree with that deadleyd threw it helping me

**alexISthrowed** · 02-02-2012, 09:40 AM

I always use straps. When I competed in powerlifting I never used straps obviously and trained my grip. The best exercise for shear grip strength are what I call static holds. Load up a barbell with a lot of weight or pick up some heavy dumbbells and just hold them lol.

**AllAmerican-PCS** · 02-02-2012, 11:05 AM

Get John Brookfields "Mastery of Hand Strength" through Iron Mind.....it was introduced to me when i use to train Jiu-Jitsu a lot........in a year i was able to pinch grip 2 45lbs plates together (smooth parts out) close a #2.5 Captains of Crush and tap out people by pinch crushing there jaw....I can overhand grip the same amount I can with the under hand grip in my dead lift which I just pulled 545lbs

**Far from massive** · 02-02-2012, 12:17 PM

Try motocross gaurandamnteed iron forearms. Or just do a variety of grip forearm exercises. Back in 70s I used to work out at Dynamo Barbell Club and they had a lot of homemade apparatus one of them was a device made of pipes with two vertical pipes that when squezed together would lift a stack of plates, the damn thing worked awsome.

**Noles12** · 02-02-2012, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Far from massive

Try motocross gaurandamnteed iron forearms. Or just do a variety of grip forearm exercises. Back in 70s I used to work out at Dynamo Barbell Club and they had a lot of homemade apparatus one of them was a device made of pipes with two vertical pipes that when squezed together would lift a stack of plates, the damn thing worked awsome.

In my gym we have a grip strength machine based on the same premise. You sit on it and it has handles up high that are fixed then two down low attached to a weight stack. You squeeze them together and hold or you can squeeze in and out

Click image for larger version.

Name: grip-machine_defranco.jpg
Views: 1953
Size: 14.2 KB
ID: 119956

Click image for larger version.

Name: plate_load_seated_gripper.jpg
Views: 1788
Size: 44.4 KB
ID: 119957

**auswest** · 02-03-2012, 08:37 PM

I find it strange how some people struggle with forearm and grip strength. I have never worked them directly. But I find reverse grip bicep bar curls are great. I work a manual labour job ( heavy duty plant mechanic) and always using tooling which I believe has been the success of my never lagging forearms...

But when I do load the bar up on rows. 2+ a side, and deads from around 400 upwards. I did notice grip fatiguing too early at times more so on deads which I use opposing grips. Not so much rows, but I always have palms up for that.. Anyways I started using chalk and it gives your grip such a stronger feel.... Chalk is amazing stuff. And it is what I use cuz I don't want to rely on straps,

However I am just about to purchase some, for use with db shrugs and lat pulldowns. But do not want to use them on exercises where my grip is nit effecting me targeting muscle I am targeting

**Twin** · 02-07-2012, 02:16 PM

thank you EVERYONE for the responses. I will be trying out many of these suggestions now. thank you again...

**mirin_serratus** · 02-07-2012, 07:30 PM

lol people are suggesting to use straps for everything and then train grip separately? is this real life?
seriously man up and stop using straps because that is exactly the reason your grip sucks ass, why waste the time training grip separately?

**Noles12** · 02-07-2012, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by mirin_serratus

lol people are suggesting to use straps for everything and then train grip separately? is this real life?
seriously man up and stop using straps because that is exactly the reason your grip sucks ass, why waste the time training grip separately?

So not being able to hit your target muscle because your grip fails is worth it. That sounds like a bigger waste of time than working on grip separate.

If your grip is too weak and it is affecting your lifts, it is not going to change in one week of lifting. THerefore you are going to spend more time affecting your other workouts.

Straps dont need to be used for every lift but there are a couple where they really help. When shrugging over 450 i prefer to use straps because my grip fails after a few reps when i prefer to get 12 in or so. I guess i should man up huh?

**mirin_serratus** · 02-09-2012, 01:28 AM

Originally Posted by Noles12

So not being able to hit your target muscle because your grip fails is worth it. That sounds like a bigger waste of time than working on grip separate.

If your grip is too weak and it is affecting your lifts, it is not going to change in one week of lifting. THerefore you are going to spend more time affecting your other workouts.

Straps dont need to be used for every lift but there are a couple where they really help. When shrugging over 450 i prefer to use straps because my grip fails after a few reps when i prefer to get 12 in or so. I guess i should man up huh?

If you never started using straps you'd never have grip problems. maybe time to look into some chalk

**Noles12** · 02-09-2012, 01:59 AM

Originally Posted by mirin_serratus

If you never started using straps you'd never have grip problems. maybe time to look into some chalk

Not true at all. I purchased straps when my grip started becoming a hinderance. I am not trying to compete in powerlifting therefore i do not care if i can hold on to over 500 pounds with no help. My grip is strong but i prefer to hit the target muscles of the exercise without losing grip. If i am shrugging a heavy weight i want to hit all of my reps. On my heaviest sets my grip starts to go so i go to the straps. I am able to hit my 12 reps without worrying about having to reset to get a better hold of the bar.

Most gyms i have worked out in do not allow chalk. I prefer chalk over straps and when possible i use it. But from a bodybuilding standpoint there is nothing wrong with using straps

**boxin23** · 02-09-2012, 06:10 PM

I competed in power lifting and the thing that helped me the most was pull ups. All variations of pull-ups.
Which you can work into some of the best shoulder work outs as well as great bi-cep work outs.

The wider diameter the bar is your holding on to the harder it is to grip. Incorporate this and I GUARANTEE that you strength will increase in your grip. It is very similar to the static exercises discussed above from various members.

In the mean time use straps if you can't achieve the proper weight for the lift and just work on the grip.