Direct grip training is often neglected by many recreational lifters because its often viewed as boring and overlooked. Most lifters don't know how to train their grip and forearms properly. They have skinny forearms attached to weak wrists with less than stellar strength level to push or pull heavy weights.
The grip is essential to developing the capability for lifting heavy weights. And you know lifting heavy weights is pertinent to muscle growth.
Brooks D. Kubik in "Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and Development talks about the mind-muscle link with grip training by quoting Dr. Ken Leistner,
"When I reached the point where I was using 350 pounds for 15 reps in the stifflegged deadlift while standing on an elevated surface, I used straps, rationalizing their use by telling myself that I wanted to give my low back and hamstrings a good workout without being limited by a lack of hand strength. When I made the decision to forego the use of straps and pesevere until I could handle heavy weights without them, I surpassed previous bests. In fact, the entire exercise became much more intense and my overall gains in strength and muscular size were quite unexpected. Perhaps my level of concentratino was higher because I was so intent on maintaining my grip on the barbell. As neuroanatomists know, the area of the brain that exerts control over the hand muscles has a much higher representation relative to actual muscle size than other muscle groups. Although it is strictly conjecture, perhaps intense forearm/hand work heightens neural stimulation for all muscles worked during a particular movement. My experience has shown taht taking the time and energy to directly stimulate the forearm musculature leads to increased ability to handle heavy weights in many exercises."
Now there's an expert doctor who actually trains with weights talking that building forearm and grip strength will enhance muscle growth. Grip training is beneficial and simple.
A strong grip allows you to lift heavy weights for all exercises allowing you to get stronger all over, leading to more and faster muscle growth, increased performance and strength.
Grip strength is not just about doing 2-3 sets of wrist curls or reverse wrist curls with the ez bar. Like the other muscle groups, we can train grip in all dimensions, from different angles using a wide range of tools and exercise equipment.
Here are the top 10 must try ways to build a killer crushing grip and popeye forearms.
1) Use the Captains of Crush Gripper,COC,from Ironmind.com, comes in 4 levels:
#1, 140 lbs of closing pressure
#2, much tougher with 195 lbs of closing pressure
#3, 280 lbs of closing pressure, less than 20 people have been certified by Ironmind to close
#4, 315 lbs of closing pressure
The COC grippers will develop tremendous hand and grip strength once you work up to being able to close the number 2 and 3 grippers. Use low reps to start out and work your way up.
Pick up John Brookfield's "Mastery of Hand Strength" at Ironmind.com for more information on how to train with these grippers.
2) Hammer curls
Hammer curls are excellent for forearm and grip strength. They also build up the biceps as well. Pair them with wrist curls and farmer's walk into a circuit for a more intense workout.
3) Static/power holds and farmer's walk
Hold heavy dbs or a barbell and walk around in the gym, preferably your own gym if you can (or just hold in place) for at least a minute. Try to beat that time the next workout. If you can hold out for 2 minutes, increase the weight and repeat the cycle.
4) Thick bars with 2" or 2 1/2" dumbbell handles or 3" thick barbells
Thick bars will build a strong grip. You'll find that you will be able to handle less weight with thick bars on most exercises.
5) Pinch grip machine
Pinch grip machines work well when you combine them with other grip movements.
6) Wrist curls and reverse wrist curls, wrist rollers
You can apply shock techniques with the basic wrist curls.
7) Compound exercises
It's no secret that compound movements will build strong and big forearms. If you can handle 500 lbs on the deadlift or bench 300 plus pounds, do you think your forearms will reflect the strength levels?
8 ) Barbell finger rollouts
9) Finger lifts/deadlift
10) One armed lfits; shoulder press, db/bb deadlift, suitcase deadlift, bent press
Train Hard. Train Safely. Train Smart.
If you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to leave a comment below or email me at ZQH245@gmail.com or ZQH250@gmail.com
Related posts:
- How to Train Your Forearms: Build a Crushing Grip A strong grip with beefy forearms allows you use pull, lift, haul, and push heavier weights on all exercises. A weak grip is also often a limiting factor in pulling heavy weights, as seen in the case of deadlifting for many lifters. It’s quite common nowadays to see a lifter being stuck at a certain [...]...
- Strength and Muscle are Not Mutually Exclusive: Train for Strength and Performance If you train for strength, you will build muscle. If you train solely for the specific goal of building muscle, you lose sight of the purpose of weight training. You can train specifically for strength using a powerlifting routine/approach. You can train with the primary goal of building muscle with bodybuilding split routines. But strength [...]...
- 4 Easy Ways to Build Muscle No matter how you train using whatever methods and techniques to build muscle, the number one rule is to stay consistent with maintaining a high level of intensity. Unless you’re training at a high intensity level (over the long term), maximum muscular growth cannot be accomplished and you will not reach your potential for strength [...]...
- 5 Sure-Fire Ways to Build More Muscle Are you fed up with not building an ounce of muscle after all that hard work in the gym? Do you want to finally fit into that extra large tee you bought six months earlier with your arms busting out of its sleeves? Imagine yourself going shirtless with six pack abs, a beefed-up chest, [...]...