I was going to put this in my log, but I thought more people might read it here.
I’ve never had a great grip, which I put down to having tennis elbow a few times in the past, but I’ve noticed recently that the last 2 fingers on my left hand open on higher rep deadlifts causing me to lose my grip (thumb and first two fingers are fine). It seems to be more to do with timescale than the weight I’m using. It doesn’t happen on my right hand.
I want to do the work to sort it out, but I don’t know what exercises to do. Is it more likely to be a weakness with my hand or my forearms?
I like pinching weights. I’ll grab two 10s with each hand and pinch them together. I try to work up from there. I also like to hold onto my deadlifts at the top for a count of 20 or so.
Here you go Brett- heavy weight (tension) under time builds great grip strength.
Cheap and easy pt 1- Go to a chinup bar and just hang for time. do 3 daily. ( do for 3 weeks)
2.Cheap and easy pt 2- while doing the hangs release one hand for 5 seconds and alternate hands. Protocol same as pt1 ( do for one month)
3… still cheap and easy–throw a towel over the bar (beach/bath towel) and hang for time or try doing some pullups. Do these instead of your pullups. don’t feel bad when 3 reps are taking the piss out of you!
finally have to pay some money-- buy fat grips and do all your small work with them ie: curls, dumdbell work, light rows, shrugs (my favorite) etc.
Heavy farmer walks .
I developed extensive nerve damage in my right hand from the Pacemaker install so my grip was tested on a PSI gripper and my left was somewhere around 180 and my right was down to 65. Now after doing the rehab as descibed my right is back up to 170 and left is around 200.
I particularly liked the chalking the inside of the fingers idea. I never thought of that, but it makes complete sense and the pull ups off towels sounds like a good exercise too. I’ll definitely be trying some of these.
Just ordered some Fat gripz too, should be here by Friday.
Some more questions…
I’ve already started using heavy one arm DB rows (Kroc rows), but am only getting 10 or so reps. I read that Kroc rows should be done for 25 reps or more, should I lower the weight so I can get more reps or just continue with the same weight?
and Rick, as far as programming goes what do you recommend for frequency?
[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
Thanks for the quick feedback everyone.
I particularly liked the chalking the inside of the fingers idea. I never thought of that, but it makes complete sense and the pull ups off towels sounds like a good exercise too. I’ll definitely be trying some of these.
Just ordered some Fat gripz too, should be here by Friday.
Some more questions…
I’ve already started using heavy one arm DB rows (Kroc rows), but am only getting 10 or so reps. I read that Kroc rows should be done for 25 reps or more, should I lower the weight so I can get more reps or just continue with the same weight?
and Rick, as far as programming goes what do you recommend for frequency?
Thanks again.[/quote]
the Kroc row phase led to a lot of people rowing a lot with really shitty form. I am having better progress now just taking a weight I could do for say 30 reps, but keeping good form, and going back and forth with little rest for sets of ten
[quote]PeteS wrote:
the Kroc row phase led to a lot of people rowing a lot with really shitty form. I am having better progress now just taking a weight I could do for say 30 reps, but keeping good form, and going back and forth with little rest for sets of ten
[/quote]
Quoted for truth, big man.
Fat Gripz helped my foremarms get more jacked looking, but don’t seem to have helped my deadlift grip any. I think Fat Gripz also help to avoid the repetitive stress thing.
