Ironmind has a number of specialized grip training tools and they're one of the oldest in the business of "fringe" strength training (which isn't so "fringe" anymore by the way). The Captains of Crush grippers are a lot of fun and I bought a "trainer" and "No. 1" about 10 years ago. Like a lot of people, I was crazy about them for a short stint and overdid them to the point of developing minor tendinitis - I'm not recommending that approach.
One of the lectures that sticks out from the RKC Certification was Brett Jones and Mark Reifkind talking about the hips and grip being "neural potentiators" - which is absolutely correct. My father always used to (and still does from time to time) mention how the Russians did studies measuring grip strength and found strong correlations between a lifter's measured grip strength prior to an Olympic lift attempt and their success or failure. The grip, is at the end of the strength chain - if you can't hold on, it won't matter how strong your core is.
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I'm to the point where grip is starting to limit some of my lifting. I'm going to have to do something about that!
I'm wondering if you would be willing to take a look at a fitness blog idea I have, comment on it, and potentially link to it if you think it's worthwhile. Of course I wouldn't ask this if I didn't already have a link on it to yours!
Andy
Hi Andy. Of course I'll link it - could you post the URL here?
Sure!
http://the-road-to-fitness.blogspot.com/
Thanks.
Any thoughts about what I'm doing with it?
It doesn't take a lot to overdo those grippers .. I've got a elbow tendinitis to prove it! These days I leave my grip training to kettlebell swings.
Just catching up on the last month of your Squat Rx posts .. superb reading as usual .. keep it up!
Since taking up Oly lifts, squatting has become a big part of training and I shall become a much more frequent visitor as a result.
Grip work is unique. There seems to be no obvious linear progression with grip work. One week you can close a gripper for reps, and the next, you can barely buge it.
Another grip tool I like to use is the rolling thunder, great for static grip training.
Don't forget extensors for active rest purposes. Rubberbands, sand, etc
Boris,
Since adding grippers to my training program last year my strength has gone up in just about everything. It oddly increased my squatting which had been non-existent for years!
Grippers rule! I'm about a nano-meter way from closing the COC 2 with my right hand. This week!
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