Your hands are critical to strength and health.
Are you hammering out reps on the leg press or pec deck, or are your bicep curls looking great at the gym? What happens when you’re doing a deadlift or a pull up? What’s up with that?
Hang on…
Your hands determine your ability to lift things. Whether you’re training for a powerlifting competition, or carrying a bag of groceries, your hands enable you to lift objects and move them in space. You can have the strongest legs and glutes, but if your hands can’t hang on, you can’t lift the weight.
After age 40 we lose muscle fiber gradually, then more rapidly as we age.
Age-related sarcopenia happens to everyone, but we can train remaining muscle to be way more strong throughout our lifetimes. Developing and maintaining a strong grip will enable you to stay strong.
Researchers have found that grip strength correlates to longevity, reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, and can help mitigate risk for other diseases and conditions as well.
Check out this powerlifting 89-year-old. If she didn’t have the grip strength to hang onto that bar she couldn’t lift it, no matter how strong her legs and core are.
Carol Miles competes in Powerlifting competition, May 2021
Grip is an integral part of training overall muscle strength for the whole body.
Your hands grab, hang on to, and carry heavy loads. For strength training and generating power your grip plays a big role in neuromuscular activity – when you grab a weight, like in a heavy lift or a kettlebell swing, the nervous system receives a signal from the neurons in the hands and forearms – it’s a neuromuscular superhighway contracting muscles where they need to do a task. Everything is connected.
Polli using a reverse grip for a max deadlift. Get a grip and hang on girl!
Check out these exercises for a better grip!
Barbend Best Grip Exercises:
- Farmer’s Carry
- Rack Pull
- 3-Way Chin-Up Hold
- Plate Pinch
- Towel Pull-Up
- Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Press
- Reverse Curl
- Deadlift with Pause
- Dead Hang
- Wrist Curl
This is your opportunity to get strong: A special offer for new clients:
- Free Initial Consultation ($30 value)
- 1 Virtual Session ($50 value)
Book Your New Client Special here!
Find your strong.
-Polli
