Latest news with #gripstrength
CNN
2 days ago
- Health
- CNN
Regaining your strength is easy with the FitBeast grip strengthener kit
Whether you're carrying groceries or opening stubborn jars, having solid grip strength can be extremely helpful in day-to-day life. It's also vital to overall health and longevity. If your grip strength is waning or not up to where you'd prefer, there's no need to worry. I recently tested the $26 FitBeast Grip Strengthener to see how well it could help me gain some power. Turns out, it really works. FitBeast Grip Strengthener This five-piece bundle comes with various ways to train your grip, and while some felt more effective than others, it's a low-cost and easy way to get your hands strong. I'm a rock climber, so I've been training various parts of my grip for over a decade. Over those years, I've tried tons of different techniques and products to build strength, so I have a good idea of when something truly works or not. To test the FitBeast Grip Strengthener, I ordered it for myself and used it nearly every day for almost a month. I tried all the different devices the package came with and tracked my progress with an electronic hand dynamometer. After training for several weeks, here are my honest thoughts on the FitBeast Grip Strengthener. Small improvement in strength My biggest overall impression from training with the FitBeast is simple: it works. By using several of the included gadgets, I was able to tire out my hands in short, efficient sessions, which I'm sure will translate to a stronger grip over time. Right before I started training with the FitBeast, I used the hand dynamometer to get a baseline reading. I squeezed three times with each hand, then calculated the average. During this test, I measured an average of 127.8 pounds of force with my right hand (with a peak of 137.2 pounds) and 124 pounds with my left hand (with a peak of 130.8 pounds). Then, after my weeks of training, I measured again in the same way, and recorded an average of 137.4 pounds with my right hand (peak of 146.6 pounds) and 128.4 pounds with my left hand (peak of 143 pounds). There's some clear improvement there, but I want to add some strong caveats with those measurements. Since I climb a lot, the strength in my hands varies depending on the day. I easily could have had a weak day during the first test and a strong day on the second test. I was also climbing quite frequently while training with the FitBeast, which could have increased my strength as well. Even though the measurements don't tell the whole story, I do still think the FitBeast has been helping with my grip (just not as much as those numbers might suggest). I haven't noticed a ton of improvement in my climbing or day-to-day activities, but the exercises I've been doing have started to feel easier, which is a clear sign of progress. So, while I don't think it's a magic tool that will double your grip strength in a matter of weeks, I do think it's an easy and convenient way to train that can genuinely improve your strength if you stick with it. Ease of use One of my biggest hurdles when it comes to working out in general is convenience. I'm the type who can never build up the motivation to go to the gym if I have to get in the car and drive. That's why I love at-home workouts and exercises that are more enjoyable. The FitBeast isn't as exciting as other workouts I tend to lean towards, but its design is supremely convenient. Even with all five devices, the carrying bag it comes with is smaller than a football and can easily be thrown into a backpack or suitcase, which means you can train no matter where you are. Besides its portability, the devices are quite easy to use. The main gadget I used is one with a large spring that trains your grip with a squeezing motion, called the advanced trainer. It has a dial that changes the difficulty, but once that's set, all you need to do is pick it up and start squeezing. All the devices included are comfortable, ergonomic and intuitive, and require little to no setup, so you can keep your workouts nice and quick. Plus, if you're unsure of how to use any of the gadgets or how to properly train with them, FitBeast has a useful video that provides some ideas. On top of everything, I love that you can easily bust out a workout with any of these devices in just a few minutes. When something doesn't take a lot of time and is convenient, it means you have a better chance of actually sticking with it, which is the real key to strength gains. Variety Another thing I loved about the FitBeast Grip Strengthener is the variety of tools you get for just $26. I think the advanced trainer is the most useful one, but it also comes with a silicone donut and stress ball to help with your squeezing power, as well as a finger strengthener and a resistance band. I didn't find the finger trainer to be useful at all, because the resistance is quite low and can't be adjusted. However, I found a way to use every other device that felt productive to me. I especially liked the finger resistance band because it helps you train the opposite muscles in your hand that the other squeezing trainers do. All this variety means it's easy to add flexibility to your training regimen. Bored with one device? Just use a different one for a few days. I also appreciated the advanced trainer's adjustability. It's the only device in this pack where you can change the resistance. You can perform exercises with fewer fingers or in different positions with the other pieces to make it harder or easier, but the squeezer has a dial that adjusts a metal spring so you can find the right spot and gradually progress. By turning the dial one way, the spring gets shorter and easier to squeeze, and when you turn it the other way, the spring elongates, making it harder. I do wish it were easier to read exactly where along the weight scale the spring is set. There are a few numbers printed on the side of the device, but you can't tell exactly where it is, which can make tracking progression harder. Build quality While the grip strengtheners work, they aren't of the highest quality. Most of the components are made from simple plastics or silicone, so if grip training is something you'll want to do for years to come, you might want to invest in more durable pieces. The biggest issue I came across was with the finger trainer. Moving the springs up and down wasn't a pleasant feeling at all, and the way the springs rubbed against the plastic sometimes made a harsh scraping sound. I didn't have any issues with the other devices, and while I don't think they'll last for a long time, they work just fine. It's also just $26 for five separate grip-strengthening tools, so I can't expect much more from this FitBeast set. If you're trying to up your grip strength but don't know where to start, the FitBeast Grip Strengthener is a solid option that won't break the bank. It's portable, easy to use and made with a variety of devices so your workouts won't get stale. Will you be training with these same gadgets years down the line? Probably not. However, for just $26 and a few minutes per day, the FitBeast Grip Strengthener can seriously help you get stronger. Can you adjust the resistance for a FitBeast grip strengthener? Can you adjust the resistance for a FitBeast grip strengthener? You can adjust the resistance of the main device in the FitBeast grip strengthener kit, but it's the only one that is adjustable. What type of activities is training with the FitBeast grip strengthener kit best for? What type of activities is training with the FitBeast grip strengthener kit best for? Training with the FitBeast grip strengthener can help you get strong hands. If you have a better grip, holding and carrying things like groceries can feel a lot easier. How do FitBeast grip strengtheners work? How do FitBeast grip strengtheners work? FitBeast grip strengtheners work by exercising the muscles in your hand using various devices. The different gadgets in the kit, along with various techniques you can use, allow you to target and improve your grip strength. CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have a skilled team of writers and editors with many years of testing experience who ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when it makes sense to make certain we are testing each product accurately and speaking about the pros and cons of each item. For this product review, author Kai Burkhardt got his hands on the FitBeast Grip Strengthener and trained with it for weeks. He tracked his progress using a hand dynamometer to see if it actually improved his strength.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Don't Let a Lack of Grip Strength Limit You. These 4 Tips Will Level Up Your Workouts.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." GRIP STRENGTH IS one of the more important—but underrated—physical characteristics for gym buffs and regular guys alike. Whether you're pulling heavy barbells up off the floor or you're hauling grocery bags from your car to the kitchen, your ability to grasp and hold on will likely be the first limiting factor to doing what you want. There's more than just your workout and your shopping trip to consider, too. Studies suggest a link between weaker grip and higher risk of cardiovascular disease and early death, and more recently, researchers have proposed using hand grip strength as a new vital sign for clinical practice. More practically, a weak grip is an invitation for injury. A strong grasp can also help you lift more and rack up gym PRs. 'Often it's your hands that limit you when you lift,' says Jedd Johnson, a five-time North American Grip Sport champ. Implement these approaches in your typical training plan, then add the exercises below to your routine to build stronger forearms. How to Train to Build Grip Strength Want to hone a viselike grip? Here are four ways to do it within your typical workout schedule. Squeeze the Bar Hard Whenever you pick up a weight, squeeze the bar as tightly as you can. Actually, 'crush the bar to a pulp,' says Pavel Tsatsouline, CEO of StrongFirst. Amp it up by squeezing your nonworking hand on single-arm moves like dumbbell rows. Use a Thicker Handle Find extra-thick barbells, dumbbells, or handles for all your deadlifts and pulling exercises. Don't have a fat bar? Find a towel and wrap it around a standard bar to make it more difficult to grasp. The larger bars—which are roughly twice the thickness of a standard bar—force you to squeeze harder to get a secure grip, so relatively light weights feel heavier, Johnson says. Hang for More Strength For manlier mitts, strength coach Dan John recommends adding this simple challenge into your workout once a week: Do a pullup and then hang on the bar for 30 seconds. Without letting go of the bar, repeat until your grip fails or you can't complete a pullup. Ten reps translates into five-plus minutes on the bar—and proof that you have a badass grip. Use Different Methods to Challenge Your Grip Your brain's motor cortex puts to work more than 30 muscles just to control your hand. To strengthen all that sinew, think outside the barbell. 'Towels hanging from the bar, thick ropes, and PVC pipes all place a different demand on your grip,'says former MH fitness advisor David Jack. Each week, do at least three sets of towel pullups or chinups, PVC drags or carries, or pulling exercise variations with ropes. Exercises You Can Use for Stronger Grip Towel Inverted Row Hold How to Do It: Start underneath the bar, with your legs extended straight out and feet elevated on top of a bench or platform. Loop the towel around the bar and grip tightly with both hands. Pull yourself up and hold in a straight body position parallel with the ground. Squeeze your core and glutes to create tension. Hold the position for 30 seconds 3 sets of 30 seconds Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Press How to Do It: Start in a half-kneeling stance, holding the kettlebell by its handle in the opposite hand from your front leg. Squeeze your shoulder blades, abs, and glutes to create tension. Lift the bell into a position, with the weight on top. Keep your wrist straight, directly over your elbow, with a vertical forearm. Press the weight above your head, fighting to keep it from tipping over and driving straight up. Maintain tension to keep your body in position. Return the weight back to the starting position. 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps Farmer's Carry How to Do It: Stand holding weights in both hands. No matter what implement, squeeze the handles tightly. Squeeze your shoulder blades and keep your core engaged. Walk forward, keeping your gaze in front of you with your neck in a neutral position and keeping your core tight. 4 rounds of 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off You Might Also Like The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This grip strengthening gadget is a 'solid tool,' according to a personal trainer — and it's on sale ahead of Amazon Prime Day 2025
As part of my treatment for breast cancer, I was put into chemical menopause at 41. Depriving my body of estrogen, a key component in bone and muscle health, meant that, in some sense, I was truly aging overnight. I really started to notice it when I could no longer easily open a jar of my favourite pickles. Was this my life now? Relegated to being a weakling who had to rely on her husband to get her fix of fermented foods? Upon further research, I discovered that grip strength is also an indicator of overall health. Suddenly, it was about more than fulfilling a craving for dill. Breast cancer treatments had taken my breasts, weakened my bones and put me into a semi-permanent brain fog, so I wanted to be proactive about warding off other health impacts.A few months ago, I saw one of Yahoo Canada's shopping experts write about this 2-pack of portable grip strengtheners from Amazon — which just so happen to be on sale for under $20 ahead of Prime Day 2025 — and immediately ordered them for myself. Read on for my honest review. These grip strengtheners are great for hand strength training on-the-go. This grip strengthener is made of heavy-duty plastic and reinforced metal alloy materials, making it pretty darn durable. It can be used to strengthen hands, forearms, wrists and even fingers. The lightweight device weighs 204g and measures about 6x4", so you can easily throw it in your travel bag or purse for on-the-go training and stress release. The adjustable resistance ranges from 22 lbs (10kg) to 132 lbs (60kg), catering to all levels of grip fitness. The company also provides multiple exercise modules to help you get the most out of the handy gadget. Super convenient: I carry one in my purse at all times to remind me to build hand strength. We went on car trips with the kids recently, and it was also great for keeping them entertained. Great stress reliever: I tend to pick my hands when I get stressed, so having these in sight is a great way to help break my bad habit. If I'm feeling stressed, I reach for the gripper and it quickly calms my nerves. $17 $22 at Amazon Easy to adjust resistance levels: I'll be very honest, I haven't gone up much in grip strength as I am still mastering the lowest level, but it's nice to know I have a resistance range available for when the time comes to step it up. Very affordable: The device is well constructed, and I see it lasting a long time. But if I left it somewhere or it broke, it wouldn't cost a fortune to replace. Pace yourself, especially at the start: When I got these, I couldn't wait to use them. Unfortunately, I overdid it, leading to some forearm soreness and a blister on my palm. Now, if I'm planning on using the gadget for an extended period of time, or more long-term use, I pull out the workout gloves. ⭐️ 4.4/5 stars 💬 8,500+ reviews 🏅 "Great strengthening tool" One customer was very impressed with this "simple" and "durable" device, which they also described as "surprisingly easy to use." $17 $22 at Amazon Another reviewer who suffers from golfer's elbow says the gripper has "definitely helped" with their recovery, calling the gadget a "great strengthening tool." The "comfortable grip" and "easy to adjust tension" sold another shopper on the item. However, similar to my experience, some shoppers have said that while the tool is "well built," you should be prepared for "beginner blisters." Customers also say that while this is a good "starter grip trainer," if you're an "intermediate" or above gym goer, these won't be challenging enough. According to Nicole Davis, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews, told Yahoo Canada, "grip strength naturally declines with age, mostly due to muscle loss and changes in nerve function." In fact, she calls it one of the earliest signs of "functional decline," which she says can begin as early as 50 — often overlapping with menopause — "suggesting hormonal changes may contribute to reduced muscle strength and function." If you're looking to improve your grip strength, experts say this is a good way to get started. Davis says research has shown that grip strength is an "important biomarker of health in older adults." When you have a stronger grip, everyday tasks like household chores and opening containers are easier, leading to more independence later in life. This particular tool is "decent for general grip work," particularly if you are a beginner or recovering from an injury. While she says the gripper won't do much to "build serious forearm size," for "day-to-day hand strength," it's a "solid tool." The key to building grip strength is not to overdo it. Davis suggests you "start light and build gradually" as "grip training fatigues fast." She recommends avoiding daily grip training, instead opting to do it once or twice a week, which is "plenty" for people simply looking to improve strength. "The hand and forearm muscles are small, and they need time to recover just like everything else." Stephen Sheehan, a BarBend personal trainer, calls the NIYIKOW Grip Strengthener a "fine tool," especially if you want to "train grip in a targeted way." While he says the gripper is "not fancy," he likes that it's portable and has a "decent" resistance range. The NIYIKOW hand gripper is portable, petite and perfectly priced — for me, that's a winning trifecta. Instead of picking at my fingers, I have been picking these up to help relieve stress. I have one in my purse at all times, which is great when I'm travelling. Plus, experts back up the merits of this grip strengthener, especially for "day-to-day hand strength." That said, if you're looking to build more serious strength, you may want to opt for something more heavy-duty. On the other hand, if you're a beginner, take a lesson from me and be sure not to overdo it. At its pre-Prime Day price of $17 for a 2-pack, you really can't go wrong. Not for you? Shop more early Amazon Prime Day deals here.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
One activity boosts heart health and adds 9.7 years to your life
Aerobic exercise is a key component of any fitness routine, offering benefits for both physical and mental health, experts say. Research shows that adults who engage in moderate-intensity exercise can extend their lifespan by an average of seven years. And the results vary by activity, with studies revealing that playing tennis can add up to 9.7 years to your life. Despite this, many Brits aren't meeting the recommended weekly amount of physical activity. Natasha Tavares, certified personal trainer at Muscle Booster, said: 'Tennis is a high-intensity sport that is excellent for cardiovascular health. It also helps to build strength, particularly grip strength, which is essentially the amount of force you can exert when squeezing an object with your hand. In this case, the tennis racket handle. 'Grip strength has been linked with lifespan and overall health, particularly in older adults, mainly because it serves as a good indicator of your overall strength, which plays a key role in adults' wellbeing as they age. Maintaining strength can help prevent physical decline and support continued mobility.' READ MORE: Mum thought symptoms were perimenopause - she died at 44 READ MORE: Covid warning as new 'Stratus' variant spreading rapidly through UK When looking to extend your lifespan, it can help to incorporate both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities into your workout routine, or activities that can act as both, alongside other lifestyle habits. Natasha said: 'The rewards of tennis are endless, you're benefiting from being active and from spending time with friends, all of which can help with your short and long-term health. 'As you age, it becomes even more important to continue to build strength, as it helps with mobility and prevents health issues such as sarcopenia, which involves the loss of muscle mass and strength. Playing tennis can support your muscle strengthening routine, as it's a fast-paced sport that requires dynamic movements. It also helps promote flexibility, due to the range of motion in a match.' Improves cardiovascular health 'Incorporating aerobic exercise into your routine helps strengthen your heart, which plays a vital role in your physical health, circulating blood, and oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. It keeps your blood pressure down by improving the efficiency of the cardiovascular system.' Keeps arteries clear 'Tennis can help raise good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lower 'bad' low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which can lead to less build of plaques in your arteries, and decrease your risk of heart disease.' 'Tennis isn't for everyone, but luckily, there are plenty of other racket sports to try, for example, badminton. There are some similarities between badminton and tennis as they are both racket sports played on courts. But a tennis court is bigger, you use a shuttlecock in badminton, and the rackets are different shapes. 'Tennis is generally considered to need more endurance and power, due to the short bursts of energy required repeatedly per match. Although, badminton has been shown to significantly improve your life longevity by 6.2 years. 'Padel has recently gained popularity in the UK, which combines elements of squash and tennis, using a smaller racket and an enclosed court rather than an open one. Squash is another alternative that you can play, the difference being rather than using a net, you hit the ball against the ball.' 'Tennis counts toward your 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise a week, which can either be split into sessions across the week, for example, 25 minutes three times a week or 20 minutes four times a week. Alternatively, you could play one game whilst also enjoying other types of exercise. Matches can either be played in doubles or singles.'
The Guardian
30-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
The grip secret: it could be the key to a long and healthy life – here's how to improve yours
Anyone who has ever dropped their phone in the toilet – and isn't that all of us? – knows something about the importance of a good strong grip. We come into the world ready to grasp anything placed in our hands, and if we are lucky we leave it the same way. In between, grip lets us cling to our parents, hold our lovers, rock our babies. The morning I wrote this, before I was even dressed, it enabled me to strap on my watch, lock the kids out of the bathroom, wash my hands, insert my contact lenses, strip, shower, brush my teeth, take my medicine and check my phone. A few hours later, as I hung upside down on some gymnastics rings, it stopped me slipping off and cracking my head on the floor. But you know what? This just scratches the surface. Not only does grip help you work, play and pull your trousers on in the morning; it offers an immediate insight into your health. To put it bluntly, the weaker your grip, the more likely you are to die early. Find that hard to swallow? A study of 140,000 adults in 17 countries found that a weak grip went hand in hand with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, and was a better guide to 'all-cause mortality' than blood pressure. It is associated with osteoporosis, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, fall risk and obesity, as well as cognitive decline. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, it is also linked to age-related muscle loss, or sarcopenia. For all these reasons and more, doctors often use grip strength as a quick measure of a patient's health, including their ability to recover from surgery or live independently. 'It's a really easy thing to test,' says physiotherapist Sarah Milner. 'You don't need to hook someone up to a machine, you don't need to look at their muscle mass, you don't need to take their weight …' The only real drawback is that it focuses on upper-body strength, which is why patient assessments often combine a grip test with a sit-to-stand, which gauges lower-body strength. Grip strength reliably reflects 'total body strength, neuromuscular coordination and cardiovascular resilience', in the words of Delhi GP Ramit Singh Sambyal. He says that patients in their 50s with a surprisingly weak grip often report fatigue, slower recovery after minor illnesses and a higher percentage of body fat. Conversely, those with a stronger grip tend to have better functional fitness and recover more quickly. To be clear, no one is saying a weak grip will kill you directly, in the way that heart failure will. But it usually indicates problems far beyond your hands and wrists. We don't yet have the scientific studies to back this up, but it seems reasonable to assume that anything that improves it will also improve your overall health. It will certainly improve your quality of life. Some weakening of the grip is inevitable as we get older. 'From about 50, muscle mass and nerve function gradually decline,' says Samantha Shann, occupational therapist at Oak Tree Mobility and director of The OT Service. 'But staying active – particularly with meaningful and hands-on tasks – helps slow the process.' Actually, we should be talking about grips rather than grip. As well as crush grip, which lets us shake a hand or hold a dumbbell, we mostly rely on pinch grip (think of turning a key or holding a plate) and support grip (to carry something like shopping), though there are enough subcategories to make your head spin. The more precise types may need to be trained with more delicate exercises, but in general what strengthens one grip also benefits the others, by working the flexor muscles that clench our fingers and thumbs, and the extensor muscles that straighten them, as well as our wrists and forearms and sometimes our upper arms and shoulders, too. How do you know whether all this needs attention? Sometimes looking is enough. Lucy Joslin teaches calisthenics, which features a lot of dangling from rings or pull-up bars, and handstands, where often the only thing keeping you balanced is the way your hands grip and flex against the floor. Every class begins with exercises for the hands, wrists and shoulders – bending them, stretching them, putting weight on them, frequently in quite uncomfortable positions. 'I look at people's hands all day long,' she says. 'You can tell unconditioned hands from conditioned hands – the people who are in touch with their fingertips and the people who are not. And then they go to grip a pull-up bar and it's like their hands can't close properly. And as for hanging off the bar, which is something I take for granted … no. And it's not just because they don't have the strength in their shoulders.' Milner, meanwhile, says her job has given her 'monkey grip'. As a result, 'I like doing bar hangs. That for me, is like, 'Where's my grip strength at?' And I know that if I'm fatigued my bar hang is a piece of shit.' On a good day she can hang for 90-120 seconds. When she told me this, I thought I'd see how long I could manage. Thanks to almost a year of calisthenics I made it to 90 seconds – but the last 45 were pretty unpleasant. There are gentler ways of testing, though. 'You can do it by squeezing a tennis ball and seeing how long you can hold your tightest grip,' Milner suggests. Do that regularly and you'll be able to track whether your grip is improving or deteriorating. 'I encourage clients to notice how they manage everyday tasks,' says Shann. 'Can they open a tight jar, wring out a cloth or carry a kettle comfortably? These are all functional ways of assessing grip.' For a more formal measurement, you'll normally squeeze (all right, crush) a device known as a dynamometer. You can get one of these for less than £20, though it may not be as accurate as medical-grade equipment. 'Grip strength varies with age and gender,' says Shann, but broadly speaking here's how much force you should be able to exert: Age 18 to 25 Women 27-31kg, men 46-52kgAge 26 to 35 Women 26-30kg, men 44-50kgAge 36 to 45 Women 25-29kg, men 42-48kgAge 46 to 60 Women 20-28kg, men 35-47kgAge 61 to 75 Women 18-26kg, men 30-45kgOver 75 Women 16-20kg, men 25-40kg 'While everyone's baseline differs,' Shann says, 'these numbers can highlight the need for support or intervention. It could mean a person is at risk of frailty, especially if combined with fatigue or reduced mobility.' Remember what I said about accuracy? Naturally, I had to try a dynamometer myself. The first one I bought gave me a reading of 39.1kg, which as a 61-year-old I should have been happy with. It still felt a little low given how much time I spend hanging from things. So I got another and squeezed it all the way to 46.6kg. I'm not sure which reading is more realistic, but I know which is better for my ego. Still, to put both into proportion, the world-record squeeze is more than 170kg. But what can you do if you're not happy with your result? 'I often recommend turning everyday activities into opportunities for strengthening,' says Shann. 'Tasks like cooking, gardening or carrying laundry all challenge grip in a natural and functional way. Structured exercises can be added in when more support is needed, such as a tennis ball squeeze (hold for three seconds, release, and repeat 10 times per hand, daily) or a towel twist (roll a towel and twist it in opposite directions, for one or two minutes a few times a week). I usually tell clients they can expect to notice small improvements in four to six weeks if they're consistent.' And those little gadgets where you try to force two handles together with your hand, against the resistance of a spring? I've somehow accumulated five of them, rated all the way from 50lb (23kg) to 250lb (113kg). I can barely make that last one move. Forget them, says Milner. What originally attracted me to them – that it's so easy to crank out squeeze after squeeze after squeeze – is also what makes them dangerous. 'They're terrible,' she says. 'People start using them and they give themselves some form of tendinopathy [tendon damage] from overloading. That repetitive gripping is awful.' Better to take a less direct, more holistic approach. 'When it comes to strengthening,' she says, 'it's really important to talk not just about your hand and your forearm, but about the whole kinetic chain.' This is the physios' way of saying that everything is linked; no muscle is an island; the toe bone's connected to the foot bone … 'The shoulder and the scapula – the shoulder blade – are intrinsically linked to grip strength,' Milner says. 'So I would do things like full-body strength training or functional strength training.' Imagine you're in a push-up position, say. 'If you've got your hands on the floor, and you're weight-bearing with a flat palm, or you start doing different types of grip on the floor, you're already strengthening your palm muscles and your forearm muscles, and you're loading up the shoulder blade. And then you can play with taking one hand off the ground and doing shoulder taps, or doing down dogs or a high plank. 'That's going to strengthen your wrists and hand muscles, but it's also going to hit you higher up the chain. It will also train your proprioception, which is basically knowing where your wrists and finger joints are in space, as well as your elbow and shoulder. And that is massively linked to strength, because if you have no idea where anything is, you're going to really struggle to be strong in that area.' Train your grip, in other words, by training things that aren't obviously your grip. And throw away those squeezy things. Six ways to improve your grip, by physiotherapist Sarah Milner At home Push-ups These come in many variations, so if they seem intimidating, you can adjust the difficulty by changing the angle, the position of your hands and the distribution of your weight. Start standing with your hands on the wall for a simple push exercise and progress this to the classic horizontal version on the floor. You can make this more challenging by playing with the position of your hands (wider, more narrow) and where your weight goes through (fists, just fingertips). Wet towel wrings Soak a towel in water, then grip and twist it to wring it out. Use both hands, and twist in both directions to improve the strength of your forearm and hand flexor muscles. Pinch grip holds Find the heaviest book in your house and take it between your fingers and thumb in a classic 'pinch grip' position. See how long you can hold it. You can play with the position of your arm (by your side, out in front of your body, above your head) and how bent or straight your elbow joint is. In the gym Dead hangs Try to hold on to a bar as long as your grip will allow you. You can change your hand position to challenge different hand and forearm muscles (neutral, supinated or pronated). This is a great exercise that helps activate your shoulder muscles, which are so important for grip strength. (Confused about those hand positions? If you stand with your arms by your sides, thumbs facing forwards is neutral. Palms facing forwards is supinated. And palms facing back is pronated.) Barbell bent-over rows This is a great multi-muscle exercise; the heavier you go, the harder your arm muscles, shoulders, shoulder blades and core have to work. Make sure you progress the weight steadily, and get a professional to guide you if you're concerned about your form. You can use either a pronated or a supinated grip. Reverse kettlebell above-head shoulder press. Hold on to the handle of an upside-down kettlebell (the ball part should be at the top and handle at the bottom). Try to keep your wrist in a neutral position (and straight) as you complete a strict above-head shoulder press. Try to move slowly and avoid the kettle collapsing down. This will challenge all of your arm and hand muscles as well as improving joint control and stability through the shoulder, elbow and wrist.
