Old school grip training

Why do most exercisers leave their common sense at the checkroom when planning their grip training? If you expect to do a few barbell wrist curls at the end of your training session and expect muscular forearms with prominent veins, then you're completely on the wrong track!

I know trainers who research and plan the parameters of their chest and back training program as meticulously as Einstein analyzed relativity, but when it comes to their grip training, they don't give it a second thought.

Growing up in the Hillybilly country of the Midwest USA taught me a lot about grip strength. When I started training at the age of 14, I didn't have access to "high tech" equipment like grip aids and cable pulls. Instead, I had to do all my training without any grip aids.

When I did deadlifts, I had to use my own grip strength to hold the weight. When I did pull-ups in the garage on a wooden beam, my grip would inevitably give out before my back and biceps. After a short period of time, my grip was able to keep up with my back and bicep strength. During the summer, I stacked hay with my buddy on a farm. This was the best thing I could do to improve my grip and forearm strength. I built forearms that not only looked great, but also had good strength. You can do this too city boy if you read on.

First, you need to quit your sissy city job and move to a farm. No, that was just a joke. The first thing we need to remember is what it takes to get strong. According to strength researcher Vladimir Zatsiorsky, there are three ways to build strength:

• Move a maximal weight, which is known as the maximal effort method.
• Move a submaximal weight as explosively as possible, which is known as the dynamic effort method.
• Move a submaximal weight to the point of muscle failure, known as the repetitive effort method.

To build a world class grip we need to use all three methods. Most people only use one of these three methods, such as squeezing one of those useless spring grips for millions of reps (a perverse example of the repetitive effort method) - a method not even my grandmother would call for. These springs provide a resistance of maybe 15 kilos when compressed and don't do much more than pump up your forearms. Don't worry, after using my techniques you'll want to wear a short-sleeved shirt all the time - even in northern Siberia during the winter! But first, let me bust a few myths.

Myth #1: You need to do high reps every day

This myth goes along the same lines as the recommendations for abdominal muscle training from the 1980s. The problem here is that if you train with high repetitions every day, you are only challenging the slow-contracting type I muscle fibers. Anyone who is even halfway intelligent knows that you need to challenge the type IIb motor units with a higher stimulus threshold, which have the greatest potential for growth and strength development. So forget the daily high reps because they won't get you anywhere.

Myth #2: Training with spring handles is the best workout for forearm muscle development

I could give you so many examples of why this isn't true, but I'll focus on one from my own experience. I spent most of my weekends on the farm where my buddy "Tater" lived. His father Bill was a farmer and mechanic. Bill had never seen the inside of a weight room or gym and he didn't even know what a spring grip was, but he had a monstrous pair of forearms that would have made even Popeye green with envy.

Bill spent his day lifting heavy objects on the farm, turning large wrenches, twisting screwdrivers and carrying heavy buckets - to name just a few of his activities. You may ask "okay, his forearms looked good, but were they strong?" Let me answer that question by going back to Tater.

One day, Tater had dented the family truck when it slid into the ditch on a snowy day. Bill wasn't too happy about it. He grabbed Tater by the neck and lifted him up with one hand (and Tater weighed about 130 kilos). This is what I would call functional strength.

In other words, strong forearms require different types of work.

Myth #3: Bodybuilders have strong forearms

If you continuously perform high-volume training for the forearm muscles, they will hypertrophy. The problem, however, is that this type of training results in sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, not strong functional sarcomeric hypertrophy of the muscle fibers. You need to hypertrophy the actual muscle fibers - not the extracellular space - if you want great looking forearms to be really strong.

Also, bodybuilders use grip aids all the time for everything from deadlifts to lat pulldowns. What's the point of moving a weight you can't hold? In my opinion, if you can't pull up 275 kilos from the floor without a grip, you're not capable of pulling up 275 kilos from the floor.

Now that we have dispelled some myths, let's get back to the guidelines for strength development. As mentioned above, we need to use three different types of training. Here they are in the form of a table with defined load percentages, sets, repetitions and characteristic tempos:

METHOD	LOAD	PACE		TEMPO
Maximum effort	95-100% of 1RM	3-5	1-3	30X0
Dynamic effort	55-65% of the 1RM	6-10	2-4	10X0
Repetitive effort	75-85% of 1RM	4-6	4-8	3020

I recommend that you use one method exclusively before resting for 3 to 5 days and then using the next method. In other words, on day 1 you perform your exercise (or exercises) using the maximum effort technique. On day 2 - 3 to 5 days later - you perform your exercise (or exercises) using the dynamic effort technique. On day 3 - 3 to 5 days later - perform your exercise (or exercises) using the repetitive effort technique.

Perform this "cycle" three times before choosing new exercises - one from each category of forearm exercises described below. You can do this continuously, choosing new exercises each time you complete 3 cycles, until you have huge forearms.

Here is an example of a cycle:

DAY	METHOD	LAST	SEEDS
Monday	Maximum	Fat Grip Barbell Exercises	3-5	1-3
Friday	Dynamic	Forearm exercise with bands	6-10	2-4
Tuesday	Repeated	Alligator Smash (see below)	4-6	4-8

Again, perform three cycles before switching exercises.

The Westside Barbell Club combines two of the above methods per workout. For the purpose of developing forearm strength, I keep the methods separate, as combining them would lead to excessive training volume (assuming that you perform other exercises in addition to this workout that also challenge your grip muscles).

Now let's get to the good stuff - the exercises. You'll never develop a world-class grip if you waste your time with plastic spring grips and wrist curls. The hand and forearm muscles have the potential to perform many different movement patterns, which is why you shouldn't limit yourself to just these two movements. So here is my selection of exercises (remember to choose one exercise from each of the following 3 categories to build your training cycle).

Training the extensors (stretchers)

This seems trivial, but in my experience the extensors are the most neglected variable in grip training. The hand and forearm extensors need to be trained to develop maximum grip strength. You wouldn't just train the biceps and leave the triceps out, would you? I don't think so. Remember that the body will limit its absolute strength potential to protect the joint if the antagonist is weak. For this reason, you need to train the extensors of the hand and forearm. You will be amazed at the results.

Here are a few excellent exercises for this purpose:

Finger band extensions

Get a rubber band (not one of those thin cheap ones, but a really strong one) and place your hand inside the band. Then spread your fingers as wide as possible without the elastic band rolling down from your fingertips. Then close your hand again and repeat the movement. Another method is to wrap the band around two fingers and do the same.

Increase the resistance by placing several rubber bands on top of each other. This is also an excellent exercise for anyone who suffers from wrist problems or carpal tunnel syndrome - including this exercise in the training program often leads to symptom relief. If you get too strong for the elastic bands, you can order special bands for this exercise online. Use this exercise for all three methods.

Sand extensions

Get a 5 liter bucket and fill it with sand. Then stick your hand deep into the sand with your fingers stretched out and close together. Next, spread your fingers as quickly as possible. Pull your hand out of the bucket and repeat. Depending on your strength levels, this could be a maximum effort exercise (if you are weak) or a dynamic/repetitive effort exercise (if you are stronger).

Wrist extensions with weight plates

Take a light weight plate (5 kilos or so) and hold it in a palm down position. Your fingers should be on one side of the plate and your thumb on the other. Hold your arm straight out in front of you and tilt the plate down and up with wrist movements. Use several plates, squeezing them with your fingers as your strength increases. Use this exercise for repetitive or dynamic effort training.

Exercises with an "open hand"

For those who train without grip aids and need their grip strength for exercises such as deadlifts and pull-ups, other exercises will probably suffice, but sometimes you may need to lift objects with your fingers more open.

Here are some excellent exercises for this purpose:

One-handed lift of an upright dumbbell

Place a barbell on one side (so that it looks like an "I" when you look at it from the side). Stand over the barbell with your legs slightly apart. Grasp the upper part of the dumbbell with your hand as if you were picking up a tennis ball from the floor and lift the dumbbell up to waist height. Then lower it again and repeat the movement.

For a more advanced version of this exercise, you can lift the dumbbell up to chest height. I must warn you not to use a dumbbell with a pulley diameter that opens your fingers more than 80%. In other words, you should maintain a certain flexion of the fingers, otherwise you could overload the hand and wrist structures.

Fat grip barbell deadlift

Get some fat grip handle pads or wrap a towel around the middle of the barbell. So that the diameter is 7 to 8 centimetres. Since the towel will compress, the diameter must be larger than 7 to 8 centimeters at the beginning to ensure the correct diameter during the exercise. (An even better method would be to slide a tube of the appropriate diameter over your barbell and weld it to the bar).

Place a small weight plate (5 to 10 kilos) on each side of the bar. As with any new exercise, it's best to start with a light weight rather than injuring yourself on the first repetition. Place the barbell in front of you, grip it in the middle with your right arm and perform one repetition of the traditional deadlift. Perform 1 to 3 repetitions before using your left hand.

I know many of you will now be thinking that a dumbbell would work just as well, but trust me, this is not the case as it takes a lot more muscle action to keep the bar parallel with the floor. This is an excellent exercise for the maximum effort method.

One arm wheelbarrow push

This is a really advanced exercise that I came up with. Get a small, unloaded wheelbarrow. Grab the handles as you normally would, with both hands, and start pushing the wheelbarrow. Easy enough, right? Here comes the hard part: as you push the wheelbarrow, slowly release your left hand, finger by finger (starting with the little finger) from the handle of the wheelbarrow.

Once you have released your left hand from the handle, you must maintain your balance with your right hand. The wheelbarrow must be held perfectly straight - otherwise this exercise will not work. Initially, you will probably only be able to release a few fingers from the handle, but keep at it anyway. Push the wheelbarrow for about 30 seconds before switching hands. You may eventually reach the elite group and be pushing the wheelbarrow with one hand!

Explosive grip training

So far we have trained the extensors of the hand and forearm together with isometric muscle action. Now we need to do some dynamic training for the flexors. Here are a few excellent exercises:

Captain of Crush Gripper

Get one of these Captain of Crush Grippers, choosing the resistance depending on your grip strength. These grippers range from a resistance of 36 to 165 kilos and are available from online retailers. Use a gripper that allows you to complete the prescribed number of repetitions in the dynamic and repetitive resistance methods. If you are unsure of your grip strength, purchase the number 1 gripper. Close the gripper using an explosive muscle action for the dynamic method and a more moderate muscle action for the repetitive effort method. Depending on your grip strength, you may need to use the gripper for your maximum effort day.

Sand Grip

I learned this exercise from John Brookfield's excellent book "Mastery of Hand Strength". Put your hand into a 10 liter bucket filled with sand, pebbles, steel balls or some other substance and grab a handful of this material as explosively as you can. Pull your hand out of the bucket and repeat. Use this exercise for the dynamic and repetitive effort methods.

Alligator Smash

Find a piece of foam - a mattress, seat cushion or anything else that will fit in your hand. Place your outstretched fingers on one side and your thumb on the other. Squeeze your fingers and thumb together (if you can't imagine the movement, imagine that your hand is in a sock that represents a hand puppet and you are moving the puppet's mouth). Use this exercise for all three strength methods.

Force imbalances

If you find it harder to build strength and/or muscle mass on one side compared to the other, you may have a nerve problem in the C6-T1 area of your spine. A chiropractor can find this out. Other possible causes could be adhesions in the forearm and hand muscles. Active release therapy can help here.

Conclusion

If you use the information presented in this article, you can build a world-class grip that is both visually appealing and extremely functional and strong. So the next time some guy is kicking sand in your face at the beach and trying to take your girlfriend out, you can grab him by the neck and perform the Aligator Smash move while imagining he's a sock puppet.

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/old-school-grip-training

By Chad Waterbury