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Hand Grippers

Rambodian

Rambodian

No I'm not cambodian
What do you guys think of hand grippers?

I was considering getting the captains of crush 'trainers' from Underground Elite, they are 100 pound of resistance.
Does any of you guys use them?
I am week in my grip strength, my deads are being held back because of grip strength I reckon. I can do 1rep at 140kg, but feel as though I could do 2 if my grip was a bit stronger, I use chalk and even tried some wrist straps to help, but I want to do it bare handed with just chalk.
You guys reckon they are worth a purchase? they cost about $50, so their not cheep. Still, was thinking it might be a good way to increase grip strength on off days, and could use em watching tele LOL.
 
Not really worth it if you want better grip strength for the deadlift.

Do you use mixed grip or hook for your top deadlift sets.

If yes use double overhand until you can't, then change to mixed or hook. Using DO will strengthen you grip and the mixed or hook will allow you to lift more weight at the top sets without your grip failing.
 
Iron edge sell the "super gripper" and it's adjustable. I've got it and I rate it, it was $40 and $17 postage. Check it out on their website
 
I have had these for years and years (at least 10), I have the Trainer, number 1, 2 and 3, very good grippers well worth it for fore arm definition as well.
 
@Bazza: Yeh I use a double overhand grip when I do them, I hate the feel of under over. You don't think it will help with grip Bazza, when doing the deads? I want to keep using DO grip, that's why I want to increase my strength in that area.

@Vegas: I will check them out, thanks mate.

@Andy: Thanks for the link man.

@Big Mick: You reckon if I make the purchase that I should get the number 1 as well? How hard is the trainer, can anyone do it or is it still difficult if you haven't done them before?
 
Your deadlift strength is going to go up quicker than your double overhand grip will. If you stay with double overhand it will always hold your deadlift back.

If you don't like mixed use the hook grip that's what I use. Some people find it hurts but I've never had any issues and it's solid as a rock. Otherwise you could use DO grip up until that fails then use straps for sets after that. Some people will frown on using straps but if your not competing in powerlifting it's not a issue.

Like I said before if you want to get better at holding a bar. Hold a heavy bar, it will work better for what you want than hand grippers.
 
Get on the forum and read people's experiences.

I've never used the bastards don't intend to, never really needed it...but we are all different.
 
Mate if you can dead lift 140kg X 1 the trainer will be good warm up for you, I can only dead lift 125.8kg x 1, and it is grip strength letting me down as well, I recon I could do at least 4 or 5 at that weight if I could hold on to the bar (I am using a thick smooth bar as well though making it harder to hold on to).

I bought these years ago for martial arts training, as grip strength is fairly important when wrestling opponents.

I am looking at buying another standard sized knurled bar for dead lifts and building a lifting platform as well.

In regards to the grippers;

Trainer = 100lb to close, I can do this easily for reps.

Number 1 = 140lb to close, I can fully close it for reps as well

Number 2 = 195lb to close, I can not fully close it, about 1cm to go

Number 3 = 280lb to close, I can close it about half way

May be that will give you some idea.

Personally I would at least buy the trainer (really good for warming up) and the number 1, if you have the cash get the number 2 as well, there are in between grippers as well which were not really available back when I bought mine.

Here is a link:
Shop IronMind for Captains of Crush Hand Grippers, the gold standard of grippers for hand strength

Here are my four hanging on the home gym wall:
100_6797.jpg
 
@Big Mick: I tried some today, the number 1s, I bumped into a bloke that trains at my gym, got talking about the grippers and he owned some, so I asked if I could come round and try them out. He had the trainers and the number 1s, they were good, but I could do them for reps, so I might go straight to the number 1s for warm up and number 2s for strength. Thanks for the link as well.

@Bazza: Yeh I'm gonna give that hook grip a try, I deadlift again on wednesday so will see how it feels.

Thanks for the feedback guys.
 
That's good, sounds about right, I find the trainer pretty easy as well.

One of the excercises they recommend is holding a coin between the ends, forces you to keep tension, till the coin drops, have never done it though, I will do about ten reps on the trainer to warm up then move on to the bigger ones.

I will then do some reps on that and to finish just hold it closed as long as I can, really burns your fore arms, also brings out nice fore arm definition:)

I recon they are worth the $$$, and mine are probably at least 10-15 years old and still going strong, so you will have them for ever or till you lose them.:)
 
I dig gripper work. I have the 'heavy grip' 150, 200, 250 and 300. I can close the first 3, still working on the 300. As far as quality goes, they're ok but not fantastic. People tend to rate the CoC grippers much higher, I'm of the same feeling although I've never used a CoC gripper so I really have no basis to make a comparison. But hey, these were less than half the price of the CoC grippers, so its not all bad.

I keep my grippers in my car and use them when I'm driving. I never keep them in my gym and use them as part of my 'workout'.
 
Most people don't use grippers correctly, don't mash them!
Spend 6 seconds squeezing it in, hold for 6 seconds, 6 seconds releasing. That's one rep!
Also squeeze them with your FINGERS AND THUMB, not your palm
 
The capain of crush grippers I have came with some work out suggestions, the above was one, but there are others as well, including isometric tension, high rep and low rep workouts from memory.
 
Well I purchased the No 1s and 2s, I'm waiting for them to arrive. I checked out the forum at gripboard to get some ideas about how to use them correctly. Now I can't wait to get em, just so I can get started.
 
Got my CoC today, the number 1s as i already mentioned are good for starting, but wowzuz those number 2s are freaking hard, I can squeeze them shut until there is about half a centimeter to go, thats the best I can get at the moment.
 
Sounds like your grip strength is about identical to mine then....as that's where I am at:)
 
Last night read an article by Andy Bolton saying hand grippers are good for hand strength but don't carry over to deadlift grip strength. He would most likely have a pretty good idea.
 
@Bazza, yeh I have also read allot of articles saying a similar thing, I joined the gripboard forum and asked them, and they seam to be divided on the subject so I'm just mostly gonna take a multi prong approach. I chalked up on Friday and tried the hook grip, helped heaps but hurt the thumb a bit.

Here is the grip training I'm starting;

1. Two Hands Pinch Lift for holds, also use work gloves to protect your skin.
2. Finger curls with an Olympic Bar, overhand grip. Hold it on the last set when you can't do anymore finger curls.
3. Two Hand Wrist Curl. Normal, with a comfortable range of motion. Do not let the bar go into your fingertips like some bodybuilders do, also do them with your thumb under the bar as you are training your wrists and don't want to fight against the thumb digit on top of the bar.
4. Two Hands Reverse Wrist Curl.

Do the Pinch holds for 10-15 secs, and the other exercises for 15-20 reps.

I copy pasted that from the gripboard, but I'm also adding in the crush work with the grippers.
I'll give it a month and see how it goes, I will be doing the above workout on my "off" days, so will see how it goes.
 
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