hand strength - gripper training - mixed martial arts training

So-called ‘setting’ is where the hand not gripping your gripper is used to push the handles close enough together as to allow the pinkie, or little finger, to just wrap around enough to get the working hand ‘set’ and ready for a big squeeze .

It should not, as per the CoC certification rules, be used as an excuse to nigh on push and set the handles with both hands so that the working hand has only done 50% of the work in getting the handles to touch. The working hand should do as much of the work as possible and all the work once the little finger has been set in the right position.

Another important tip identified by grip men is the ‘setting’ of your thumb. One should aim to shorten the range needed to get the handles close by deliberately having the thumb pad ‘high’. This is done by aiming the thumb towards the pinkie. In doing so you will notice the thumb pad becomes bunched up and raised. Keeping it in that position you now set one handle of the gripper onto the mound and wrap your fingers around the other.

Dog legs

Take a close look at the spring on your gripper. Now turn it over and compare the spring again. You’ll notice one side where it goes into the handle seems a little straighter than the other where it comes off the top of the bend, so to speak, and begins to straighten out. This straight side is the side that should be against the thumb pad. Try it both ways using an easy to shut gripper and compare the difference.

Strap holds and similar.

Using a weightlifters lifting strap (typically a canvas affair) you can fold the strap so that you can use the end of the handles to squeeze on it. This is of some benefit to those who can get the handles so far but then stop. Perhaps it’s five mill or more. Then fold the strap or size the material sufficiently so that it’s nigh on the same size then squeeze iso-metrically against the material.

A variation is timed strap holds (an Iron Grip competition event) where a small weight (2.5 kilos for example) is hung from a looped end of a lifting strap and then with just the single cloth thickness it is held within the squeezed end of the handles for as long as possible.

Timed holds

As above but no strap. Using this technique grip men and women will iso-metrically teach their muscles to develop power in the closed position. Best used with a weaker gripper than the one you are trying to close it will also show you have control and plenty of brute strength with a gripper that you have finally beaten.

Over closes

Several Gripboard members, using old, worn and or cheaper grippers have ground down the ends (on the inside naturally) of the handles where they touch and using holds, closes etc, will squeeze the handle to a new and for the hand closer position than would normally be possible. This, again, is a way of working to over come that last few fractions of an inch that seems to be stopping you from getting the handles together.

Negatives

Quite simply squeeze the handles together of a tough to shut gripper and when you get as far as your grip will allow standing or seated push the nearly closed hand against your thigh, other hand, solid object, and use that to get hose last few mill. Then hold it in that position for a few seconds – perhaps a three count. You can try for more time next time – combining both negatives and timed holds.

The mind

In the tips I have given you I say some things as though they are easy. Some are for me and will, I would hope, become easy for you (some are not  ). However, very little here is really easy to begin with and unless you have an unnaturally great skill and hand strength you will, at times, sweat and struggle to become good.

One thing I have noticed in many people within the grip world and indeed strength training is this idea that ‘if I can’t do it soon I wanna do something else’. While there are some grip men who have trained very little to become strong the majority have sweated blood, rubbed the skin raw, had the forehead bulging with veins and so on all to shut that damned gripper!!

You have to have a strong mental focus, almost as though you were going to do a massive bench or squat with a near maximal weight. Don’t think ‘oh, it’s just a spring gripper. I’ll pick it up now and see what happens’. Have a game plan, get stronger and weaker grippers. Work hard and set aside a little time maybe twice a week, maybe more (see sets and reps) of at least 20 minutes when you can give it some real ‘welly’. Put some effort into it and show me the results.

Identifying weaknesses

One of the key points I see as a difference between success and failure between two otherwise evenly matched individuals (when applied to shutting a gripper) is the means to identify where your weakness lays. Maybe you are real strong at the beginning and weak at the finish. Perhaps it’s the other way round. It might be that you have small hands or big ones. Perhaps the skin on your hand is easily torn or you sweat a lot? The, with sweat, a little chalk will help. With the others look down the tip list and work using the techniques to bring up that weakness until it becomes a strength and use that new found ability to shut the gripper.

Sets and reps

There are so many variations I will not even attempt to cover them all. I will, however, identify a two.

KTA: One program which seems to work for a great many of the members over at the Grip board is the KTA (Kinney Training Adapted) programme. There is a lot to it but the main part consists of negatives, some training techniques and more importantly very high volume work done back to back over several days. The KTA programme has, I believe, you going for as much as 7 or more days on the trot and the resting for 2-3 days to allow so-called super-compensation and then testing yourself on that still challenging gripper. When done correctly, according to the creator, you should see results. With many grip men seeing results one cannot discount the programme and so it’s well worth the $20.00 or so it costs. It includes advice, video and audio clips and free membership to the KTA section. It’s only available via the net as a download from the Grip Board.

However, like the recent closer of the CoC 4 gripper, Nathan Holle, I personally favour lower reps, mostly singles and I never train more than 2 or at most three times a week hard (note near maximal effort) on the grippers. With other training and some non-gripper type grip work as well as a full workload it seems to suit me and perhaps my muscle fibre type well. While the grippers are very much something tactile, almost making you wanna pick them up and have a go (put them down in a gym to see what I mean) I favour a work on them hard, put them down and come back to them when your grip has recovered scheme as opposed to the KTA programme variation which will have you trying for 50 reps, trying them several times a day and over several times a week – thus being a much higher volume of work.

Each to their own. Try both schemes and others and find out what suits you best. No one scheme works for everyone and nor does one ‘expert’ have all the answers.

Useful websites and sources of info.

www.cyberpump.com/gripboard/

www.handgrippers.co.uk

www.smartstrength.com

www.intensefitness.co.uk

Care and maintenance

The care and maintenance needs to be 2 fold. Your hands and your gripper. When working both they both need looking after.

Hands:

Hands: pick off skin that has been lightly torn on the knurling by use of the gripper. I’m talking here of a few flakes of the top layer or two not off of open wounds. Make sure that your skin has fully recovered. Some recommend the use of vinegar as a means of toughening and thickening of the skin and others a little hand cream to soften it. Try out both and find out what’s works for you.

One suggestion, given by Joe Kinney, is to wrap electrical tape or similar around the handle that is being gripped by the fingers so as to not damage the skin too much. You can also use the heavy white sports tape on your fingers but only if you are want hands fairy soft or if they are damaged.

Grippers:

A little light oil on the occasionally squeaky spring will suffice. If possible try and squeeze the spring do that the wound coil opens a little and the oil gets into the whole of the coil.

The knurling, depending on the gripper being cleaned, can be a sod to keep clean. If you are patient then slowly pick the skin oil and skin cells (urrgghh) using a needle. Most, however, use a wire brush. Be careful not to scrub away like a mad man as this will wear the bristles down more than it will clean the gripper. Instead use an action in line with the direction of the knurling.

Acknowledgement

Much of the information contained within this article comes from using sites such as Cyberpump’s Gripboard, David Horne’s Iron Grip magazine, from emails etc between other grip aficionados and from obviously personal experience. Nothing has been quoted and there are no believed infringements of copyright. Tips suggested in this article apply to all spring type grippers