The chain reaction of a weak grip

Posted by bodybuilder

Posted: June 20, 2008 - 4:19 pm

Most people neglect to realize how a weak grip impacts their whole- body workouts. It seems obvious that we are only as strong as our weakest link, but why then do both men and women avoid strengthening their forearms in pursuit of better grip strength? I remember working out in the gym a few years ago and overheard a guy make a comment to a woman who was performing wrist curls. He said; "Wow, I've never seen a woman work her forearms before!" This has stuck with me over the years.

Hand Gripper

The Deadlift is such an important whole-body lift and most times it's a weak grip that prevents the lifter from reaching their full potential. The grip is important in the pull-up, dip, Barbell bench press and many other significant moves that enable one to make substantial changes in their physique. So don't neglect working the forearms from all angles. The forearm muscles are accustomed to a high workload from everyday use and can therefore be worked in a higher rep-range than other muscles. Use a weight that is light enough to get 15-20 reps in 3-4 sets (depending on your goals).

Dumbbell Hammer Curls

Reverse Curl with a cambered bar

I had an injury a few years ago and suffered from major tendonitis in my right elbow. It was very debilitating, so I committed to strengthening my forearms in an effort to hopefully eliminate the pain. I started out using the hand gripper, then incorporated overhand curls to work the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles of the arm. This remedy proved successful and I was able to eliminate the pain with a consistent effort of exercising and icing the area in only a few weeks.

Dumbbell Wrist Curls for grip strength

Sometime later I suffered from tendonitis in my right wrist which was very hard to deal with as it would sometimes prevent me from lifting weights and of course affected everything else in my daily life. I made sure to ice the area and even use a wrist brace when I could. My new exercise of choice became the Dumbbell wrist curl (overhand and underhand) to help ease this pain.

Our joints receive very little blood flow which is why joint injuries are so serious and can haunt us for years. Exercises like the ones I've listed help push blood into the muscles of the forearm as well as keeping the area warm- this nutrient rich blood facilitates recovery and growth.

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