Horrible Grip

agentgreen

Hi,

Having read that thread on calluses and blisters I decided to ditch my gloves.
I haven't deadlifted yet with out them but last night I was doing SLDLs and my grip was attrocious. The bar just kept slipping and had an awful pain in my forearms. It was pretty annoying seening as I found it difficult to finish out the sets.
So I decided that I'm going to do grip training. What do people recommend?

Also is there much of a difference between CoC and heavygrippers?

Thanks.

Hanley

CoC/heavygrippers will do jack sh1t for your deadlift grip. They train crushing strength, you need supporting strength.

For things like SLDL's and chins I think straps are a good option. No point getting a half a$$ed workout because your hands cant handle the load.

Were you using a mixed grip on the SLDL's, or double overhand??

My favourite grips exercises are; (all without straps obviously)
-Farmers walks (with lots of turns, pick up the dumbbells and walk around the gym)
-High rep one are dumbbell rows (work up to one all out set of 20-30 reps)
-Double Overhand shrugs

Malteaser!

Two of my favourites for grip training...

Timed Barbell Holds. It's basically a rack pull but instead of releasing it when you lock out you hold it for lets say 10 or 15 seconds. Do singles and keep adding the weight, I usually add 5 kilos at a time, until you can't hold it for 10/15 seconds anymore.

Plate Pinches. Where you put two plates together, with the smooth side facing outwards and hold it (in one hand obviously) for 10 seconds. This one is much harder than it sounds.

Colm_OReilly

Your grip will be built by deadlifting, but as Hanley says, it can be the limiting factor.

Pull ups and towel pulls will also work your grip, as will farmers walk.

It depends on what you want to do - if you're deads are seriously heavy that there's no way you can hold the weight, then straps are the way to go. If you want to increase your grip strength, dropping the weight to a level you can grip and allowing your forearms to build up this way to go.

Of course, these aren't mutually exclusive.

You can always chalk up your hands as well, in case sweat is contributing to the slippage - plus it makes you feel really cool.

justsomebloke

chalk is your friend

edit just read the last line of Colm's reply and I can confirm that he does make you feel really cool

the drifter

Malteaser! wrote: »

Plate Pinches. Where you put two plates together, with the smooth side facing outwards and hold it (in one hand obviously) for 10 seconds. This one is much harder than it sounds.

they are a brilliant grip exercise....

agentgreen

Cool thanks,

For deadlifts I do mixed grip (I never alternated at the beginning, so my grip on one side is a bit weaker) and for SLDLs I use double overhand and this is where I really stuggle.

Would straps not hinder my grip developing? I understand and agree what your saying about affecting my workout.

My deadlift isn't seriously heavy, but I'm hoping to get it there.

Would the grippers build strength in my forearms? I'm thinking of buying them just to have, so was wondering is there a difference is the brands and quality or are you just paying for the name?

Don't think chalk is allowed in the gym...

justsomebloke

agentgreen wrote: »

Don't think chalk is allowed in the gym...

Don't think it is allowed in mine either, but nobody has ever said anything to me about it

Hanley

agentgreen wrote: »

Cool thanks,

For deadlifts I do mixed grip (I never alternated at the beginning, so my grip on one side is a bit weaker) and for SLDLs I use double overhand and this is where I really stuggle.

Would straps not hinder my grip developing? .

Is your grip not hindering your hamstrings?

I don't mean use straps for everyything and anything. Just on lifts like that where you're holding onto a heavy bar for a long period of time.

Doing the grip work I mentioned will do alot for your forearms size. As will lots of reverse curls.

t-ha

Salad Boy wrote: »

Don't think it is allowed in mine either, but nobody has ever said anything to me about it

I'm sorry - you just can't pull off 'tough' with a name like 'salad boy'.

I think I've said this before a couple of times but I remember I used to use loads of wraps on my hands to effectively make regular bars into thick-bars. Kept training away like that, initially with just a few wraps of the fingers, but building up until after a few months I had three full-length wraps going round and round each hand (at the top of the fingers and the palm). Never had grip problems since really. It also never really got in the way of my workouts 'cause if my grip was shot (e.g. doing deads and chins on the same day) I could take off some/all of the wraps for the rest of the workout.

agentgreen

Hanley wrote: »

Is your grip not hindering your hamstrings?

Touche, fair point.

I will give these a go, next time I'm in the gym. You train your grip like any other body part, right?

Where can you get chalk in Dublin? Can't see it on any of the usual suspects sites.

Can anybody tell me if there is a difference in the grippers?

Thanks for the help.

justsomebloke

generaly places like the great outdoors etc will carry climbing chalk

crotalus667

agentgreen wrote: »

Touche, fair point.

I will give these a go, next time I'm in the gym. You train your grip like any other body part, right?

Where can you get chalk in Dublin? Can't see it on any of the usual suspects sites.

Can anybody tell me if there is a difference in the grippers?

Thanks for the help.

the difference is the number of lb's they claim to need to be closed Mickk does coc at a decent price
http://irish-lifting.com/product_info_equipment.php?cPath=1_10&products_id=255

Hanley

agentgreen wrote: »

Touche, fair point.

I will give these a go, next time I'm in the gym. You train your grip like any other body part, right?

Where can you get chalk in Dublin? Can't see it on any of the usual suspects sites.

Can anybody tell me if there is a difference in the grippers?

Thanks for the help.

I train grip for time for the most part. Purely because that's what I'm trying to improve (the length of time I can hold a bar).

So with the dumbbell rows say you can do 30kgx25, start with 10,20,25 all x12-15, then go for one all out set with 30kg. Pick a number, and go for it. If you make it, try and get 5 more reps. And try to beat it each week. Once you can do 30 reps, move up 5kg.

On the farmers walks, do 3 or 4 sets of walks. Keep all the sets to the same distance, and try to walk for longer each week.

Reverse curls - as normal 3-5x8-12

Double overhand shrugs - 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Won't be a great workout for your traps, but thats not the purpose of doing them.

And I would only do 2 exercises in any session. I'd probably pick a day as an "assistance" workout and do famers walks, high rep rows, pulldowns w/straps and tri's. Or something like that depending on specific weakpoints.

agentgreen

crotalus667 wrote: »

the difference is the number of lb's they claim to need to be closed Mickk does coc at a decent price
http://irish-lifting.com/product_info_equipment.php?cPath=1_10&products_id=255

So no difference in quality?

ali.c

agentgreen wrote: »

Don't think chalk is allowed in the gym...

Hmm you can get a putty like substance to improve grip, Have only heard of it being used climbing, have never used it deadlift but i believe it works in a similar way to chalk. You can get it in the great outdoors if i recall correctly.

crotalus667

agentgreen wrote: »

So no difference in quality?

nope they are pretty much the same from what i've heard