Grip Strength

Mhmm...weetabix

Hi guys,

Just looking to pick some brains on what excercise's you'd rate as the best for regaining grip strength with carpal tunnel/Thoracic outlet problems which are been ttt at the moment (Cue barrage of Wanker's cramp jokes)

Complete rest (a week so far)of area with professionall ttt, hot/cold ttt & NSAIDS followed up by:

Heavyweights - The big 3 - (I've put week 6 of 5x5 cycle on hold due to not been able to grip anything near where I was at the moment)

Isolation weights - wrist/foream curls & extensions. Hammer curls to work the brachioradialis (any other excercises for this)

Captain Crush grippers (looking for an excuse to buy these anyway)

Powerball - I have 1 but don't really use it -might have to change that

Chinups/ Hammer grip chin ups/ Pullups

Any of the above or extra (singular or in combination) you'd recommend from personal experience more then the other??


Non essential background reading filler babbling part below that might help with advice or numb your brain (apologies in advance).

Having major problems with my grip strength in my right hand for a while now. I've dislocated my thumb on no fewer then 6 occassions in the past 7/8 years, once falling off my bike, once break falling when I got attacked on a night out :mad: and the other 5 from Bjj/Muay, lost count at this stage.

I've rehabed with lots of Osteopathy/Chiropractor/Physical therapy TTT and I'm biting the bullet and going to get acupuncture on it tonight (bad experience with it when I was 16) to see if it helps.

Anyway, this time round I havent dislocated my thumb, but lost all power in my arm for a couple of minutes last week after getting my shoulder locked up for the umpteemt time in BJJ. Once I got the sensation back I continued on training (because I'm a a) a moron b)stubborn c)a little from column a) a little from column b) d) Insert own comment). When I woke up on Friday I could barely lift the milk to put in my porridge due to my wrist been so weak.
Went to the chiro Saturday and she ttt me for thoracic outlet syndrome. My Ct Junction is compressed and my right shoulder was rounded forward badly causing alot of the problem. Alot of the problems subscided immediately and my arm is feeling good bar the wrist. Went for another TTT Tuesday and reassesd & have been told I have a variation of Carpal Tunnel syndrome. Any1 have experience of lifting after similar problems & advice on what to do? I haven't done any lifting or MA's for a week now and I'm getting increasingly agitated at this stage (comfort eating and beer has helped in the short term)

Apologies for how much babbling has gone into the above post!

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Hey Weetabix,
I find the powerball is an excellent rehab tool for any wrist forearm problems. It takes a bit of getting used, practise makes perfect.
Another good rehab tool is a strong rubber band to help build the smaller muscles of the hand, All fingertips together,wrap the rubber band around the fingers and thumb, and slowly open the hand and repeat motion.

If you do have carpal tunnel or a form of it, then this will mean that neurologically your grip strength is going to be weaker because the nerves supplying it are not sending a proper signal. Much like a fuse box and wiring in a house. So rehab will not help at the moment until the underlying issue is fixed.

The median nerve which is commonly associated with carpal tunnel can be entrapped in numerous places, the most common place is between the pronator teres muscle. Get your chiro to look at this.

Good luck with the acupuncture, its not that bad.

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Mhmm...weetabix

Heya Toggle,
Thanks for the advice, I completely forgot about elastic bands for intrinsic hands muscle, I'll be doing that from tomorrow along with the powerball.

The accupunctrist (??) doesn't think it's carpal tunnel syndrome and it feels better already. It wasn't in my head when I was 16 though, I thought I was going to hurl a couple of times but it's bareable! (wuss)

Roper

Hey where do you train the oul BJJ?

There's this eh, claw thing is the only way I can describe it where you put your fingers in holes and it resists movement in each direction. My mother had one for carpal tunnel from knitting .

Sorry I can't remember the name of it. Odd looking yoke.

Mhmm...weetabix

I train with Team Ryano, all fun and games
A claw you say? I'm intrigued by said contraption, do tell more!

rubadub

This guy has lots of tips.
http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/GripTips/GripTip1.html

I have the metal powerball, very tough & fun. Put a towel over your chinup bar for towel pullups. Also I wrap a small towel on my dumbbell for some exercises.

Mhmm...weetabix

rubadub wrote: »

This guy has lots of tips.
http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/GripTips/GripTip1.html

I have the metal powerball, very tough & fun. Put a towel over your chinup bar for towel pullups. Also I wrap a small towel on my dumbbell for some exercises.

Cheers Rubadub,
That's a class site. Any tips on when you'd train your grip? I'm pretty much training it 4-5 sessions a week between bjj and weightlifting. I suppose it'd be more of accesory training at the end of a session (or just sitting infront of the tv?) in most peoples eye's? Or have I missed something

rubadub

Mhmm...weetabix wrote: »

Any tips on when you'd train your grip?

I use the grippers a fair bit, probably too much, I am working on closing the HG250 now so am doing them more. I do them in front of TV like you mention, even bring them to work, good stress relief! probably would be good stuck sitting in traffic.

Have to get going on the powerball again, I keep getting cuts on my hands and have to let them heal as the powerball would tear them open again, it is deceptively powerful.

I also want a go at battling ropes. Which again is meant to look deceptively easy. The guy in the blue t-shirt was the first to ever close the No4, captain of crush gripper, i.e. he is strong as an ox so makes it look easy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=actm8mlSlJc

Roper

Mhmm...weetabix wrote: »

Cheers Rubadub,
That's a class site. Any tips on when you'd train your grip? I'm pretty much training it 4-5 sessions a week between bjj and weightlifting. I suppose it'd be more of accesory training at the end of a session (or just sitting infront of the tv?) in most peoples eye's? Or have I missed something

You train weightlifting too? That must suck I wouldn't snatch if I'd no grip strength left!!!

I'll be seeing my mother today and I'll ask her about the claw thing if I can get a word in between her telling me what a mess I've made of my life.:P

Mhmm...weetabix

Roper wrote: »

You train weightlifting too? That must suck I wouldn't snatch if I'd no grip strength left!!!

I'll be seeing my mother today and I'll ask her about the claw thing if I can get a word in between her telling me what a mess I've made of my life.:P

Ah yeah, I'm far to stubborn to stop with weights for too long, I've managed to compensate on the weights over the last while and it actually helped my grip alot. Last time I busted my thumb over the summer I couldn't grip anything over 15kg with my right hand. I had got my overhand grip on DL's back up to 80kg for 3, anything over that though I have to stagger it, will have to see where I am once it's cleared up again! It's also a nightmare for BJJ as you can well imagine, always worried I'm gonna get it caught in the lapels when I'm taking grips!

Haha, I know how that goes, my mother is a nightmare.