To maximize or test hand strength we utilize the power grip. The power grip allows for the extrinsic muscles of the hand to provide the major force, the interossei muscles are used as flexors and rotators at the metacarpophalangeal joints, and the thenar muscles at the base of the thumb become heavily involved. To train the power grip Tyler Hobson of Rogers Athletic developed the Pendulum Grip Pro.
Finger spreading, bringing the fingers to the midline of the hand (that is, ab-/adduction) and squeezing are fundamental to many gripping tasks and occur simultaneously. if you firmly grab someones wrist or forearm using a 'power grip' and they begin to pull away, ab-/adductors come into play. Having these muscles strong is essential in maintaining power as the lines of force applied to hold the ulna and radius have quickly changed.
Hand strength requires a multitude of muscular interactions. Grasping an object firmly and then twisting your forearm into supination, the index and middle fingers act as a pair and the ring and little fingers also a pair to generate oppositely directed tangential force, which requires digital strength as well as coordination.
Finger Walking To Develop The Ab And Adductors Of The Fingers
Strengthening ab and adduction of the fingers gives you extremely powerful hands. The following video is a demonstration of finger strength at the highest level. It is of a 19 year old Casey Gittleson demonstrating a 41 pound finger walk (a year later it was over 55 pounds). Training the sledge hammer movement allowed for a 168 pound teenager to bend steel and frying pans just out of high school.
Make sure your Pendulum Grip Cart from Rogers is loaded with sledge hammers to Get Strong.