Mike Gittleson was the Director of Strength & Conditioning at the University of Michigan for 30 years and was a part of 15 Football Championships in that time. He explains that by adding a few simple exercises you can make all your lifts go up

Grip strength is not only an indication of your overall strength, it is used in many diverse manners. The grip can be used in the diagnosis of disease, the evaluation and comparison of medical treatments, in the documentation and progression of muscular strength, and is used to provide feedback during the rehabilitative process as a measure of levels of hand function.

If you add a few simple hand, wrist, and forearm movements to your strength program – get ready – because all your lift will go up!

1.   The REVERSE CURL or what used to be called “Winding up the Weight”……. You will need a straight bar as well as a curl bar to do this exercise, as many athletes need the curl bar for wrist relief.

2.   DUMBBELL HAMMER CURLS…the key is making sure the wrist is always straight,this keeps tension on the musculature. If the athlete’s wrist begins to bend at the top of the movement the weight was lifted to high.

3.    REVERSE WRIST CURLS… use an Olympic bar…. Set the bar on boxes or a technique tray. Have the athlete back up to the bar and grasp it while standing.  Training this way allows the athlete to use the appropriate weight.

4.    The WRIST ROLLER…use different shape wrist rollers that require different grips to fully develop the hands. Exercise with the arms fully extended and use very strict form.

5.   The PENDULUM GRIPPER…the Pendulum allows you to stand stand up, pull, and squeeze with your hands. It is a great testing, and training device to measure progress and strengthen your hands.

6. FINGER WALKING…Abduction and adduction are extremely important when holding on to an object. Strengthen these ab and adductor muscles by walking your fingers up and down a sledge hammer.

Get a Grip and Get Strong.