Grip Strength

[Ralphie]

Alright, I just had my patelar tendon reattached, and am out of commission for about 6 months. I am going to train upper body quite a bit, including grip strengthening. So, my question is, what are the best methods for this available (I'm sure the inevitable reply of chicken choking will come up, but I've maxed out on this a long time ago). Also, what were some exercises that folks did here while they recovered from a knee injury? I have been doing olympic lifts for a few years, but I'm going to have to alter that at least for a few more months, so any input is well appreciated. Thanks in advance, and this has been my worst year for injuries ever. I'm much more sympathetic towards people with sports injuries these days, that's for sure. I'm now official timer boy for our vale tudo team.
www.bjjboulder.com

[norther practitioner]

Captain of Crush will come up fo' sho...

Good luck with the recovery.

If you can afford it, go to PT.. it helped a lot during my rehab periods after knee injuries.. (knocks on wood) I haven't needed surgery yet though.

[Ford Prefect]

Let your PT tell you what exercises to do for that knee. You don't want to hurt yourself any more.

As for grip strength:

Captains of Crush Grippers (as NP said)
Leverage Bars/Thor's Hammer/Clubbells
Wrist Roller
Weight Plate Curls
Plate Pinching

Some really great grip tools at www.ironmind.com

Once you see them, they aren't hard to build on your own.

[abobo]

Some stuff that I do: rope climbing, towel chinups, fingertip pushups, planche progressions (not strictly a grip exercise, but uses wrist/finger strength)

[Ralphie]

Ford, I'm def. not going to do anything with my knee, and will do exactly what the PT and Doc tell me too in that regard. Hell, I have my leg locked out at 0 degrees for at least a month or two more, so I have no choice. I was thinking more along the lines of upper body type exercises that you could do with a hurt knee. I'm going to check into the captain of crush thing, as I've heard of that one mentioned before. Thanks again!

[Chief Fox]

I built a wooden dummy when I had a knee injury. http://www.mccarriedesign.com/wooden_dummy/

I've got a Dyna-Flex Pro gyro ball thing for grip strength. I bought it at a rock climbing store for about $18. Bascally it's a gyroscope that you get spinning using a string. Then you keep it spinning by rotating your hand. The whole time it feels like it's going to fly out of your hand if you don't grip it hard enough. It's kinda fun. I use it while I'm just sitting around reading or watching TV. http://www.dynaflexstore.com/

Sorry to hear about the knee.

[FooFighter]

Ralphie,

I agree with what Ford's recommended. The cheapest investment in Grip strength equipments are the gripper, the wrist roller, and wrist flexion/extenstion with DB or bars. Personally I would focus on these equipments and use these tools in the beginning. The Captain of Crush Grippers are great and it is pretty much the bench mark for grippers. However the only problem I have with this equipment is you have to buy several Captains to vary the load. So that is why I perfer the Ivanko's "Supergripper". I like this supergripper because you can vary the loads from easy to super hard and this for me save me money. The most expensive investments are the Leverage Bars/Thor's Hammer/Clubbells and pinching devices. If you are crafty enough you can build your own leverage bars, but I think it is quite dangerous tho. And if you creative enough, you can develop your own pinching exercises. I hope you much success in your training.

Sincerely,
Bao

[abobo]

Unless you want to get certified with IronMind, you could check out Heavy Grips also, as they are a bit cheaper and supposedly comparable.

[Toby]

Supergripper? SUPERGRIPPER? Don't get me started, Foo ... :D

[Mo Lung]

The pullup variations suggestion is the best so far, IMO. Upper body and grip combined. Supplement with the crushers, of course. Also, work other bwe for upper body like hand stand pushups, etc.

[FooFighter]

Toby,

I aint dissing Captain crushers, but for realz I like saving money. LOL.

[WinterPalm]

Get an old hex dumbbell, cut the ends off, which if your saw is old, will be a grip workout in itself. Once you've done this you can pinch the weight block, and do al lsorts of curlign and pressing exercises with it.
This is the best thing you can do for your grip outside of kung fu training. But for that you need a teacher.

[David Jamieson]

first, take it easy. second are you entitled to any recuperative therapy? If the latter, get on it!

get a squeeze ball, like a stress reliever type thing. If the injury is still significant take it easy.

building your grip strength does not require any special training, it just requires using your grip in a repititious fashion.

squeeze ball is a good start, you can get yourself one of those plier grip squeezers too like a weider grip trainer. Hell, Chin ups will strengthen your grip as well.

just work at it in a slow and focused manner and you can recover your grip in due time.

[Ralphie]

Actually KL, my grip is pretty good, but since I have the time to focus on different things, I want to improve my grip, so... Also, I'll have physical therepy in about a month or so, once I can actually bend my leg. The nature of my injury requires that the reattached tendon heals in a certain position before I can even start. I even have this f''in cast on for a few more days before im in a brace, which will also be locked out at 0 deg. A surprising amount of guys I train with are or have been pro climbers; that's the kind of grip I'm looking for.
Thanks for the responses so far!
-Steve

[mickey]

Greetings Everyone,

Sorry to hear about the knee, Ralphie.

Since everyone is suggesting methods of developing hard and heavy methods of developing hand strength, I am going to suggets something different. The tying and untying of knots. Total financial expenditure would be near zero since all you need is shoe strings and ropes of varying widths (you should be able to find something around the house). Tie a tight knot and have fun hearing yourself curse undoing the stuff. If you know different types of knots, all the better. This exercise will help refine the muscular coordination of your hand in a way the other aforementioned suggested exercises do not.

I wish you a speedy recovery.

Have fun with the exercise should you try it.

mickey

[Ford Prefect]

Good suggestions so far everybody. Mickey's post reminded me of another grip killer, yet a rather different exercise. It's very easy if you get a morning news paper.

Take a single of sheet of paper in one hand and crush it into a tight ball.

Repeat with other hand...

Take two sheets of paper in one hand and crush it into a tight ball.

Repeat w/other hand...

ETC ETC

[mickey]

That is a good one Ford.

When I learned that one I was instructed to have the sheet of paper flat on a table. Lay the palm flat in the center and then ball the paper up while trying to keep your palm on the table. It is a real killer as you have described.

mickey

[Mo Lung]

That reminds me of another one - it's the only practical use I've ever found for a kung fu sash. Take the sash and use a couple of fingers to hold one end against the palm of your hand with the rest of the sash hanging down to the ground. Now use just that one hand to gather it all up until you have it all balled up in your hand, squeeze hard for a count of ten and then release it again. Repeat.

Of course, there's always the brick, string and dumbbell bar one, but everyone knows that already, right?

[bung bo]

You can wrap duct tape around the parts of the bar that you use until it is 2-3 inches. Make sure it is tight.

[IronFist]

You can wrap duct tape around the parts of the bar that you use until it is 2-3 inches. Make sure it is tight.

And make sure you never want to use it again cuz if you get that tape off it will still be all sticky :)

[Ralphie]

thanks again for all the help, I'm going to try a few, and post my results in a few months.
-Steve

[Andy62]

http://www.sandowplus2.co.uk/Zass/IMW/imw.htm

[Mo Lung]

http://www.sandowplus2.co.uk/Zass/IMW/imw.htm
Dude, will you get over it already.

[Andy62]

If you don't like it don't read it.

[Mo Lung]

Considering that every post you reply to is just another plug for isometrics, I should know better I suppose. I guess that's what the ignore function is for. However, I don't believe in any kind of censorship, even self-censorship.

Why don't you stop posting for 6 weeks and spend all your time doing nothing but isometric exercise. Then continue not posting for another 6 weeks and do a regular free weights routine.

Record your stats, strength, etc. for each 6 week period and then come back and post the results.

[Andy62]

I am not saying that isometrics are a be all and end all- they are just one of many techniques you can use to accomplish your goals. Do what works for you,but if you are not including them at least as part of the program for yourself and your clients you may be missing something. Good luck. Andy

[ricksitterly]

u can take a balled up towel and squeeze it.... um.... yeah

[bung bo]

Hey Ironfist--you can get the adesive from the tape off with the same stuff you take bumper stickers off with. I think it's called "Goof Off."

[Mo Lung]

Just some turps or white spirit should do it.

[Toby]

I think it's called "Goof Off."Ironfist's an expert with that :D.