KelJu

So, I finally got my new Captains of Crush Hand grippers. These things were $20 a piece, but I think well worth it. I got the 80, 100, and 140.

What would be the optimal training program for grip strength. I love them so much I could do them everyday.

Today I did 3 sets of 10 with the 100. I could to a high rep day with the 80 followed by a low rep day with the 100, then go super low reps with the 140. Wha tdo you guys think?

LT81

Ummm...I had usually do em on the way to work,Ill warmup with #1,then bang out 10-12 w/ ea. hand.Do some timed holds (for me about 45sec)in ea.hand.Grab #2 get 3x6-8 per hand and try and do some timed holds wit that.A little tough to close #2 w/ 2 hands while driving but can be done,believe me(I have the skid marks to prove it).

For me its getn in like 2-3 solid workouts w/ them a week and thats good enough for me.Pretty drastic improvements from when I 1st got em,so I love them!!!

"Civilize the mind but make savage the body."

yuppy

great to do at work.... but i dont use them during my normal routine

but i guess i didnt realize they came in different resistance levels.... may look into it.

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KelJu

http://www.ironmind.com/ironcms/opencms/ironmind/

That is where I got mine. I love the CoCs.

fufu

I read an article on grip training a while ago, forget where, maybe T-Nation. But the jist of it is train for grip strength like you would train for bench strength or squat strength - with ME days(low reps, very intensity) and DE and RE(where you train lighter and try to close them as quickly as possible or for many reps). Essentially, you alternate them. But it said that just with anything else, don't do it every day, your grip needs rest too.

oh yeah, search some grip training articles on T-Nation for ideas.

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KelJu

Whoops! I have loved my hand grippers so much that I use them every time got in my car. I better slow down a little.

fufu

If you are progressing I suppose you could stick with it, but "gripsters" say to rest.

But you got to look at it like anything else - you wouldn't train bench or squat every day to get better at it, would you? You are still training muscles, and while it may not seem like alot, they still need rest. I don't know how much rest the finger/wrist flexor muscles need in relation to others though.

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Seanp156

Do these things really improve grip strength that will transfer to things like deadlifts, rows, pullups etc? I'm not a huge fan of static holds etc in the gym though I don't mind DB farmer's walks.

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Focus

Directly transfers over... grip strength is grip strength. I got my chinups to shoot up quite some reps after using a grip tool - was one of my best investments lately.

"Pain is mandatory, suffering is optional."

KelJu

I am able to hold onto to O-Bars better during shrugs and rows, and I have only been training with hand gripper for 2 weeks now.

mike456

DB farmers walks would be better. Because they are static just as in deads, rows, and pull-ups. Use the COC and try to keep it squeezed down (to make it a static exercise) instead of squeezing and letting it go

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KelJu

How so?

Why wouldn't it be better to train both? I have been doing grip work for the last month, and nothing has made such a difference has the hand grippers have. I am going to switch to a:

Monday Wednesday Friday - Hand Grippers

Training program to test out the effectiveness of the hand grippers. I am pretty sure the carry over to barbells and dumbbells will be quite nice.

I could do farmers walks tomorrow, record my times, then do farmer’s walks again in a month to see how much strength carried over from hand grippers to farmer's walks.

fufu

Not nessecarily. Changing up grip strengthening exercises is good. You don't just do the same thing to get better at something, it'll stop working after all while. CoC grippers, plate pinches, and static holds are all good, but you don't just choose one to do.

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min0 lee

I guess these would be great for that long boring drive to work.

Goodfella9783

How do you decide which number to get? I've been looking for a decent hand gripper for a while.

EDIT: Ok the # is the resistance I just checked that link

LT81

You'd be amazed I find when I work my grip for any length of time my cleans,deadlifts and even pressing becomes abit better.
With the cleans and deads its cause the intial speed I'm producing off the ground is lost due to slippage in my hands.Thats why I try and practice a hook grip as much as possible.Even though it hurts like hell at times it s utilizing your 3 strongest fingers.Pressing I just feel I'm able to squeeze the snot outta da bar alittle more,kinda recruiting more muscle fibers.

"Civilize the mind but make savage the body."

CowPimp

A lot of people seem to get good results with these. I would also vary the volume and intensity, just like with any other exercise. Gripping something really hard can actually be a fairly intense exercise in my opinion. Nothing like a back squat, but you would be surprised how many muscles come into play in order to get your grip working to its max.

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Focus

I definitely feel exhausted after I give it a go with these things... probably the most sensational lactic acid buildup in any of my routines thus far. I don't want to say it's painful, but damn, shit gets intense! Especially during the static holds. I start to squirm a bit and make some funny faces. Kinda like when I have sex.

"Pain is mandatory, suffering is optional."

Tahoe

I guess my aproach is opposite. I use the gloves with the little hooks for back like pull downs, etc. So I'm not working my grip at all.

I like the hooks for 2 reasons. I don't get the felling of pulled tendons in my wrists 12 hours after my back workout and it seems to isolate the back muscles I'm working much better. I tended to curl at the end of my pulldowns.

Goodfella9783

How are you liking these things so far?

fufu

Yeah, I used my captain of crush one time for three sets prior to the rest of my workout. I noticed my overall strength level was definitely down. Not sure if it was because of the gripper, or because I lifted a 1RM the day before. Probably a combo of both.

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