In this post I am going to look at grip strength exercises to improve your grip strength.
While grip strength may be an innate ability that you don’t think about often, it isn’t something to be taken for granted.
For most of us forearm strength is the last thing that we think about and one of the last things we think of strengthening in the gym. Everyone thinks mainly of legs and cores, especially as cyclists.
But when cycling, how often do you get hand fatigue? This can be a real problem on long stretches of road or trail, so it is important to keep working on that grip strength.
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The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that grip strength may be a predictor of muscular endurance and overall strength in our bodies. “There are three different types of grip strength – crush, support, and pinch grip – and crush and support are the most important when it comes to cycling,” explains Luke Lombardo, IronMan Triathlete, and Schwinn-certified cycling instructor, in Los Angeles.
“Crush grip is the actual ability to squeeze something, like the handlebars or brakes in a cyclist’s case. And support grip is the ability to hang or hold onto an object for a lengthy duration.
Usually when hopping onto a bike, you’re on it for a while, so you’re going to need to keep your hands on the handlebar for a decent amount of time.”
If you love your mountain biking, then grip strength can be even more important as you maneuver your bicycle over the rocky trails.
If you notice your hands and forearms experience fatigue sooner than you’d like, you will definitely need to work on your grip strength. “Forearm strength exercises will help you gain strength in all three types of grip strength,” explains Lombardo.
Here is a neat tool that can be purchased online by either clicking the link below or the picture. Otherwise scroll down to see the exercises.
Hand Grip Strengthener (4 Pack) with Forearm Exerciser Adjustable Resistance Hand Gripper, Finger Stretcher, Grip Ring and Finger Exerciser for Men and Women, Injury Recovery and Muscle Builder
- This nifty grip and hand strengthener kit includes an adjustable grip strength trainer, finger strengthener, finger stretcher, and exercise ring to add more diversity to your forearm exercises.
- Multipurpose Personal Use – Mandrill Grip Strength Trainer can help improve grip strength, finger flexibility, wrist stability or overall forearm power, making them a good choice for athletes, piano or guitar players, drummers and musicians, bodybuilders, cyclists and more.
- Relieve Pain, Improve Circulation. These hand exerciser grip strengthener tools offer occupational therapy for carpal tunnel due to computer use, rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain, and stiffness, or tendonitis.
- Our hand grip strengthener exerciser and tools come with a convenient storage bag that you can take anywhere, stick in a gym bag, or use during an office meeting. Mandrill Grip Strength Trainer can be used anywhere at any time.
- Exercise eBook and 10 Year Warranty
Grip Strength Exercises
Try adding these grip strength exercises, which are essentially forearm exercises into your weekly fitness routine once or twice a week to reap the most benefits.
You will need a kettlebell or weight, a tennis ball, and a pull-up bar.
90-Degree Kettlebell Hold
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend your knees slightly.
Pick up your kettlebell by the handle. Keep your elbow next to your body and bend your elbow to 90 degrees with the kettlebell in front of you.
Your forearm should now be parallel to the floor with your palm facing inwards and your thumb up.
Hold this position for 30 seconds before switching arms. Do on the other side and then repeat the entire process three times.
If you need to make this exercise harder try rotating your fist to face the ceiling and then to the side again while you hold.
Ball Squeeze
Hold a tennis ball in your hand and squeeze it as hard as possible for 30 seconds, then switch to the other hand and repeat. That is counted as a set and you need to do three sets in total.
If you want to make this exercise harder for yourself, hold for the 30 seconds, then perform 15 pulses before switching hands.
Kettlebell Walks
Hold the kettlebell or weight in one hand with your arm hanging at your side. Now walk for 30 seconds making sure you keep your back straight, chest lifted, and shoulders down. Change to the other hand and continue walking maintaining your posture.
If you need to make it a bit more difficult, try marching with high knees instead of just walking.
Dead Hang From The Bar
Grab the bar with pull-up grip, palms facing away from you.
Dead hang without rocking or dropping from the bar for 30 seconds or as long as you’re able to hold before falling. Rest for 30 seconds, then repeat for 3 sets in total.
To make this exercise even harder, press your shoulders down while you hold.
Alternate Dead Hand From The Bar
Grab the bar with a pull-up grip as above with the palms facing away from you. Loosen grip in the right hand as you shift all weight to left hand and hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Then shift the weight to the other hand and hold for 5 to 10 seconds.
This counts as one set and you need to try and do three sets in total.
If you need to drop down and rest, then rest between 20 and 30 seconds between sides.
Make this even harder for yourself, remove the inactive hand from the bar entirely, and hang from one hand only.
Here are 19 more grip strength exercises for you to try out.
It is important for everyone to strengthen your grip strength, whether or not you are a cyclist, as everyone needs to carry heavy things from time to time or even simply take a big dog for a walk.
Please comment below if you have tried these grip strength exercises or you have any others for us to try.