Hand grip strength is so important, but as a species, we're...kind of losing it. Learn why it's so important to maintain grip strength, as well as hand grip strength exercises you can do in just a few minutes each day to improve your own grip strength!
If you look back in human history, we didn't always live the way we do now - staring at computer screens, phones, driving in the car, and getting weekly 'Screen Time Reports' whether we asked for them or not.
In fact, in the big picture of things, these are fairly recent short-term changes. Just 50 years ago, none of the technology that exists now was in place. I still remember 25 years ago when I had to dial the internet over the house's only existing phone line, rendering it useless to anyone who actually wanted to make a call.
So what happened? And why is this relevant to our grip strength?
A short history of grip strength
Looking back at evolution, the human hand has become an almost perfect gripping machine. That long opposable thumb is the thing that allows us to grip things strongly.
We also have Papillary ridges: the tougher, thicker parts of the skin, found on the human heel, but also on the human palm. They exist on principal areas of gripping and weight bearing, where they could easily be compared to the treads on an automobile tire.
Strong hands helped keep us in the trees—in other words, alive. We came down, but then our hands adapted to new uses, the sorts of things that made us human.
From there, we spent a long time gripping things with an overhand grip. Carrying buckets of water, or buckets of feed - that's where the term 'farmer's carry' actually comes from.
How we use our hands
As the evolutionary biologist Mary Marzke argues, our hands today were literally shaped around millions of years of using and making tools. Before technology came along, a lot of what humans engaged in was manual work.
Anyone that's had a baby grip their finger knows that babies' grip strength is incredibly strong. An experiment by Louis Robinson, a surgeon at a children’s hospital in England, in the late 19th century, tested some 60 infants—many within an hour of birth—by having them hang from a suspended “walking stick.” With only two exceptions, according to one report, the infants were able to hang on, sustaining “the weight of their body for at least ten seconds.” Many could do it for upward of a minute.
But many older adults would struggle to do this. Heck, a lot of adults struggle to open pickle jars!
Gripping, then, is a deep part of our biology and evolution as a species. It’s also part of a long story in which we have been getting weaker for millions of years, largely because of a decline in physical activity (and overall health in general). We need grip strength in our daily lives, that much is certain. So how do we improve grip strength?
Modern grip strength
As we evolve, and as we grow older, we encounter less and less manual labor, and thus gripping, whether it be a cart to push our groceries in or a battery powered screwdriver that we simply have to hold still to allow it to do all the work for us. These daily tasks have been simplified so much for us that we rarely need hand grip strength to complete them.
As a society, we're also no longer doing agricultural or manufacturing work. We don't carry buckets of water, we don't manually turn tools. We don't swing from trees.
In 2014, just 29% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 44 regularly engaged in strength-building exercises, such as weight lifting, push-ups and pull-ups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Unless the coming generations start working on improving grip strength in their hands and overall strength elsewhere, they will likely enter old age with too little in reserve. This makes everyday tasks, such as carrying grocery bags and lifting cooking pots, more difficult. This is just one of the reasons why I love the everyday activities on our homestead - they are simply the tasks that need to be done, but all the while we are working forearm muscles and developing a stronger grip just by living our daily life. They don't call them farmer's carries for no reason!
A weak grip can also affect jobs where it’s extremely important to have adequate grip strength, such as firefighting, police work and some manufacturing jobs. And sports from rock climbing to tennis to golf also require a strong grip.
How to improve grip strength
Taking the stairs is more difficult than the elevator, but it will make you stronger. Carrying your groceries to the car, using a manual screwdriver, and other daily activities that require gripping will help you start building your overall grip strength.
There are many things you can do for grip strength training. Let's look at a few of the best exercises to develop hand strength. Keep in mind, if you do not work grip strength in your everyday life, most of these will seem very challenging at first. Start with light weights and make them a part of your daily routine, and you'll find that your hand muscles can hold on better over time.
Dead hang
A dead hang is where you jump up, grab the pull-up bar, and you guessed it, hang there for as long as you can. Just grip the bar and hold on. At first you'll feel like you'll have to drop down immediately. Over time, you'll find your muscle strength gets better and you'll be able to hang on for longer and longer. (Building grip strength by gripping the pull up bar also helps you work towards getting those pull ups and toes to bar!)
Scap pull
Want to REALLY grow your grip strength? Here's a bonus round. While you're in your dead hang, keep your arms straight and pull your shoulders down and away from your ears. Think about tucking your shoulder blades into your back pockets, if you had them. Release and repeat.
Farmer's walk or farmer's carry
Farmer's carries or farmer's walks are a great exercise to use as a grip strengthener. Start with a light dumbbell in each hand and short distances, adding it into your workout routine. Use a firm grip, and hold on as long as you can. Don't be afraid to set down the weight, shake it out, and pick it back up. As the muscles of your hands get stronger, you'll be able to go farther distances and increase the weights. Remember, heavy weights are relative to the person lifting them!
Plate pinch
These are a doozie. You'll need access to weight plates - start with a lighter weight. Hold the plate vertically, perpendicular to the floor. Switch to a pinch grip- where you are just pinching the plate with your fingertips. You can do one hand at a time or both at the same time. Pinch the plate and hold on for as long as you can. You'll be able to increase the duration over time.
Deadlift
In our post about the mixed grip deadlift, we talked about when to use a mixed grip and when not to. Deadlifting heavier weights is a great way to improve grip strength, but your starting position matters. You want to work a double overhand grip with both palms facing down as much as possible to build a powerful grip.
Squeeze something
Don't have time to spend in the gym working on your grip strength, but still want to develop it? Squeeze something. There are many hand grippers out there that you can purchase, but even just a tennis ball will work. You can do it while you're sitting at a desk, watching TV, talking on the phone, or reading a book. You can also work finger strength with a hand grip strength trainer like this one - or, simply put a tight rubber band around your fingertips and work to stretch them apart.
Additionally, functional fitness emphasizes all things...well, functional - including grip strength. From pullups to deadlifts to farmer's carries, you'll see it in many movements over and over. And you'll see it translate to life. It will help you open those jars, turn a wrench, carry the groceries, and maintain a strong handshake. Making sure you're practicing proper form is essential, so if this is new to you, you may want to consider seeking the help of a professional. That might look like anything from a personal trainer to a physical therapist, depending on your goals.
One thing is for sure - your grip strength matters, and can be improved - with practice.
Leave a Reply