Question on increasing grip strength

[CynicalSphere]

Im sure this has been asked before, I briefly looked through a few other threads regarding this.

Bare with me here, because I am not a pure powerlifter (I do 3 days of strength training, rest 1 day, then 3 days of hypertrophy training), so I will definitely seem weak as fuk compared to all of you guys. My deadlift is seeing some progress, but I really just physically can't onto anything over 405 (I really start to struggle around 385 or so for just 1 rep, only my grip though). My form turns to complete garbage when I use an under/over grip, and I already do use plenty of chalk (which definitely does help me). I know I need to just get my grip strength as strong as possible if I want to keep seeing progress in my deadlift (which is one of my favorite lifts).

Now for the simple question. What did you guys do to get your grip strength up ? I know everyone seems to really like fat gripz and those sorts of thick bar training. I want to buy a pair of thick bar training emulators, but I've seen so many on the market I honestly have no idea which one will be the best for increasing grip strength that will translate well to deadlifts and pull ups.

I'll just post a few different products I've seen on the market and let me know what you guys think, will poverty rep responses. I have fairly big hands, so I think a larger grip will be beneficial in the long run.


If I am missing any that are better, please let me know, realistically I'd like to spend under $50.

Iron Bull T-Grip 3.0





Fat Gripz Extreme



Grip4orce

[jamalfudge]

Do some static barbell holds before you buy more equipment. Do them Monday and Friday...I see the easiest gains on my grip when I do these. Over hand grip. Push them hard.

[CynicalSphere]

Do some static barbell holds before you buy more equipment. Do them Monday and Friday...I see the easiest gains on my grip when I do these. Over hand grip. Push them hard.

I started implementing them after my deadlift sessions, seems to be helping a hit. Only been doing it for 2 weeks so obviously too soon to notice any major difference. I think the grips will just help to have in the long run, even if I don't use them for a while, I'm sure they will be of use in the future

[Samosaurus]

Farmers walks and very heavy shrugs work your grip just fine. There is no need to buy more equipment.

[NorthStrong]

If you use straps for anything, stop. Do double overhand deadlifts for as many sets as you can, hold the bar at the top on last rep of last set, do farmers walks, heavy / high rep DB rows, etc, a lot of chins with ropes or towels. Pull a lot.

[tom11]

OP do this.: Start deadlifting, use double overhand. In whatever set/rep double overhand fails, switch immediately to mixed grip. Continue your sets/reps and when you fail again use straps. It's not worth it to miss some sets because your grip gave up. Afterwards do some static holds for 20+ seconds. You should do static holds 2 times a week, maybe 3 if your grip is so weak. This is a foolproof way to fix your grip. No need for fat gripz, not that they are bad, just that you can definately fix your grip without them. You will save some $ too which is cool!

[CynicalSphere]

OP do this.: Start deadlifting, use double overhand. In whatever set/rep double overhand fails, switch immediately to mixed grip. Continue your sets/reps and when you fail again use straps. It's not worth it to miss some sets because your grip gave up. Afterwards do some static holds for 20+ seconds. You should do static holds 2 times a week, maybe 3 if your grip is so weak. This is a foolproof way to fix your grip. No need for fat gripz, not that they are bad, just that you can definately fix your grip without them. You will save some $ too which is cool!

Thanks for the replies everyone. I always use over-over grip without straps, I definitely can't hit as much weight as I'd like because of it (anything over 405 simply slips out of my hands before I get to my knees, and I've deadlifted 445 using under/over before, but my form wasn't great). I'll definitely work on static holds a bit more, I can hold 315 for about 15 second or so, but the bar definitely starts to slip after 10. At that point should I just let go and give myself 30 seconds rest or just fight through it until it physically drops ?

[tom11]

Ooops forgot to say that if you don't have chalk, then you are fuked. Especially now that it's summer no chalk= no grip, so get some if you don't have asap! Also I hope you grip the bar right = the bar rest on your fingers not on your palms sliding down. What you mean over-over grip? You use double overhand and not mixed? Use double overhand early in sets, then when fail use mixed then when fail suck it up and use straps.

As for the static holds, if your max hold with 315 is 30 seconds for example, do 3-4 sets of 20 second holds. That should do the trick.

[BritishPL]

The only options are over/under grip, or if it messes with your form etc and want to keep doing double overhand then you need to start using hook grip or use straps.

Fact is, when using double overhand your grip will always hold you back no matter howmuch grip work you do. I personally use hook grip as i hate the idea of using over/under grip.

[CynicalSphere]

Ooops forgot to say that if you don't have chalk, then you are fuked. Especially now that it's summer no chalk= no grip, so get some if you don't have asap! Also I hope you grip the bar right = the bar rest on your fingers not on your palms sliding down. What you mean over-over grip? You use double overhand and not mixed? Use double overhand early in sets, then when fail use mixed then when fail suck it up and use straps.

As for the static holds, if your max hold with 315 is 30 seconds for example, do 3-4 sets of 20 second holds. That should do the trick.

I got chalk, definitely helps out big time. And thanks for that suggestion, I'll try to do that after my deadlifts on monday.

And at BritishPL, yeah I hate the idea of under/over, Im super afraid of pulling my bicep. I have used hook grip a few times, it definitely helped but holy crap does it hurt, I couldn't play video games for 5 days because my thumbs were hurting so bad hahah

[Partyrocking]

I have found kroc rows to hit my grip.

[tom11]

You pull with double overhand? Man, that's why you are failing with your grip. You should have said in your original post... Double overhand is way weaker than mixed grip. Especially if your grip is weak, with double overhand you are going to have a hard time.

Mixed grip is PERFECTLY safe for 99.9% of people, I don't know anyone who tore a bicep with mixed grip. Unless you deadlift with bent elbows (I think you are not that dumb) or are in the vicinity of 800 lbs you are not going to tear a bicep. Damn, that sounds too paranoid for me! Simply the risk vs reward ratio of mixed grip is veeeeeery low.

[baxtej44]

i don't understand why people are so against over/under.


OP, i started deadlifting this just past december and i can remember when 315 felt super heavy even mixed grip, like it was going to rip the soul out of my body when i was deadlifting it.

i recently held almost double that and grip is not an issue at all. so it may come fast to you if you start using over/under.

[CooCooCaChoo]

i don't understand why people are so against over/under.


OP, i started deadlifting this just past december and i can remember when 315 felt super heavy even mixed grip, like it was going to rip the soul out of my body when i was deadlifting it.

i recently held almost double that and grip is not an issue at all. so it may come fast to you if you start using over/under.

From what I've read in other topics discussing it people seem to be mostly concerned with muscle imbalances or bicep strains, things of that nature which to me at least seem a tad far fetched. Sure strains have happened before but I don't believe it happens as frequently as people think.

Personally I go double overhand until I can't anymore, then go mixed, then add chalk. My grip has been improving steadily along with doing heavy DB rows, but at the same time I'm still weak as fuark.

[CynicalSphere]

You pull with double overhand? Man, that's why you are failing with your grip. You should have said in your original post... Double overhand is way weaker than mixed grip. Especially if your grip is weak, with double overhand you are going to have a hard time.

Mixed grip is PERFECTLY safe for 99.9% of people, I don't know anyone who tore a bicep with mixed grip. Unless you deadlift with bent elbows (I think you are not that dumb) or are in the vicinity of 800 lbs you are not going to tear a bicep. Damn, that sounds too paranoid for me! Simply the risk vs reward ratio of mixed grip is veeeeeery low.

I don't deadlift with bent elbows when I under/over (and over/over as well obviously). I know as long as you are doing that you won't have any bicep related issues. My only concern with going under/over is that I always lean over to the side that is the under hand (I've tried switching which hand is under to try to see if it was just one side that was the issue), and the bar doesn't come straight up, one side of plates comes up first, then the other, its not that dramatic, but once I am using heavier weight that is asking for injury. I truly just don't think under/over is the right grip for me, the bar moves so much slower when I use that grip (I've done 425 for 3 reps over-over with straps and it came up a TON faster than when I did 405 under-over)