Hi BBM!
Any advice on how to deal with grip strength limitations?
For example when I do lay pulldowns or deadlifts my grip gives up before the target muscles.
Would you recommend choosing different exercises? Strengthen the grip somehow?
I’ve seen grip accessories, would you recommend using those? Anything in particular?
Thank you so much!
(In case it matters, I’m a 43 yo female and have been resistance training for about 8 years, and I’m trying to lift heavier)
Howdy!
When it comes to grip strength, my thought is that we’d like to increase it without compromising other muscle’s/movement’s development and/or increasing risk of injury.
So, what does this mean practically speaking?
I think for non barbell sport athletes, heavy deadlift sets are best performed with the hookgrip and chalk or straps vs. using the mixed grip. I talk more about this here.
For lat pull downs, the main goal is training the back, not the grip…I’d use straps for heavy sets. Same goes for most rows, shrugs, etc.
As far as actual grip training, I think carries, direct wrist exercises (e.g. wrist roller, DB flexion + extension), chin- and pull-ups, and so on likely are sufficient for improving grip strength. For those desiring additional grip strength, more specific training would likely be beneficial.
Thank you Jordan! Looks like I’ve got a lot to learn and I’ll start using straps until I can train my grip.
For grip training, is there a plan I could use to maybe add-on grip strength exercises before or after my normal gym workouts?
Thanks so much for your help!
Why do you need to train your grip specifically? I think if the goal is to get a stronger grip during the exercises you’re performing, I’d do some of them without straps, though the grip strength is still going to improve even if you use straps.
I view direct grip training as not a great use of time for most people unless their sport or recreational activities require it. As an endurance athlete, I just don’t see this as a good use of training resources.
I should also say that if you’re not using chalk, that’s really going to limit your grip performance during training.
I’ve been limited by grip strength for years. I was hoping that if I train my grip, I wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore. I understand what you mean about not a great use of training resources. More is not more because it takes away from other things.
I’ve never used chalk, nor straps, lots to learn and try!
Thank you!
Yea, if you haven’t used chalk yet, your grip may not actually be the limiting factor from a muscular force production/coordination standpoint. Chalk is very important when it comes to expressing your grip strength!
Interesting thread and loved the grip article. Im not a barbell athlete and currently running low Fatigue S&C gen 2 with primary goals of overall fitness and weight loss at the moment. That said my long term goals are still for my Squat bench, and deadlift to go up, as the numbers on the bar moving are a significant motivator for me. I do plan to do my first PL meet next year, but dont have one planned at that moment.
Grip used to be my limiting factor for DL, then I started using chalk (at your recommendation) and that made a big difference. I never had any luck with the hook grip and have trained the alternate grip. Never used staps for anything other than the second DL movement of the week, but always use alternate grip for the primary DL movement.
However, this thread has me wondering, since I have no immediate plans to compete, If I ought to just use straps?
Then, when it comes time to compete next year, I’d run a PL template as prep and maybe go back to alternate grip then?
Im not sure I have a strong preference either way, but an interesting thread.
Matte,
I’m pretty comfortable with my advice directly to you in your previous thread. I don’t see a reason to reassess the situation based on this information 
-Jordan