Ball Pull Ups

Drill a hole through a baseball or hockey ball, thread a strong rope or chain through it and tie both ends of the rope/chain together. This can be hung on your pull up bar and used to train the thumb and finger grip. The smaller the ball, the harder the exercise. Intensity can also be increased, by holding the ball underneath instead of ontop.

 

Door Grab

Stand in front of an open door, and grab the door with a pinch grip. Lean the body backwards whilst keeping a firm grasp. Hold the door tightly to develop the pinch grip strength. To increase the difficulty hold a dumbbell with the non working hand or use fewer fingers.

 

Campus Board Training

If you are lucky enough to have an equipped training gym or climbing wall near you, a campus board is an excellent training tool for hand strength and all round upper body fitness.

The idea is to move your hands in sequence from rung to rung up the campus board. Once you get better you may try missing out some rungs or better still, hop with both hands simultaneously to each rung. To protect your elbows, keep your arms out as far apart as possible. You will usually fall off when you miss a hold, make sure you have a crash mat under you, if you plan going high.

 

Finger Boards

This is the ultimate bodyweight training exercise for the fingers, wrists, forearms and back. Most finger boards have numerous different juggs and pockets, each with varying depths. Start out training with the whole hand then progress to using fewer fingers when ready. Remember to Warm Up!

Here are the main finger board exercises:

Pull Ups

These will build your arm strength and power endurance.

Weight Transfers

In a dead hang or locked off position transfer the weight over on to one hand. In the locked off position your body should move over to the hand holding most of the weight assuming your hands are far apart.

Staggered Lockoffs

Starting in a straight hang pull up to 90 degrees and hold for 5 seconds, move up to a full lockoff and hold for 5 seconds. On your way down stop at 90 degrees again and then hold a further 5 seconds at the bottom. Repeat until your biceps pop off.

One Arm Lower Offs

This is particularly hard on the elbows but if done properly will make you super strong. Pull up on the biggest jugs and lower off slowly on one arm at a time.

Hangs

This is a very good way to build finger strength and endurance. For strength, hang for 10 seconds to failure.  For power, endurance hang for 30 seconds on an appropriate grip, rest for 30 seconds and then repeat until your forearms explode.