Farmer's walk

Another fantastic exercise is the farmers walk. This one’s a great test of endurance as your grip will be demolished afterwards. Grab a pair of very heavy dumbbells or any other heavy object and start walking. This exercise is performed with up to 300 lbs in each hand in strongman competitions, just be careful when the weights hit the ground.

 

Brick Pinching

Brick Pinching works the wrist very heavily, as well as the pinch grip. Simply grab a wide brick between the fingers and thumb, rest the arm by the side of the waist and twist the hand in all directions.

 

Finger curls

Do this strength exercise from a seated position. Pick up the dumbbell holding it with a fist. Let the bar roll down to your finger tips then roll it back up into your palms again. For strength/endurance, do this for time not repetitions. Start out with 1 minute and work yourself up to 5 minutes or more.

 

Forearm Curls

Grab hold of two heavy weights and place the back of your wrists over the edge. Lower the weight as far as possible, keeping a firm grip. It is important that your forearms do not move whilst curling the dumbbells up as high as possible.

 

 

Medicine Ball Grip Training

Another fun and inexpensive way to train grip strength is to use partially inflated medicine balls. The exercise is easier on the fingers compared to other weight training exercises, as the partially inflated ball conforms around the hand. To make your own medicine balls, buy 2 playground rubber balls and fill with water. The more fully inflated the ball, the wider and stronger the grip needed to hold on.

 

Forearm rotations

Do this workout for time rather than number of reps. To do the exercise, stand up straight with feet apart and elbow bent in a “L”. Give yourself space to rotate the dumbbell with your forearms. Hold the dumbbell with your full fist. Rotate left, then right. Be careful not to over-rotate and start out slowly at first.

Rotate the dumbbell controlling the speed and distance of rotation with your forearm muscles. Stop only after the full time has elapsed and rest. These two dumbbell routines are excellent forearm exercisers.

 

Towel Grip Dumbbell Curls

Wrap a towel around the bar of a dumbbell, and grip both ends of the towel. Hold the towel for as long as possibe to work your isometric crushing strength.

 

Static Barbell Hold

This movement increases crushing and holding strength. It is a very simple exercise that involves taking a barbell from a rack and holding it for up to 90-seconds. To specifically develop various types of holding and crushing grips, use both the bar and a rolled-up towel to add different degrees of stimulus, the towel will make the grip wider and emphasize more of the pinching type strength. Do three sets of 90-seconds for this movement.