Hitting the gym and pumping iron is a meticulously planned endeavor. One has to ensure the different muscle groups and parts of the body get a workout through the weekly schedule while rest, diet including an appropriate combination of vitamins with carbohydrates and proteins along with fitness levels should all be taken into account in the plan. And while the main muscle groups, functionally and aesthetically speaking (the likes of abs, chest, thighs, arms etc.) get the attention, some important muscle groups oft get neglected. The forearms, for instance, whose strengthening is important to increase grip strength, is commonly overlooked.
Grip strength, say experts, is not just important for grabbing and lifting in the gym, but for many sports activities as well as functional tasks and chores. While grip strength could be measured and quantified thraough a hand dynamometer, its role in physical exertions, and in the human kinetic chain, is significant and not quite fathomable.
Importance of grip strength
The 2016 research paper, Do changes in hand grip strength correlate with shoulder rotator cuff function?, by Ian Horsley et. al., establishes a correlation between grip strength and the lateral rotator strength of the shoulder. The paper elaborates how grip strength has a bearing on fatigue during training and how it can be a monitoring tool for assessing readiness to perform a sporting activity.
In the gym or in the sporting arena, strong grip is a prerequisite for performance.
“Grip strength is directly related with the upper body strength,” says Bengaluru-based fitness trainer Afrid Ulislam. “As grip strength is needed to lift weights in the gym but also to perform all daily life activities. And from the strength training perspective strengthening the grip is as important as any other muscles of the body. Because if a person’s grip is not proper then the person will also not be able to lift weight properly.”
Forearm and wrist training for grip strength
Muscles of the forearms are directly associated with grip strength as they are the ones which generate force for gripping. The research paper, Factors affecting grip force: Anatomy, mechanics and referent configurations, by Satyajit Ambike et. al., illustrates how the flexor digitorum profundis (FDP) muscles and flexor pollicis longus (FPL) muscles of the forearms facilitate wrist flexion and grip force production.
“Strengthening of muscles of forearm, wrist joint and grip strength, all the three are in correlation with each other,” says Samir Mandal, a fitness trainer and former power lifter from Ahmedabad. “If someone is intending to increase grip strength then the strengthening of the forearm muscles is a must.”
Mandal adds that there is a tendency to ignore strengthening of the forearm muscles, which not just leads to weakened performance but also increases chances of injuries.
“In the wrist joint not many muscles are there so following an appropriate exercise routine with precautions is essential, otherwise chances of injury increases [while lifting weights],” adds Mandal. “Plus, it is seen that sometimes people ignore forearms altogether where either exercise for forearm is not done or it is done very less as compared to other muscles of the body. Such things should not be encouraged.”
Exercises to increase grip strength
Here are some exercises that can be done for improving grip strength. The exercises should be done on alternate days (3 sets of 30 seconds each per exercise).
- Making a fist.
- Squeezing a ball and making a fist.
- Squeezing using a hand gripper spring.
Other exercises which can be done to increase grip strength along with forearm muscles and wrist strength are:
- Deadlift
- Farmer’s walk
- Pull-ups
- Knuckle pushups
- Forearm dumbbell curl
- Forearm reverse dumbbell curl
Do ensure steady progress and loading. Overloading or overreaching while performing these exercises can lead to injuries to the wrists and forearms.
Takeaways
- The forearms directly influence grip strength, making it important to strengthen the forearm muscles.
- While doing exercise to strengthen the forearms, avoid overloading or overreaching as that could lead to wrist injuries.
- Increase in grip strength is known to positively affect overall exercise as well as physical performance of a person.
