Hand Grippers - Unsponsored Review!
I've used these for years! Grip training always seemed "cool" to me. I think the idea of being able to crush things and roll frying pans was really appealing to my teenager self (or even now)
And these grippers can work for increasing our crush-style grip strength.
That said, there may be some downsides:
- They don't train all types of grip strength. While the muscles used may be the same, it's similar to how there are different skills between calisthenics and powerlifting. There's pinching grip, bar grip, rope grip, etc. The crossover isn't as high as one might think. While the grippers can theoretically be used to train these too, it's not how they're designed and there may be better ways.
- Progressing can be difficult after a certain point. These grippers are often in 50lb intervals. While we can get through 100lb, 150lb, and even 200lb fairly smoothly, I've noticed even some fairly strong individuals get stuck around 250lb. The isometrics mentioned in the video are a way around this, but it may help if these were slightly more adjustable. The adjustable ones usually are not as heavy duty, or under 150lb from what I've seen.
- Heavy grippers can irritate our joints. While we have the capacity to HOLD tremendous weight, MOVING it is sometimes a different ballgame, especially for the small joints in our fingers. Higher weights on grippers can sometimes cause finger pain if we repetitive train. The isometrics I mention in the video are a way around this. Note that we can still crush with lighter loads and use the isometrics for heavier holds. This may be similar to Jefferson Curls vs Deadlifts. It may be possible to adapt to heavier grip movement. But - our muscles adapt faster than our joints and bones, so if you're training close to your limit, your joints are probably out of their depth.
That's why these get the rating they do. I don't dislike them at all! But there may be more efficient and effective ways for people to train for their specific grip goals. These aren't necessary for most fitness goals, but if they work for you, that's great!
Have a wonderful day!
#hybridcalisthenics #shorts #gripstrength
29 апр 2024
