11 Best Grip Strengthening Exercises

Introduction

Grip strengthening exercises help improve the power and endurance of your hands, fingers, and forearms. These exercises enhance daily functional tasks, support better lifting performance, and reduce the risk of hand and wrist injuries.

Strength-training exercises for your body’s major muscles, such as your back, chest, or legs, may be the first thing that comes to mind when you consider gaining strength.

However, it’s also important to focus on small muscles like the forearm, which are responsible for holding things and gripping.

Why does it matter to have strong grips?

Grip strength, which is crucial to your ability to grab and hold objects, is supported by strong forearms. Imagine holding a glass of water, squeezing a toothpaste tube, or turning a doorknob being possible to do without grip strengthening.

The answer is no; of course, it’s not possible to hold any object without grip strength, especially for those people who have disorders related to those muscles or occupations related to repeated use of those muscles, like computer workers, embroidery workers, mountain climbers, weightlifters, knitters, needle workers, pizza makers, etc.

You may execute gripping and grasping motions more successfully and efficiently by strengthening your forearm muscles.

What Are The Benefits of Improved Grip Strength?

• Reduction in risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Stronger hands make everything a little less tricky.
• Tennis elbow
• Reduced risk of tendinitis.
• Muscle mass gains through strength improvements.
• Decreased risk of injury

How to improve grip strength?

The answer is given below:

Fist-clenching exercise

How to perform acurately?

• Step 1: First, bend the elbow at a 90-degree angle of the hand where you want to improve the strength.
• Step 2: Use your four fingers and thumb and make a fist tightly.
• Step 3: Now, count 5 seconds and release it, and take 2 seconds of rest; perform it again.
• Step 4: Clench and release 10 times, then repeat steps 1 through 3 with your same hand. This is an activity that you can do between five and ten times a day.

Tennis ball squeeze

It might not feel like exercise to squeeze a tennis ball. But it’s a great way to engage your grip muscles.

What do you need?

Tennis ball, smiley ball, or foam stress ball

How to perform accurately?

• Step 1: Hold the ball in your hand where you want to improve the strength with your palm face up and your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle.
• Step 2: Clench the ball as tightly as you can with all four fingers. Do not use your thumb for this exercise.
• Step 3: Hold the squeeze and count 5 seconds and release it, and take 2 seconds of rest; perform it again.
• Step 4: Clench and release 10 times, then repeat steps 1 through 3 with your same hand.This is an activity that you can do between five and ten times a day.

Towel wringing

This exercise works your crushing the object and strengthens the muscles needed for a support grip.

What do you need?

Small towel and later on a large towel to progress

How to perform?

• Step 1: Wet a towel and hold it horizontally in front of you, grasping each end.
• Step 2: Twist each end of the towel in opposite directions to wring or drain out the water from the towel.
• Step 3: Repeat steps 1 through 3 up to 5 times. This is an activity that you can do between five and ten times a day.

Finger and Thumb Touches

How to perform?

• Step 1: Touch the tip of each finger to the tip of the thumb, one at a time.
• Step 2: Hold the position and count 5 seconds, release it, and take 2 seconds of rest; perform it again.
• Step 3: Touch and release 10 times, then repeat steps 1 through 3 with your same hand. This is an activity that you can do between five and ten times a day.

Finger and Thumb Squeezes with putty

How to perform?

• Step 1: Squeeze a softball or putty with your thumb and one finger.
• Step 2: Hold the position and count 5 seconds, release it, and take 2 seconds of rest; perform it again.
• Step 3: Touch and release 10 times, then repeat steps 1 through 3 with your same hand. This is an activity that you can do between five and ten times a day.

Finger Abduction With Rubber Band

What do you need?

a flexible rubber band of your hand size

How to perform?

• Step 1: Take a rubber and wrap it around all four fingers and your thumb.
• Step 2: Abduct or open the fingers, hold for 5 seconds.
• Step 3: Repeat steps 1 through 2 up to 5 times. This is an activity that you can do between five and ten times a day.

Rice gripping

What do you need?

A bowl filled with rice.

How to perform?

• Step 1: Put one or both hands into the bowl and grab a handful of rice. Squeeze your fists as hard as possible.
• Step 2: Hold the position for 5 seconds and release it afterwards.
• Step 3: Repeat steps 1 through 2 up to 5 times. This is an activity that you can do between five and ten times a day.
• Step 4: Just wash your hands afterwards.

Plate Pinching

What do you need?

Two or more plates, the heavier and more voluminous the better.

How to perform?

• Step 1: Hold them, pinched together, at your sides.
• Step 2: Squeeze them as hard as possible until your forearms give out, then repeat on the other side.

Holding object

What do you need?

Different shapes of objects like glass, balls, spoons, etc.

How to perform?

Hold different types of objects and release them each 5 times.This is an activity that you can do between five and ten times a day.

Dumbbell pickup exercise

What do you need?

Different-weight dumbbells

How to perform?

• Step 1: Grab a dumbbell, tip it on its side with one of the sides facing upwards, then grab it!
• Step 2: Hold for a few seconds and release on the floor, and repeat

Strengthening exercise with the use of a gripper

• There are many types of grippers available in the market, like the Godlike gripper, the adjustable weight gripper, and the round gripper.
• Start with a low weight, then progress the weight.

How to perform?

• Step 1: Hold the gripper in your hand where you want to improve the strength, with your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle.
• Step 2: Use your four fingers and thumb to squeeze the gripper as hard as you can.
• Step 3: Hold the squeeze and count 5 seconds and release it, and take 2 seconds of rest; perform it again.
• Step 4: Clench and release 10 times, then repeat steps 1 through 3 with your same hand. This is an activity that you can do between five and ten times a day.

Precaution

• It should not be done vigorously.
• Give the muscle proper rest before starting it again.
• Do not overdo the exercise; it may cause muscle damage and pain.

To relieve pain, use an ice pack for 5-10 minutes.

FAQs