Grip is a powerful tool when it comes to your overall body strength and biological age.
How often do you add grip strength to your workout goals? Our guess is not often enough. A strong grip is something that typically declines slowly and subtly, hence, it is neglected. But your grip is a powerful tool when it comes to your overall body strength and biological age. It is a solid predictor of bone density, cognitive abilities, longevity, and even your chance of falling and sustaining a fracture.
Now that you know the importance of grip strength, we are here with four at-home exercises that will restore yours faster than gym machines after.
“Grip strength is one of the simplest yet most powerful indicators of overall health and longevity, and fortunately, it’s highly trainable,” explains Layne Nordquist, Senior Vice President of Fitness at VASA Fitness. “Research has found that individuals with greater grip strength tend to live longer, experience fewer cardiovascular events and maintain higher levels of function as they age. Researchers believe grip strength serves as a powerful indicator of overall muscle quality, physical resilience and the body’s ability to handle stress over time.”
Below, Nordquist shares four excellent home exercises that can help you improve your grip strength.
Farmer’s Carry
“Farmer carries involve walking while holding a challenging weight in each hand. This exercise directly strengthens the muscles responsible for grip while also improving posture, core stability and total-body strength,” Nordquist shares.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Start walking forward, keeping your torso still.
Suitcase Carry
“Suitcase carries are similar but use a weight on only one side of the body, creating an added challenge for balance and core engagement,” Nordquist tells us.
- Begin standing tall, holding one dumbbell at your side.
- Walk straight for 30 seconds without allowing your loaded shoulder to dip down.
- Repeat on the other side.
Dead Hang
“Dead hangs and timed hangs from a pull-up bar are also excellent options because they place the grip under sustained tension,” Nordquist says.
- Hold onto a pull-up bar at home (for a doorway) with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Allow your body to naturally hang with arms extended and feet off the floor.
- Hold for the prescribed number of sets/reps.
Timed Hang
- Hold onto a pull-up bar at home (for a doorway) using an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your feet off the ground and hang onto the bar with your arms extended.
- Lightly engage your shoulders by bringing them down away from your ears.
- Activate your core as you keep your body still.
- Hold the position for the prescribed amount of time.
Alexa Mellardo
