Grip strength doesn’t get talked about enough, but it can significantly impact your workout results. A fatigued grip occurs when the muscles in your forearms and hands give out before the larger muscle groups you’re training. This is quite common in exercises like deadlifts, kettlebell swings, or heavy rows, where your grip becomes the “limiting factor,” explains Nick Lo Cicero, coach, fitness training and support manager with Orangetheory Fitness. When grip fatigue is holding you back, Nick has a quick fix to help you get on track.
“Many people are often surprised when their grip fails, even when their legs or back still feel strong, too,” Nick says. “This can be because the forearm muscles are smaller and not typically trained with the same intensity, so they reach fatigue sooner. This can interrupt performance, but it’s also a valuable cue. It tells us where to adjust the load, reset grip position or modify movement so members stay in control and finish the block effectively.”
When your grip begins to fail, it’s natural for your body to compensate. Your shoulders may slump forward and you may shift weight into your lower back, both of which can cause injury.
“It’s important to keep this in mind during strength work, particularly if you’re training alone,” Nick stresses. “Signs to watch for include losing control of the weight, rushing through reps or feeling tension in the wrong areas.”
The Quick Fix To Address Grip Fatigue
One of Nick’s go-to methods to address grip fatigue is the cluster set approach.
“That means once a member feels their grip starting to fatigue, I’ll have them pause for about 10 seconds, then continue their reps,” Nick explains. “That brief rest allows them to maintain good form while still working the grip muscles effectively. Over time, this approach helps build grip endurance without needing to scale the movement back entirely.”
Here’s how it works. You’ll complete a portion of your reps—i.e. four or five—then take a brief 10-second rest, shake it out, and wrap up your set.
“That small reset keeps the forearms under load while giving just enough recovery to finish strong,” Nick points out.
If this route is still challenging, Nick suggests decreasing the dumbbell weight. This way, you can perform the complete rep count with solid control, which ends up doing more for your grip strength than pressing through the exercise with bad form.
After your sweat session, you may find wrist flexor and extensor stretches helpful. Nick recommends holding each for 15 to 20 seconds per side.
“These help relieve tension in the forearms and promote recovery,” Nick says, adding, “These small recovery steps go a long way in supporting consistent performance and long-term strength.”
Alexa Mellardo
