Grip training (23)
The ONE secret that caused my gripping ability to shoot through the ROOF
Rahul MookerjeeWhen Bozo Scofield sent me that long, rambling rant (about 10 of them from what I recall, or perhaps 15) a while ago, one of the comments he wrote was this.
Mad max comment to be sure …
“There is no way to prove you’ve sold X amount of books! Actually, I take that back. I bought one for my girlfriend and she hated it. (I think he said “didn’t like”, but I’m adding spice on, hehe) Please get a gorilla grip, Rahul and stop writing about me else I’ll “
… and the rest of it descended into such pure insanity that I had to shake my head and marvel.
At the insanity of his entire rant which bounced from one of the email to the other like space in his admittedly “empty” head (he doesn’t seem to have that thing we humans call a brain, or at least not that I know of).
Now, this isn’t about gorilla grips or non-existent girlfriend. (actually, it IS about the former. But we’ll get to that in a second).
First, why would I WANT to prove I sold X number of books?
Second, why would I care either way?
And third, the “2 followers” chant that this Bozo keeps referring to is actually something I sometimes wish I had (or 20, perhaps) as opposed to the 10 K or so people following me currently.
And growing, from what I can tell.
Why?
Well, I’ll reserve that bit for a marketing related email.
But let me just say that sometimes less is indeed more, and how!
And anyway, on to the main topic for today.
What is the ONE thing that really caused my grip to skyrocket beyond insane levels?
So much so that “mere mortals” ( I know, I know, but bear with me) shy away from gripping my hand and routinely call me out on my grip (in a good way)?
Well, it’s something that is revealed in Pull-ups from Dud to STUD within a matter of weeks. And to be kind and fair (not really, hehe), I put in the advanced book as well.
And no, I’m not going to reveal it for free in this email.
Despite the chorus of chants I’m sure to hear (I know, how dare I!!!) about “not providing value” or the righteous lot getting ticked off at “my fitness information not being helpful at all, since I say just do it!”
But hey.
More fuel to the fire.
This secret is NOT any of the following:
Doing a different type of pull-up. OR chin-up (which I don’t recommend). Or a combo therein.
It ain’t about flexing the intergalactic part of the inner forearm and doing endless curls that way with the pinkly ‘slightly more curled’ until your wrist falls off.
It ain’t about volume.
It ain’t about sets or reps.
It ain’t about mindless bozo like “workouts that last hours”.
It ain’t about pumping, toning, puffing, buffing, preening and posing.
About using thick bars (though that’s a great tip by itself right there).
It IS this tho –
Something that everyone can do.
If you can do pull-ups, or even try, you can do it.
If you can hang on to a chinning bar, you can do it.
IF you have fingers, youc an do it (no, it’s not about how many fingers etc).
And here’s something it WILL Do –
It WILL SKYROCKET YOUR gains in ALL Exercises (upper body) through the ROOF. And your pull-up numbers too.
Not to mention give you that numbing, “kung fu” like grip I mention so often in Gorilla Grip.
And guess what you don’t have to be a Bozo, or Bozo Scofield, or his brother, or mother, or girlfriend to get it. Or anything related.
You just have to be dead on SERIOUS about grip strength my friend and getting down to brass tacks, and HOW.
HERE is where you can grab the entire compilation my friend. Do so now – truly worth it!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – And if you want to get better at pull-ups (and let’s face it, boys, boyo, brah, bruh, bro and everyone in between or not, we ALL Do) – HERE is the course that will get you from “dud” to STUD level very soon indeed (if you stop being lazy and just do what is required ie mentioned in the course) - - https://0excusesfitness.com/pull-ups-from-dud-to-stud-within-a-matter-of-weeks/
PS #2 – There is yet ANOTHER secret I mention in the first book, but NOT the second (As far as I can recall). See if you can find it. It’s something I talk about quite a bit here! ?
Was at it today after my hill climb (done earlier than usual - - and the heat - - well, let's just say it was SOMETHING ELSE - - YOW!), and saw a young, skinny and nattily dressed "whipper snapper" out and about in the workout area where I exercise after climbing the hill.
The entire area was pretty much deserted today, given the extreme heat (and humidity) - excepting for said person and me, that is.
He was sitting on a bench in the shade watching me exercise, but soon started to stretch, and I could tell he wanted to join "the fun" as well.
And soon, he sauntered over to the monkey bars where I was diligently swinging myself across back and forth, two bars at a time (a technique I've been working over the last few days to get down pat - - still haven't got there - - but I will), and attempted to do the same.
Now, lest you think this email is going the "clown" way (as in, this fellow started to fool around, show off, etc), it isn't - - he actually tried pretty hard, and actually did a pretty good job of swinging himself across the bars once before he let go.
And what I found interesting was he didn't do what 99.999% of folks normally do in that situation - - which is to throw in the towel before they even start i.e. before they even get used to the monkey bars (and believe you me, done right, monkey bars exercises are nothing short of cruel, unrelenting and TOUGH).
No.
He did one more set. Then one more. And then another. And so did I, each of us taking a break during the other's set.
But he was doing one thing wrong - - he was not gripping the bar correctly - - and that is something I've seen many, many people do - - even folks who've been exercising for a LONG time.
Being that he was actually trying to learn the exercise and get better at it, I showed him a simple tip - - a tip that I speak of a LOT in both the pull-up and grip manuals I've authored - - a tip that makes your pulling exercises easier and harder at the same time, if that makes sense.
Easier to grip - - yet harder to grip - - and for those of you that think I'm speaking Latin - - well, I'm not - - but the reason I'm telling you this is not so much because of the actual tip itself, but because of the "root" issue - - and here, that root issue was this dude was not GRIPPING the bar correctly.
I speak a LOT about gripping the bar correctly in my courses, and with good reason.
Grip the bar HARD. Grip the bar LIKE YOU MEAN IT. Grip with PASSION. In fact, the right grip can literally cause your forearm strength to skyrocket in very little time - - and yours truly is an example of this.
Other hand, grip the bar the wrong way, and though you might be able to pound out reps or otherwise do OK at an exercise, it's a recipe for disaster in the long-term. And neither are you getting the benefits you should in terms of wrist and forearm development if you just sort of "struggle" to hang on to the bar, or if you just "limply" hang on.
Worse, a poor - - or incorrect - - grip can actually lead to other problems - - like, elbow tendonitis for instance - - and again, thats something yours truly can bear testament to - - since I'm been dealing with a dodgy elbow for the last couple of days myself.
How did you end up getting a case of tendonitis, you might ask?
Well, dear reader, though I do ALL my exercises in right form, I do end up goofing sometimes. And thinking back to a couple of days ago, I believe I goofed while exercising on the monkey bars after rain a while ago.
The bars were slippery, and not easy to hold at all, and while you might think that makes for a better workout it doesn't for these exercises, and before I knew it, I ended up pulling an elbow and not even knowing it at the time - - though I sure did the next morning. OUCH!
And today, I thought I wouldn't be able to exercise at all on the monkey bars - - but funnily enough, a strange thing happened.
I decided I'd give it a try anyway and see how it were. After all, I can always stop if it hurts too bad, eh?
And what I also did was to focus EVEN MORE on my grip, and gripping style - - I literally tried to "be" my forearms during the sets if that makes any sense.
And I ended up getting through a pretty darn good workout (albeit without the variety of pull-ups I normally do - - I stuck to regular pull-ups today) - - which might seen strange considering I just said I had a case of tendonitis - - a painful one, at that.
But what will sound REALLY strange is that I hardly feel any pain at all in the elbow now.
That's right. Four hours or so after my workout and other activities, the pain is FAR LESS - - and this after a hard workout!
Sure, I still have a bit of pain, but it's nothing compared to what was there before.
Perhaps this was my body's way of telling me that I goofed a couple of days ago? To - - maybe - - CONCENTRATE - - EVEN HARDER- - while working out?
I think it was, and I'm glad my body told me - - now that I think about it, yes, I do end up ignoring my grip at times (though nothing like what most people tend to do) when I'm extremely tired, or towards the end of a set - - not good, and something to keep in mind for me for sure.
So that's the tale for today - - tendonitis seemingly "banished" by doing pulling exercises the RIGHT way (that, and training the young whipper snapper of course, who by the way was still at when I left - - good on you, my friend).
Now, please note that I'm not recommending hard exercise to cure tennis elbows or other cases of tendonitis - - far from it. I'm all for heeding my doctor's advice - - but sometimes, just sometimes - - the unconventional is what works best, and this certainly was the case for me this afternoon!
All for now -- back again soon!
Best Regards,
Rahul
P.S: - Again, grip training is one of the MOST IMPORTANT parts of your workout- - BAR NONE (or very few)! And the ultimate in grip training can be found right HERE: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/products/8-gorilla-grip/
I've been getting a ton of questions as of late about grip training (one of my favorite things to do, by the way).
Those that read my daily emails/newsletters know the emphasis I place on grip work - - developing a rugged, powerful grip being one of the very, very best things you can do for your overall levels of strength and muscular development.
And I've had many an email on this topic as of late - - to many to even address in my daily communications, to be honest.
Questions such as "How on earth do you do those thick bar "walks" you keep referring to"?
Or, "how exactly do handstand pushups build the grip?" (a very common one, by the way)
And most recently, feedback from a reader in Turkey who states that he wants to build a strong grip, but that he's been unable to reach the levels of development he's wanted to despite spending MONTHS working out on the machines in the gym.
And so I've finally finished a project of mine (one amongst way too many - - that sound familiar??) that I've been working upon for a while now - - namely, "Gorilla Grip", a concise, NO FRILLS, NO FLUFF, and NO NONSENSE forty three page training manual detailing SIXTEEN exercises that if done correctly and regularly will give you a pair of forearms that "Farmer Joe" (or even Popeye, if you so prefer) would be proud of - - but more importantly, STRENGTH and ENDURANCE to match.
Yes - forty three pages of hard hitting, no-sense training information for all you grip fanatics out there (and there seem to be a lot!) - - exercises that have been forgotten by the "muscle media" for the most part.
Exercises that are HARD, and are NOT, I repeat, NOT done sitting down or lying on a bench.
Exercises that will make you SWEAT. Exercise that make you HUFF and PUFF like a runaway locomotive.
Exercises that make you develop those nasty calluses on your palms.
But most of all, exercises that FLAT OUT WORK - - and my own experience and comments about having a ferocious grip are proof enough.
Of course, you'll never ever develop a grip like a real gorilla no matter how hard you try - - but this course WILL get you to near superhuman levels of gripping power that most folks will never ever attain.
Click on over to http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/products/89-gorilla-grip/, and order NOW - - you'll be glad you did!
I look forward to hearing about your succes!
Best regards,
Rahul
P.S.: - Our facebook page is a great place to discuss all things fitness related - - you can find us on Facebook right HERE: - https://www.facebook.com/fastandfuriousfitness . . .
P.S #2: - That link again is http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/products/89-gorilla-grip/. Order now, and get started on the road to superior forearm strength, power and development.
Despite the importance of a strong and reliable grip, training the grip is usually the last thing on most trainee's minds. Most folks would rather train their chest, back, and other larger muscles and not really focus on grip work except for whatever work the forearms and fingers get from performing exercises for these larger body parts.
And I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing - training the larger muscles of the body is always good, and yes, the grip does get worked quite a bit on exercises that target the chest and back - but always remember, a chain is only as strongest as it's weakest link, and if your grip is that link, well, some focused grip work won't hurt.
Anyhow, I discuss that in detail in Fast and Furious Fitness, but today's email is about balanced grip training, so lets get back on topic for now.
When we talk about "grip training", most folks instantly associate it with training the fingers to "close" powerfully around a said object. So you could be training for a firm/crushing handshake, or perhaps to improve your pull-ups by gripping the bar firmer. Those are great, but there's a missing link here - that being the muscles that do the opposite i.e. "open" your fingers.
To put this in perspective (of sorts), a crocodile has one of the most powerful bites in the entire animal kingdom. More than a grizzly bear, more than a hyena, or even shark - but tie a croc up and hold it's closed mouth with a normal grip - and it won't be able to open that massive jaw until you let it.
Sounds amazing, but it's true, the croc's jaw muscles bite down with immense force, but are unable to exert any tangible force the other way around.
Now, how does this relate to humans? I'm certainly not asking you to mess around with wild crocodiles, but what I'm saying is that we have something similar going on with our "gripping" muscles as well - those being the muscles (and tendons) in our forearms, fingers, wrist and even palm.
And the way you train these muscles is by focusing on training the FINGERS, rather than grip. One way is to do fingertip pushups - I did these at the end of my pull-up routine today, and I'm feeling a "sore to the bone" feeling in my forearms - different from what pull-ups or other tough grip work feels like.
Not necessarily "better" or "more effective" - but definitely DIFFERENT - and definitely another way of training your gripping muscles in another direction. You don't want to have a weak link anywhere, and balancing your grip training out is important for this very reason.
Additionally, strengthening yourself in one direction will automatically lead to strength gains in your other grip work - try it out yourself if you don't believe me! This holds true for other body parts as well, and the grip muscles are no different in this regard.
So thats the tip for today - back again later.
Best Regards,
Rahul
P.S.: If your looking to develop gorialla like claws and gripping power, the first thing you need to lay your mitts on is Fast and Furious Fitness: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/83-fast-and-furious-fitness-the-book
It's funny, but true. A lot of the folks I meet these days just dont want to shake my hand any longer.
Take, for example, this incident that occured the other day. I was walking down the hallway, while a slightly older (and seemingly well built) guy that I know came down the hall. We shook hands as men normally do - or at least, as I think men SHOULD shake hands, and the next thing I know this guy is offering me a limp fish handshake, and asking me to "let go".
"I'm an old man, leave me alone", he whines.
Now being that he's not really that much older than I am, and also, being that I did nothing out of the ordinary, other than shake his hand, this left me bemused - even more so when he proceeded to complain later that I "crush" his hand every time I see him.
Or, take the case of a colleague of mine, who I see every morning. I walk up to him to shake hands, and what do I get but an even limper, two finger "handshake" if you can call it that. Why? Well, as he himself said once, "I don't have a very strong grip, and I don't think it's important". Hmm, OK. . .no problems at my end. . .
Then there are those who instead of shaking my hand, attempt to wrench the entire arm out of it's socket by vigorously shaking the entire arm up and down as if it were a tubewell (or elephant's trunk). And some of these folks look at me in a nasty manner when I actually GRIP the other hand - puts a wrench in their heaving, hehe.
Laugh all you like, but odds are if you train hard and regular, you've had similar experiences as well.
Anyway, limp fish handshakes, tubewells and sundry aside, there are FAR more benefits to a strong grip than simply delivering bonecrushers (and no, thats not what I set out to do every time I shake hands with someone). I speak at length about training the grip in Fast and Furious Fitness - there's an entire chapter devoted to it, and with very good reason.
Here are but a few of the reasons why YOU should be training your grip as hard as any other body part: -
- A strong grip makes it easier to perform, and improve tough exercises. Pull-ups being a case in a point - how many folks shy away from pullups because they simply dont have the power to hold on to the bar, let along pull in an organized manner?
- Strong fingers, tendons and wrists reduce the chances of injury when performing exercises that demand a LOT from the hands.
- A strong grip makes it easier to perform DAY to DAY tasks, such as lugging heavy sofas up and down stairs. Try pinch gripping a mammoth old sofa - or Grandma's piano - and transporting it up and down three flights of stairs. It ain't easy, and its just not possible if you have weak wrists and fingers.
And in case your wondering what latest gizmo you'll need to purchase the train the grip like it should be, relax - you don't need very much at all in terms of equipment - or time, for that matter. No need for heavy weights. No need to labor over endless sets of "concentration" curls while making sure the "thumb points towards the bicep". No need for wrist rollers (though those can be great). No rubber balls, no squeezing newspapers, none of that.
So, without further ado, how exactly DO I train my grip?
Well - there are plenty of ways - but I'll list a few of them off the top of my head: -
- Pull-ups (done in PROPER form) - one of the best ways to develop a bone crushing grip. Note: You have to do the exercise correctly to get the most out of it - no kipping, no cheating, no swinging - just good proper pull-ups!
- Standing on my hands - a tremendous forearm builder.
- Timed holds from a tree trunk, doorway chinning bar, or just about anything you can hang from safely - another killer.
- Fingertip pushups (again, done CORRECTLY!); these are an all but forgotten exercises, but one that will give you fingers and tendons that feel like pliable steel.
And those barely scratch the surface. . .there is SO MUCH MORE where those came from.
So, let's see. Getting a full body workout within 45 minutes or less (in some cases less than half an hour), great cardio and strength workout rolled into one, exercises designed to give you the grip of an African gorilla - and, best of all, the moans about bone crushers from the limp fish crowd, hehe - I'll take that anyday over lengthy, drawn out gym sessions and 100 sets of what-not for the biceps, and 15 sets "just to train the other forearms", and so forth.
OK - I'm joking about the "limp fish crowd" - but jokes aside, my friend, as you can see - if you train as I teach you in Fast and Furious Fitness; you'll realize that your getting a superb grip workout in WHILE doing your other exercises - without spending extra time on specifically working the grip. Don't get me wrong - you CAN specialize on grip work, if you do it correctly - you just dont HAVE to.
Grab the book today, and give these exercises a try - and let me know how you do!
Best regards,
Rahul
PS: If you train today, make it a great one!!
Training on (or with) thick bars is something that I've always enjoyed. This could mean doing pull-ups on thick iron bars, swinging across the monkey bars in the playground, or simply lifting odd objects that have a thick handled grip. I enjoy training this way whenever I have the time, and believe you me, this type of training is one of the toughest you can do,especially when it comes to lifting, pulling and carrying movements.
Note that when I'm referring to thick bars, I'm not referring to your usual chinning bar or dumbell handle - I'm referring to bars which have a diameter of at least 2 inches, preferably more. I personally do my pull-ups and other related pulling movements out in the park - not on a pull-up bar - I use the thick, cast iron bars which make up the swing set, or the sides of the monkey bars.
And whats so special about thick bar work?
Well, for one, you build your grip without even thinking about it. Look, doing sets of 5 good pull-ups on a THICK bar is WAY different from doing them on a regular bar. First, you have to struggle to hold on during the entire set - which builds immense forearm and finger strength and power. Try completing that last pull-up when your fingers are struggling to just hold on to the bar - it's not easy.
Second, you build up the ligaments and tendons of your wrist and fingers to an amazing degree when you work with thick bars. The very act of gripping on to a thick bar (2.5" diameter or more) ensures that you build the gripping muscles - but more importantly, the ligaments and tendons that are the driving force behind the muscles. And it's nigh impossible to do well on thick bar exercises without strengthening everything. You may be able to curl impressive poundages in the gym, but chances are that you'll be able to curl less than half that if you work with thick bars (and the same weight) - and the reason will likely be weak connecting ligaments and tendons.
Third, working with thick bars ensures that you a) minimize the chances of wrist or finger injury in the future and b) the added blood flow to the fingers, wrist and forearms ensures that you recuperate faster from previous such injuries. I should know - I injured my thumb (and the ligaments in the palm as well) pretty badly a few days ago while doing fingertip pushups, but I could do pushups with minimum pain the next day, and a few days later - the thumb is almost back to normal. And part of the reason I've recovered so quickly is the thick bar work that I do.
Last, and by no means the last, your performance will improve tremendously on all your regular exercises once you begin doing them with thick bars. Stuck at a max of 5 reps for the pull-up? Well, find some THICK bars - and work up to doing sets of 5 reps on those for a couple of weeks, or however long it takes you. Then go back and test your self on pull-ups on the regular bar - I think your going to be amazed. And this doesn't just go for pull-ups; it applies to other exercises as well.
There are more reasons, but these three should give you enough motivation to get started with some thick bar work. I personally did 25 pull-ups along with assorted grip exercises out in the park today AFTER my regular workout - and my forearms are feeling it for sure at this point.
And lest you think that bodyweight exercises are the ONLY thing you can do when it comes to thick bar work, well, think again, my friend. You can incorporate this type of training into your routine even if you prefer lifting weights - or you can combine lifting odd objects with bodyweight work - which by the way is something I highly recommend.
Either way, make sure you DO incorporate some sort of thick bar work into your routine - you won't believe the gains you make!
Best regards,
Rahul
PS: Thick bar work is something I talk about in detail in Fast and Furious Fitness. I also show you various exercises you can do on thick bars in the book. Grab your copy ASAP and get started on the road to astounding levels of gripping power.
Grip training is (or should be) an integral part of any workout. A strong grip is an absolute pre-requisite for any genuine athlete, strongman, or fitness professional - not only that, but your grip strength, or lack of it, can actually limit your gains in other exercises that require a solid grip.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of proper, regular grip training, and when I say this, I'm not referring to athletes, boxers, fitness pros etc alone - I'm also talking about how important grip training is for the average Joe next door. Yes, my friend, that includes YOU too - a strong grip will help you immeasurably in a variety of day to day activities as well. A strong grip will also ensure you stay clear of the much dreaded Carpel Tunnel syndrome, which, given the pre-ponderance of computers everywhere, is a huge problem these days.
On a side note, I've read that some of the old time strongmen used to unscrew the wheel nuts on their cars by HAND - think about the finger/grip strength these guys must have had!
And today, I'd like to talk about a very simple exercise that will build the ENTIRE grip - forearms, wrists, tendons, fingers, everything - and it requires NO equipment at all.
That's right, NO equipment. No "wrist rollers", no dumbells for wrist curls (not a particularly good exercise anyway), and for those of you that are wondering, not even a chinning bar or somplace to hang from. Now, that last one is actually a GREAT grip builder, but I said something which requires no equipment, and thats what we'll talk about in today's email.
It's an exercise that the old timers used to perform with great regularity. It's an exercise done by most serious martial artists, wrestlers and boxers the world over. And it's something YOU need to do as well.
What is it, you might ask?
Well, the answer is: finger tip pushups - as in, pushups done on your digits. Sounds simple enough, and it is - but believe me, finger tip pushups WORK.
This exercise is an incredibly good grip builder - and it works EVERYTHING from the elbow to the tips of your fingers. It's important to remember that grip strength is not just depending upon strong muscles in the forearm - you need strong fingers, ligaments and tendons as well. And there are few other exercises that do a good job of training all this - with no equipment - than the finger tip pushup.
As I said, this exercise has been used for ages by martial artists, wrestlers and other sports people - but (as with many other GREAT exercises), it seems to have fallen by the wayside these days. Let's face it, you'll hear folks talking about closing grippers, doing the "farmer's walk", or hanging from chinning bar - and while all these are fantastic exercises, we rarely find folks talking about doing fingertip pushups in their routine.
And for those who claim that fingertip pushups aren't a great way to build finger strength - well - work up to 4 sets of 25 fingertip pushups in good form, and then tell me how you feel. Most average people (even those who've been doing pushups) would find it tough to do ONE set of 15 fingertip pushups, let alone 4 sets of 25.
I myself use this exercise regularly in my training routine, and while it's NOT the only grip exercise I do, I make sure I do it on a regular basis. And the best thing is, you require nothing but your own bodyweight to get it done - so there's no more excuses for not training your grip!
Make sure to incorporate this humble and often forgotten exercise into your daily exercise routine - and let me know when you work up to 4 sets of 25 done in good form!
Best regards,
Rahul
PS: Pushups are a fantastic exercise, and I cover them in excruciating detail in Fast and Furious Fitness; be sure and grab your copy now!
You've heard me speak about 15-30 minute workouts often. You've heard me say that you can get in a fantastic workout in 15 minutes flat - and you've also heard me talk about five minute routines that blast the fat off your frame faster than you can say Hallelujah.
Folks often use the "I don't have time to train" excuse to avoid exercise. Well, sorry, but EVERYONE's got to have a few minutes a day for themselves, and if you don't have even that much time - well, I suggest you work on rectifying that. 15 minutes is not a long time - 10 minutes is even shorter. Do what you can, but do SOMETHING - anything that gets you moving is a good start (and I don't mean the walk from the refrigator to the couch).
Anyway, today, I'll take the "quick workouts" concept one step further, and talk about routines that don't last for more than a minute - and get the job done in terms of blasting the grip.
That's right - you CAN get an intense forearm workout from following a routine that last for as little as a MINUTE. And to be honest, most beginners would be doing good to get 10-15 seconds in good form; let alone 60 seconds.
Sounds a bit implausible to you? Well, perhaps it does, but allow me to give you an extremely simple exercise to do - which won't last for more than a minute. And that one exercise is SO simple to do that I wonder why most folks don't think of doing it - but incredibly, they don't.
And that exercise is this: Find a chinning bar, or a sturdy tree branch, or anywhere you can hang safely (the higher the better) - grip on to the bar, and simply hang. Thats right, simply HANG, and time yourself while you do so. No monkey business while hanging; your arms should be completely stretched out and your entire body should stay still - simply hang in that position for a minute.
Again, if it sounds simple to you - well, just TRY it. I'll bet your unable to do more than 25-30 seconds max if you're starting out (perhaps less if you've been doing other exercises before). If you can manage a minute, repeat for five sets. If you can manage that, keep doing that at the end of your regular routine - and tell me how much your grip has improved after a couple of weeks.
Simple enough exercises, but you won't find many people doing this. Why? Well, one because if done correctly (and especially if done after your regular workout) - this exercise CAN REALLY HURT! You'l literally feel your fingers start to peel off the bar after you've been hanging a while - and your shoulders and forearms will get a super workout as well. And all this in less than a minute.
Second, it's not a "fancy" exercise. Most folks associate hanging on a chinning bar with "something they did when they were kids", and don't conisder it anywhere near in value to the fancier stuff and machines.
Big, big mistake - the simple stuff - stuff we did when we were kids - actually brings you far better results than the other stuff does.
And in case your wondering, this one simple exercise can be made way tougher than it is currently. Further, there are dozens of other things you can do - for a MINUTE - that will leave you with burning forearms and fingers that won't be able to grip for a while after the exercise. Fast and Furious Fitness details many such routines that can be used by all levels of trainees (yes, even advanced trainees).
As for yours truly, I did three one minute holds at the end of my routine today - and I can STILL feel the soreness in my forearms. I enjoy this exercise, and do it often - and if your interested in developing a vice like grip, so should you.
All for now. Oh, if you logged on to the site a few hours back and saw an "under maintenance" sign, not to worry - that was simply my web host updating the server where the site is located. All seems to be normal now.
Enjoy your weekend - and if you train today, make it a super workout!
Best regards,
Rahul
PS: Here's that link once again: - Fast and Furious Fitness
Today I'm going to address a pretty common question that folks have with regard to grip training. And that is, how often to train the grip, and WHEN to do it.
Before I provide my thoughts on this, allow me to go on record by saying that grip training is one of the most enjoyable parts of my workout. I train my grip as hard as I do any other body part, and I train it using exercises that work the body as a WHOLE, which is pretty much what I do for all exercises/body parts. I talk more about this in Fast and Furious Fitness.
Grip training provides numerous benefits. Train the grip hard, and you'll do better on virtually all your exercises, especially the "pulling" exercises. Your forearms will increase tremendously in size and strength, and you'll never have to worry about suffering from the much dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome (which is the bane of many people in this day and age).
And the good part about it is that training the grip is not rocket science. In fact, you can do a lot of the exercises I advocate, and build a super strong grip without even training the forearms or fingers "directly". It's also enjoyable - and lends itself to progress that you can actually "feel" in each workout (those of you that do train the grip hard know what I'm referring to). And herein lies the catch - because it's uncomplicated and enjoyable to do, you run the risk of actually overdoing it, and overtraining.
I recommend direct grip work only AFTER your regular workouts, and not during them. The reason for this is that if you pre-exhaust your grip before your other exercises (that also require a strong grip), your performance will naturally go down on those exercises. I've done this before myself - I've done grip work before my pull-ups, and noticed how my numbers go down (drastically, for some variations) if I've pre-exhausted the grip. So, train your grip AFTER your workout for best results.
Second, make sure NOT to overdo it - do NOT think you can train your grip super hard each workout, and still hope to keep improving. It can't be done, and I know this from personal experience. In fact, much like with any other body part, your performance/gains will actually start to go DOWN if you train the grip excessively, so beware of this. A good thumb rule would be to train the grip hard three times a week and no more.This is by no means written in stone - but it's a general rule that those who train regularly would do good to abide by.
Third, and most importantly - it is VERY EASY to overtrain the grip - so easy that you might not even realize it. Make sure not to do 10 sets of timed hangs after that pull -up session daily, or if you do so, only do so twice a week. The forearms are used a lot in daily life as well, so it makes sense to let them rest, recover and grow - just like the rest of your body.
Keep those three guidelines in mind while training the grip, and you'll be on the right track. I cover this topic in far more detail in Fast and Furious Fitness - be sure to grab a copy!
Alright, enough for this email. Gotta get back to work on a new "Fast and Furious" project I'm working upon. . .
Be well, and if you train today - make it a GREAT one!
Best regards,
Rahul
PS: Our online ordering system is back up and running, so there's really no more excuses not to reserve your copy of Fast and Furious Fitness. Go HERE to do so.