When it comes to holding heavy things, you got to have grip strength.
And who better to teach us about improving grip strength than 4x World’s Strongest Man and Redcon1 athlete, Brian Shaw?
In this video, Brian provides us with a few of his favorite pieces of equipment and exercises to build a stronger grip.
Brian Shaw’s Grip Tips
A lot of the guys who ask Brian about grip strength aren’t strongmen. They’re your average gym-goer looking to build grip strength so they can get stronger in the gym.
Your grip is your connection point, so if you’re not strong enough to pick a weight up – you won’t be able to use heavier weight in the gym and make progress.
The biggest mistake Brian sees people make is immediately resorting to straps when they’re no longer able to pick up a weight. To get a stronger grip, you have to make your grip work.
Then, it’s important to add in accessories and grip specific training into your training routine.
Brian’s favorite attachments include the D-handle, the thick D-handle, and the grip block.
The D-handle can be found in most commercial gyms. These are great to use when performing rows, tricep work, and bicep work to tax your grip. The thick D-handle works in the same way, but is much thicker making it challenging to grip.
The last attachment Brian utilizes is the pinch grip block. It’s very grip specific. It trains the pinch movement pattern of gripping that is often neglected. In doing so, it results in a lot of thumb strength gains.
Brian also recommends making grip training fun by challenging your gym partner or other members at the gym to grip challenging exercises.
0 Comments