conditioning for forearms and hand grip

[niqaeli]

I could probably google this, but I figured I'd ask around here first!

For reasons that are not actually immediately climbing-related (though I do want to get more into climbing at a point where I can afford to tear my hands up), I'm in desperate need of conditioning exercises for forearms and hand grip. And I could not think of anyone who would know such conditioining exercise *better* than climbers. (All other athletic endeavours I've been into before didn't particularly value strength in those areas.)

So! What are your favourite ones? Is there any equipment you find particularly useful?

Comments

[rydra_wong]

Oooh, awesome. *rubs hands*

Question first: what kind of grip strength, primarily? Concentric or isometric? I.e. are you squeezing something so it gets smaller, or gripping/hanging from it very hard while it stays the same shape? Climbing-related stuff is almost entirely the latter.

ETA:

Is there any equipment you find particularly useful?

Is this because you want to know what can be done with minimal equipment, or because you'd like to buy fun toys? *g* Either answer is valid!

[niqaeli]

Both, actually -- I'm working as a massage therapist again and holy fuck my strength is not where it was. And you do actually end up doing a lot of isometric work in terms of grip (your arm as a whole might be moving, but your forearm/grip is being held tightly in the same position -- and then you do also end up holding position tightly without moving at ALL, which is what is absolutely slaying me right now). And I've been watching sports and also thinking about athletics in general and I had this thought that, you know, maybe I should start some conditioning for it!

...also, both? Knowing what I can do with minimal equipment is important for the moment, but I would be happy to have some fun toys to work with once I have the money! :)

[emperor]

I don't do much other than climbing for my arms (occasional mucking around on a trapeze not counting); I do have a couple of toys, though:

Metolius grip saver, which feels very much like it works the fingers, though the destructions think it does the lower arm too.

A powerball, which is quite good fun, and feels like more of an overall arm workout.

[rydra_wong]

Yes, I was going to suggest a powerball if niqaeli's on for fun toys. *g*

I need to get more consistent about using mine; I suspect it's really good for rehab/prehab too.

[mongrelheart]

Those toys look really cool. Are they meant to be more for workouts & strengthening the hands, or are they more for rehab & self-maintenance purposes?

[emperor]

I think they're meant to be useful for both, but I'm honestly not really sure.

[rydra_wong]

From what I've seen, the Gripsaver seems to get recommended mainly for rehab/prehab (at least for climbers, since the rubber bands work the opposing muscles to the ones used in climbing), and the powerball for strengthening too.

For antagonist work, there's also stuff like the Expand Your Hand Bands, or the traditional rice bucket.

[mongrelheart]

Those bands look very useful. And I'd never heard of the rice bucket before, but I just read this and wow I think I'm going to be hauling home a 20-lb bag of rice soon...

[rydra_wong]

I made a rice bucket while I was out of action for several months at the start of the year (injured foot), and it's a great tool. I found it particularly good as a hand warm-up before I did anything super-intense like fingerboarding.

niaqaeli, this might be good for conditioning and for balancing out the muscular stresses of massage work.

Other minimal equipment stuff: do you have any small hand weights, or food cans? They're ideal for wrist curls and reverse wrist curls.

[wpadmirer]

There's a very simple thing that works great for grip strength. All grip strength really comes from the forearms, not the hands directly. When you work a hand exerciser - you're really strengthening the forearm and maybe working on finger flexibility.

A piece of a broom handle works for this just fine. Put a rope that is long enough from you with your arms straight out to go to the floor. Tie a small weight (start with something that's no more than 2.5 pounds)to the rope and then tie the other end to the brook stick. Using both hands, roll the weight up, and then roll it back down. (The rope should wind around the stick as your hands roll it.)

Your forearms will EXPLODE after doing that a few times. It's a perfect exercise for grip strength and it's cheap to make.

[rydra_wong]

*nod nod nod*

I have one of these (made from a bit of plastic pipe). Fantastic toy. Apparently a big favourite of Bruce Lee's ...