Hand grip strength is a surprisingly reliable indicator of overall health as we age. It’s reflective of muscle mass and can predict health outcomes later in life. One study found that in men between the ages of 45 to 68, “hand grip strength was highly predictive of functional limitations and disability 25 years later.” Another study found that at the age of 85, lower hand grip strength was associated with poorer functional, psychological and social health.
Several of my clients in their 50s and 60s are training to complete their first-ever chin-up. One of the most important aspects that we focus on is, you guessed it, hand grip strength.The exercises below focus on the three types of hand grip strength:
- Support grip is the ability to hold on to a heavy object for a period of time (loaded carry).
- Crush grip is the strength between your fingers and palm (tennis ball squeeze).
- Pinch grip is the grip between your fingers and thumb (plate pinch).
But make sure you don’t overdo it. Two or three sets of these hand grip exercises, completed at the end of a training session and performed up to three days a week is plenty.
1. Loaded Carry (also called Farmer’s Walk)
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The loaded carry is an extremely important and effective move that strengthens not just hand grip but the entire upper body and core. I have all my clients, regardless of age, perform loaded carries with weights that feel challenging to them — whether that’s 15 or 150 pounds.
Grab a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand. Brace your core, engage your upper back muscles so your shoulders stay back and down, and slowly walk across the room. Try to use a weight that feels very challenging to your grip after about 30 seconds. I have my older clients who are new to lifting weights start with about 15 pounds in each hand. Intermediate clients start with about 25 pounds, and advanced clients with 50 pounds or more.
2. Tennis Ball Squeeze
Tennis balls are more firm than gel-filled stress balls, so they’re more challenging to squeeze. Grip a tennis ball in one hand and squeeze it as hard as you comfortably can. Hold the squeeze for three to four seconds, then release. Repeat this squeeze-and-release pattern for 10 repetitions, then switch to the other hand.
3. Plate Pinches
Hold two weighted plates (the ones you’d add to a barbell) together in one hand, with your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other. Start with 2.5 or 5 pound plates and work your way up to heavier weights. Try to maintain your hold for about 30 seconds. If your grip isn’t strong enough yet to keep two plates together try this exercise with one plate to start.
