Healthy Grip Strengthening

[BWT]

So, as I type this I have a somewhat subtle pain in my elbows.

I fear that I've given myself tennis-elbow like symptoms (perhaps tennis elbow) after years of trying grip strengthening. I never bought a Captain of Crunch; I felt like that was too far so I avoided it. Long story short, I lifted weights for my early 20's and teen years; I like to see improvement and increasing weight while maintaining high repetition sets (10 minimum) was how I thought I could avoid injury. Simply put, I saw people injure themselves maxing out or doing chest beating exercises that they couldn't maintain form to complete, etc.; so I figured a good rule of thumb was if I couldn't do a set of 10 with that weight I wouldn't increase it.

Largely, that worked well. Until I eventually started leg pressing just too much weight (even in a set of ten) and I believe quite honestly that's what caused my two inguinal hernias.

So, I figured avoid the same pitfalls with grip strengthening; go with something moderate but still challenging emphasis on high repetitions.

A couple of years back; I bought one of these (http://www.rei.com/product/784301/gr...-heavy-tension) and I used it fairly regularly for a few years. I figured I'd do 50 complete compression's with one hand (say my right) then switch to my left and complete another 50 compressions; then I'd hold the grip strengthener closed for a minute with the first hand and alternate to the next. I finally go to the point of doing 5-sets of that most days; so 5 minutes and 250 compressions with each hand daily.

I noticed I started having pains in the outer side of my elbows and I think attributed that to working with a keyboard predominantly (could still be a factor), but I stopped doing grip strengthening for awhile (honestly work just got too busy to do this 10-15 minute routine on lunch breaks, etc.). I noticed the pain returned pretty badly later on when resuming even just 3 sets a day and 3 minutes per hand.

At this point, I've stopped entirely until I figure out how to do this properly. I saw where Mr. White had mentioned tennis elbow, etc. a few months ago and posted in a thread this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsoyR1Qc2BY) about this. So, I tried just some simple overhand almost stretches and even twisting a shirt just to see if that helped, and quite honestly it did even just a simple 5-10 repetitions felt like it was stretching muscles that were just irritated; I felt pretty decent relief. Which is what lead me to come here. I definitely need some guidance on this.

So, when I lifted weight at my peak weights; I realized I was over-doing it and I lost about 60~ lbs and stopped lifting because I realized I was getting knee/hip pains then (the hernias didn't come to the surface until a few years after); I felt great as far as physical fitness.

Now, I find myself in a similar circumstance with simple grip strengthening, etc. So, what I'd like to ask of anybody (that's eyes haven't rolled back into their head yet at this lengthy post) that does grip training, what do you do and at what intervals? How long have you been doing it and have you noticed any ill effects?

I've come to the point in life; I pretty much don't have an ego about this and I'd rather ask about this than sweep the issue under the rug. Hey, maybe it'll save somebody else the head aches associated.

So to summarize,

A.) What tools, weight, whatever apparatus, etc. (if any) do you use to improve grip performance?
B.) What intervals do you train at?
C.) Do you have sources that you reference for good information on this topic?
D.) What do you consider adequate grip strength and where do you stop pushing it? (I've just realized repetitive stress injury is a real thing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repetitive_strain_injury and a plateau isn't always a bad thing; sometimes you've hit physiological limits).

I've thought about buying the tool in Mr. White's video but I also would like to retain some semblance of improvement in forearm/grip strength.

God Bless,

Brandon

ETA: I didn't mean to speak poorly of Mr. White but what I meant was; I'm holding off on resuming these activities until I have a better game plan and I don't think just adding some elbow strengthening and keeping on with grip strengthening business as usual is the best idea. So, I figure seek advice and re-approach this issue with a fresh perspective before picking up any of the old habits.

[scw2]

I read Chad's posts in the past and this appears to be an updated article linked by StraitR (I think) recently, I think. I asked a question in the comments about the Theraband flexbars and he responded, will be doing the workout he recommends as well as adding Therabands and rubberbands for extensions throughout the day.

Ron Avery also has a useful video about grip strength training, where he details his regimen.

[BehindBlueI's]

With the understanding I claim no expertise:

I use the Iron Mind Green Egg. I squish it as I watch TV until my forearm is tired, then switch arms. I've no real plan of reps or the like, I just listen to what my body tells me.

I've got slipped disks in my c-spine and loss of sensation in my index finger (used to more fingers but got the feeling back in the others). My grip strength was down to 80-lb on the calibrated doo-dad at the PT's office. Last visit I was at 120 lb. Now I'm sure a lot of that improvement was due to the PT, but the egg squishing helped as well.

Now, that said, the best advise is probably to find a physical therapist and set up an appointment. Let a pro look at your issues and set up a game plan for you. If I'd done that earlier instead of being stupid (Macho/cheap/stupid) I'd probably have gotten the feeling back in all my fingers. Shop around, there's a big difference in pricing. Independent sport's medicine places were 1/3-1/4 the cost of the big name hospital chain's PT center here locally.

[Ntexwheels]

I've used nothing more than a Tennis ball for years. I use it while reading or watching TV, switching from left to right hand and back again. I'll squeeze on it for 30 to 45 minutes a night. Never have any pain in elbows or lower arms.

[pablo]

Years ago I worked my way up to closing a Captain of Crush No. 2 gripper for 60 seconds. My hands hurt a lot, I got a raging case of tennis elbow and I was good at closing grippers, but didn't necessarily have a strong functional grip. Grippers develop a strong crush grip, but being able to squeeze grips to a small diameter really isn't all that useful.

I don't do crush grip specific exercises anymore. I do grip intensive exercises: farmers carry (with handles or pinching bumper plates), sandbags, sledge hammer and kettlebells. Sometimes I use Grip4orce fat grips. I can't get the No.2 gripper closed anymore but I have a stronger "grip".

[voodoo_man]

I have a 60lb grip strength thing I picked up at the local sports fitness store that I left in my car.

When I drive I use that until my hands/arms get tired. Usually ten per hand then switch.

[45dotACP]

I'd really see a physical therapist that specializes in sports medicine. Unless sumdood on the internet can tell you the origin, insertion, innervation, planes of motion, agonists and antagonists of each muscle from memory, and even then...there are just things I don't trust the internet as a reference for.

Forearm muscles are small, easy to injure and there are a lot of them. Home brewing a therapy routine is not something you want to do without a verified professional with creds having some input.

Sent from my VS876 using Tapatalk

[JV_]

Unless sumdood on the internet can tell you the origin, insertion, innervation, planes of motion, agonists and antagonists of each muscle from memory, and even then...

And unless you know the real answer yourself, how would you try to call BS on something they may say?

[GJM]

1) For those that shoot a lot, I think there are two groups of shooters. Those that have elbow pain, and those that will develop elbow pain. Right now, my elbow pain has gone away, but see #2 below.

2) I am a believer in two things to deal with elbow pain -- using the Thera Band, and regularly doing the elbow exercises recommended by Robbie Leatham's PT.

https://www.absolutept.com/shooters-elbow/

3) I have concluded that for me, personally, I would rather build grip strength by dry and live firing. That allows me to build grip strength while practicing with the pistol. While I want to be stronger, at the end of the day, I really just want to shoot better.

[Josh Runkle]

For pain that reoccurs: see an actual medical practitioner, not the Internet.