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Of the many muscles we train to feel, look, and perform better, those associated with grip strength might be the most slept on. For one, directly training your grip can lead to juicy forearms, which will make you the envy of men the world over. But grip training also boosts your capacity for other workouts, too—think weightlifting, rock climbing, and bodyweight exercises—which in turn grants more strength and muscle gains. Plus, grip strength has recently been identified as a fairly robust biomarker for healthful aging; AKA having a powerful grip is a sign of a more youthful body primed for longevity (1, 2, 3).
So, how does one join the grip strength elite? Luckily, it’s both cheap and easy: get a grip strengthener (sometimes called a gripper). Here’s everything you need to know about grip strengtheners—if they work, how they work, how to use them, and the best ones to buy.
GRIP GAINS
Do Grip Strengtheners Really Work and Are They Worth Buying?
Yes, when used correctly (more on that below), grip strengtheners absolutely work. Like any muscle or group of muscles, the muscles in your fingers, wrist, and forearms can be stimulated with resistance training which, over time, leads to those muscles growing stronger. If you’ve tried grip strengtheners before and that didn’t happen, you likely weren’t pushing yourself hard enough, weren’t training with one often enough, or weren’t using them correctly. Whether you’re training grip for functional (your work involves your hands, maybe) or ulterior (you want Popeye forearms) reasons, grip strengtheners work and are worth the relatively low cost—especially now that we know weak grip strength is associated with advanced aging.
How to Use Grip Strengtheners
Use them at the start of your workout (or when you’re not working out)
If you’re prioritizing grip strength, you need to hit those muscles while they’re fresh. This is to say you should not relegate grip strengthening to the very end of your workout when you’re exhausted and ready to be done. That’s a recipe for low-quality sets, which is where results go to die.
Semi-related note: avoid doing grip strength work on the same day you might be using said grip strength in other exercises. If you plan on doing deadlifts—where grip strength is a limiting factor—you probably want a fresh grip.
Full range of motion, hold closed position
As far as execution is concerned, there are two rules. First, work the grip strengthener through its fullest range of motion. That means you squeeze (or pull, depending on the device) as far as the product allows, then use a controlled release back to its pre-stretched state. This ensures you’re training more of the musculature, which means a stronger overall grip.
The second rule of grip strength training is a one (or more) second pause at the tightest position, as endorsed by exercise scientist Dr. Mike Israetel of Renaissance Periodization. The hold will hurt, but it will be worth it. Pausing the reps at the hardest point better mirrors the function of grip strength in the first place—squeezing and stabilizing heavy static forces. When would you really need to squeeze something really hard just to drop it immediately?
Don’t use them every day
Because most grip strengtheners are the perfect size to sit on your desk or in a drawer at work, it is tempting to do sets and reps of grip work daily. Do your best to avoid this temptation. Like all muscles, those associated with grip power need time to recover from fatigue and build back stronger. Plus, as mentioned earlier, if you’re doing any other kind of training that necessitates a stable grip, you’ll want to skip those days as well.
The Best Grip Strengtheners on the Market
Captains of Crush Hand Gripper
Best overall grip strengthener
The best-known grip strengthener on the market is likely the best. It’s a perfected version of a simple and classic coil squeeze design, so using one is literally just a matter of holding, squeezing, and releasing. Plus, it’s made completely of metal, so you’ll own it for as long as you live. If you’re wondering about the monumental resistance range listed above, know that, for most people, the first few rungs of the resistance ladder are the place to shop. Only one person has ever managed to squeeze IronMind’s 365-pound gripper—Swedish strongman Magnus Samuelsson—and there are even Captains of Crush certifications available to those able to (and willing to provide proof of) squeezing the No. 2 (195 pounds) and up. What you need to know: start in the kiddie pool (60-100 pound range) and work your way up. There’s no shame in not having godlike grip strength from the get-go.
Adjustable: No
Material: Aluminum, steel
Resistance: 60 to 365 pounds
PROHANDS Pro Hand Exerciser
Best beginner grip strengthener
If you’re starting from sedentary (or just don’t have experience in exercises that naturally challenge your grip) it may be wise to start with something like PROHANDS. The resistances are lighter, and the rubber on each of the finger springs will feel a little better for folks whose hands aren’t calloused from weight training.It should be said, though, that those resistance figures—a measly 5 to 13 pounds—are listed per finger, not total. So the total grip pull of the 13-pound PROHANDS is 52 pounds, which is a significantly greater challenge. You could also make an argument that, because PROHANDS grip strengtheners require you to squeeze with each finger, you’re getting a more complete grip workout. Having used one, though, the reality is some of your fingers are just stronger than others (your pinkie will not pull as hard as your middle or pointer no matter how much you train it).
Adjustable: No
Material: Plastic, steel
Resistance: 5 to 13 pounds
Xtensor XCB100 Hand Exerciser
Best reverse grip strengthener
Popular with rock climbers, tennis players, golfers, guitar players, and pianists, reverse grip strengtheners shift the grip training from squeezing to extending your fingers outward. Instead of focusing on sheer force production, reverse grip strengtheners increase finger, hand, and wrist flexibility and endurance. Though they work in opposite ways to a squeeze-and-release strengthener, the same rules apply when using a reverse strengthener—extend the muscles to your fullest comfortable range of motion, hold the rep for a second, and slowly control the release. There are a few brands that make similar products to this one, but we like Xtensor’s because it’s affordable, mostly comfortable to use, and has four resistance levels baked in.
Adjustable: Yes
Material: Silicone, plastic
Resistance: N/A
BowFlex SelectTech Adjustable Dumbbell
Best dumbbell grip strengthener
Wait a minute, that’s not a cute grip-strengthener gadget that fits in my desk drawer! Correct, but dumbbells are one of the ultimate tests and ways to train grip strength. Longevity doctor Peter Attia even uses them to assess patients’ grip strength by asking them to carry half their body weight in each hand for a full minute. What dumbbell grip training does that grip strengtheners don’t do is allow you to train for a purpose. Most people training their grip strength directly do so to be able to handle weights at the gym with more ease, and there’s no better way to train handling heavier weights than—you guessed it—holding heavier weights. Grip workouts with dumbbells can be as simple as standing up with a dumbbell in each hand, by your side, and holding for as long as you can (an upgraded version of this workout is called a Farmer’s Walk).
Adjustable: Yes
Material: Iron, steel, plastic
Resistance: 10 to 90 pounds
Fat Gripz Pro
Best grip strengthener for deadlifters
Buyer beware: Fat Gripz makes any workout with a dumbbell or barbell hellish. It turns out simply beefing up the width of the grip makes holding onto something—especially something heavy—much, much more difficult. Like dumbbells, Fat Gripz are not a traditional or direct grip trainer, but they are a cheap and healthy means to challenge your grip in other ways. If you want to get started with a Fat Gripz training program, simply slap the hefty grips over your barbell grip area for deadlifts. Try a set of 60 percent of the weight of your usual working sets and increase or decrease from there. It’s going to feel awkward, and that’s the point.
Adjustable: No
Material: Composite foam
Resistance: N/A
IronMind Twist Yo Wrist
Best forearm-focused grip strengthener
If you’re looking for more directly functional grip training, a twist rope like this one from IronKind is likely your best bet. Instead of squeezing reps, you twist a cord with a weight attached to it around the base unit. It’s basically opening a pickle jar on hard mode. It works a bit like a traditional wrist curler, but because your hands are turned outward, there’s much greater emphasis through the lower arm, with tension generated from your fingers through your wrists, forearms, and up into the elbow. You can adjust the difficulty by attaching different weights to the end of the cord as well, which does mean you’ll need to invest in some smaller weight plates on top of the cost of the product.
Adjustable: Yes
Material: Plastic, nylon
Resistance: Variable
IronMind TUG Two-Finger Gripper
Best finger grip strengthener
Yes, IronMind does make the best grip trainers. Where the larger Captains of Crush gripper trains your grip from a macro level, the very small TUG gripper takes aim at bettering your grip through each digit. This can be especially useful for people who have suffered finger injuries, as bringing a bit of muscular balance is a process that’s as important as it is tedious. IronMind offers seven different level of resistance within the TUG line but doesn’t make clear how much resistance you can expect at each one, so tread lightly when ordering (AKA don’t let your ego burn a hole in your wallet).
Adjustable: No
Material: Steel
Resistance: N/A
