Grip Strength Training: Why It Matters and How to Build It

By Zerxus Team  |  Strength Training

Grip strength is one of the most overlooked physical attributes in fitness. Yet it is one of the strongest predictors of overall health, longevity, and athletic performance. If your grip is limiting your deadlifts, pull-ups, or rows — or if you simply want to build functional strength — this guide covers exactly what you need.

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Why Grip Strength Matters More Than You Think

Research published in The Lancet found that grip strength was a stronger predictor of cardiovascular mortality than blood pressure. Athletes with stronger grips tend to lift more, recover better, and maintain higher training intensities. In practical terms: if your grip fails, every pulling exercise is limited before the target muscle even fatigues.

Three Types of Grip Strength

• Crushing grip: Squeezing force — what you use to hold a barbell or dumbbell
• Supporting grip: Sustaining a grip over time — critical for deadlifts, rows, and pull-ups
• Pinch grip: Holding between fingers and thumb — less common in training but important for overall hand strength

Best Exercises for Grip Strength

Farmer Carries

Pick up heavy dumbbells or kettlebells and walk. Simple, brutal, and effective. Farmer carries build supporting grip strength, core stability, and overall conditioning simultaneously. Start with a weight you can carry for 20–30 metres and progress from there.

Dead Hangs

Hang from a pull-up bar for time. Builds raw supporting grip and decompresses the spine. Start with 20–30 seconds and work toward 60+ seconds. An excellent daily practice, even on rest days.

Thick Bar Training

Using a fat bar or wrapping a towel around a standard bar forces the hands to work harder. Even doing regular exercises with a thicker diameter creates superior grip adaptation.

Barbell Holds and Pull-Up Bar Shrugs

At the end of your last deadlift set, hold the bar for as long as possible without straps. Or at the top of a pull-up, hold and shrug — great for grip plus upper trap development.

Should You Use Straps?

Straps are a tool, not a crutch. Use them on very heavy sets where grip failure would otherwise limit the target muscle before it is adequately trained. Do most of your work without straps to continue developing grip strength. Do not strap every set.

How to Programme Grip Training

Add farmer carries or dead hangs 2–3 times per week, either as finishers after your main session or on rest days. Progress like any other exercise — add weight or duration each week, applying progressive overload.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to improve grip strength?

Meaningful improvements can be seen within 4–6 weeks of consistent grip training. Significant strength — enough to remove grip as a limiting factor in most lifts — typically takes 3–6 months of targeted work.

Should I use a hook grip?

The hook grip (thumb trapped under the fingers) is used by Olympic weightlifters and some powerlifters. It is extremely secure but uncomfortable until you adapt to it. Worth learning if you compete in weightlifting, optional for general training.

Will grip training make my forearms bigger?

Yes. The forearm flexors and extensors are the primary muscles of grip, and training them with sufficient volume and load will increase their size over time. Farmer carries and dead hangs are particularly effective for this.

Zerxus Coaching Team

Certified Strength & Conditioning Coaches

The Zerxus coaching team combines qualified personal trainers, certified strength coaches, and evidence-based sports science to build programmes that actually work. Every article is grounded in peer-reviewed research and practical coaching experience — no fads, no shortcuts.