Increase Forearm Strength with the Best Hand Grips

Now that you’ve gotten to grips with our hand strengthening products, you may wish to expand your knowledge and understanding with our buying guide. Below, we cover everything from the numerous benefits of using hand grips to what you should consider before making your purchase.

Benefits of hand grips

As we have already mentioned, the main benefit of hand grips is increased strength in your fingers, hand, and forearm. This is particularly beneficial if you lift weights and are struggling to increase the weight on certain lifts. You may also find hand grips useful if you play guitar, piano, or enjoy rock climbing and bouldering.

Things to consider when buying hand grips

There are numerous things you should look out for when buying your next pair of hand grips. These include:

Hand or finger strengtheners

There are predominantly two types of hand grips: hand or finger strengtheners. While they may look similar, they both have different properties.

For example, finger strengtheners are built with pushable keys and are perfect for improving their pinching strength. In addition, many guitar players and rock climbers use these grips to develop their dexterity.

Conversely, hand strengtheners are shaped like tongs and perfect for strengthening the whole hand and forearm.

Resistance

Depending on your strengthening goals, you should consider whether you need light or heavy resistance. For example, if you have a weak grip and look to improve your endurance, you should look for a hand grip that offers lighter resistance. On the other hand, heavier resistance grips should be your first port-of-call if you want to increase your power.

Adjustable or fixed

You can find hand grips that are either fixed or adjustable, meaning you can alter the resistance as you progress. Keep in mind that fixed-resistance hand grips are made from metal and are very durable. Adjustable grips are cheaper in the long run because you don’t have to purchase a new one every time you want to up your resistance.

Materials

You should consider purchasing hand grips that are made with durable materials from top to bottom. For example, the safest hand grips are constructed out of stainless steel. These strengtheners are not going to break while you are using them. The last thing you need is your hand grip exploding in your face mid-squeeze. We also recommend buying hand grips with rubber or knurled handles that will not slip out of your hand.

Customer reviews

We have found that the best way to judge the quality of a product is to check the online customer reviews. This is great if you need to determine whether the hand grip will be durable and whether it helps other people achieve their desired fitness goals. Also, you should leave your own feedback to help other buyers find the best hand grips in the future.

How we choose the best hand grips

We choose our hand grips based on various features. For example, we consider materials, design, durability, comfort, value for money, and customer reviews. As a result, we are confident that all our recommendations are high-quality. Rest assured, we only suggest the best products to our readers.

Hand Grip FAQ

Q: What are the different types of grips I can perform?

A: Generally, there are three types of grips that we can use to perform numerous tasks.

First, crush grip is the ability to squeeze an object using your hand. For example, you use this type of grip when lifting a heavy weight in your hand (such as dumbbells), climbing ropes or poles, and swinging a baseball bat or golf club.

Second, humans use a support grip to hold a heavy object, such as carrying grocery bags or performing hanging exercises like pull-ups.

Finally, we have the pinch grip. This concerns the strength between your fingers and thumb. You use this grip to throw balls, open jars, and when you are rock climbing.

Q: How do I use a hand grip?

A: You can use a hand grip in several ways to improve your grip strength. For example, you can hold the strengthener with your thumb on one side and the rest of your fingers on the other while squeezing.

Alternatively, you can squeeze with your thumb and one finger or your thumb and multiple fingers.

You can also try placing your pinky and ring finger on one side and resting your palm on the other while squeezing. Each of these exercises is excellent for all of the grip types mentioned in the above question.

Q: Can hand grips help me build bigger forearms?

A: Not by themselves. While grip strengthening exercises are great for improving lifts, you need to combine them with specific weightlifting exercises such as plate holds, forearms curls, farmer carries, and similar wrist exercises to build your forearms. Additionally, you should always do these exercises properly to ensure you do not strain or hurt yourself; improper form will only strengthen the muscles around the hand rather than the forearm.

Q: What specific muscles will hand grips improve?

A: As we have already covered, hand grips help strengthen your forearm muscles, specifically the forearm flexors and extensors, responsible for opening and closing the hand. Over time, these exercises will develop these muscles and improve endurance and power.

Moreover, hand grips will have a secondary impact on other muscle groups. For example, if your grip is strong, you’ll be able to perform challenging exercises like pull-ups and hanging leg raises, which will improve your biceps, back, and abdominal muscles.

Q: What causes weakness in the hand?

A: Sometimes a weakness in your hand is not simply due to the weight being too heavy. Occasionally hand weakness can be a sign of an underlying condition. For example, hand and wrist weakness can be a symptom of arthritis, ganglion cysts, carpal tunnel, or peripheral neuropathy. It could also be a sign of improper form when lifting weights, in which case you may need to consult a personal trainer for tips. However, if you notice significant weakness in your hand, you should speak to a medical professional.