Making hands stronger?

[martin]

Hi everyone,

I've just done the WPC worlds and found out my hands are too weak, both in terms of grip strength (I thought it was ok) but more evidently my actual skin strength.

My third pull literally ripped two massive chunks off my left hand causing me to drop the bar almost at lockout. It's growing some skin over now but it's a little thin still.

Any tips to toughen up my palms?

Also what grip work do you guys find most useful for deadlifting?

Cheers

Martin

[Cmanuel]

Do you currently perform any grip work? If not then that's pretty amazing if you made it all the way to a 700lb pull without it. Strong dude!

[Beverly McD.]

Bag of rice
Box of rock salt

Throw them together in a large bowl.

Several times a day squeeze the mixture together in your palms and do it hard, literally grinding it up in your palms.

It works great for grip strength, and toughens the hell out of your skin without causing callouses, which will rip off later.

How did you do at Worlds Martin?

[martin]

Do you currently perform any grip work? If not then that's pretty amazing if you made it all the way to a 700lb pull without it. Strong dude!

No I haven' to be honest. I've never felt the need until now. I have only been training for this for two years though.

Bag of rice
Box of rock salt

Throw them together in a large bowl.

Several times a day squeeze the mixture together in your palms and do it hard, literally grinding it up in your palms.

It works great for grip strength, and toughens the hell out of your skin without causing callouses, which will rip off later.

How did you do at Worlds Martin?

Thanks. I shall give it a try. My skin is pretty weak and usually get callouses and have to cut/file them down so hopefully this will stop it happening.

I didn't have a great day to be honest. Placed second behind Andrey Belyaev in the 220 class. The platform/bar was springy as hell and threw alot of big squatters out, I messed my easy opener up and was forced to take another fairly light attempt (838) and took 881 on my third, which I failed 2-1 due to what the centre ref said was re-racking before the command. I was a little annoyed as I felt like I could have gone over 900. But not to be on the day.

Had two attempts on bench due to shoulder and wrist problems but hit a 5lb pr of 535 so was pleased with that considering I haven't benched much in the build up.

I pulled 705 on my second to make sure I was second place and then dropped 720 at lockout when my palm ripped.


It was a great contest and a great experience for me, but I am looking forward to getting back on the platform next year to hit a better total and bigger squat.

[Bob]

If your are hands are not "tough" enough... there are a few of things to consider...

1. don't use lotions... they soften the hands.. making them less tough..
2. file down your callous.. but not too much, just so they don't tear.. too big and they tear.. too small and you loose a little grip and protection... try something called a "Ped-Egg".. you can get them at Walmart/Target/Pharmacy... although I've heard others use cheese graters... or just a file ...
3. I've heard of success with a substance called Friar's Balsam.. it toughens the skin...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tincture_of_benzoin
4. there are stories about baseball and football players who pee on their hands.. something with the ammonia breaking down dead skin.. http://www.slate.com/id/2100652/ .. http://realizebeauty.wordpress.com/2...ot-be-all-bad/
5. make sure you use lots of chalk... and grip the bar as tight as possible... sounds dumb or obvious... but sometimes we get a little lazy and forget our steps... when your hands slip on the bar, this is what tends to rip callouses...

[robchris]

martin,
Static holds w/ the a heavy fat-bar work well... Also, for crushing grip, cant beat CoC grippers(captains of crush)Or Ivanko gripper is a great tool for grip work also. I do them along w/ forearm work twice a week.

Definitely helped me hold onto the bar w/ hvy. DL's.

[Cmanuel]

martin,
Static holds w/ the a heavy fat-bar work well... Also, for crushing grip, cant beat CoC grippers(captains of crush)Or Ivanko gripper is a great tool for grip work also. I do them along w/ forearm work twice a week.

Definitely helped me hold onto the bar w/ hvy. DL's.

Santa is going to bring me some grip tools for xmas, but I cant decide on the Ivanko tool or the CoC grippers. What do you like best?

[Beverly McD.]

No I haven' to be honest. I've never felt the need until now. I have only been training for this for two years though.



Thanks. I shall give it a try. My skin is pretty weak and usually get callouses and have to cut/file them down so hopefully this will stop it happening.

I didn't have a great day to be honest. Placed second behind Andrey Belyaev in the 220 class. The platform/bar was springy as hell and threw alot of big squatters out, I messed my easy opener up and was forced to take another fairly light attempt (838) and took 881 on my third, which I failed 2-1 due to what the centre ref said was re-racking before the command. I was a little annoyed as I felt like I could have gone over 900. But not to be on the day.

Had two attempts on bench due to shoulder and wrist problems but hit a 5lb pr of 535 so was pleased with that considering I haven't benched much in the build up.

I pulled 705 on my second to make sure I was second place and then dropped 720 at lockout when my palm ripped.


It was a great contest and a great experience for me, but I am looking forward to getting back on the platform next year to hit a better total and bigger squat.

We have an 800+ puller at our gym. (Mike Griffin) His hands used to tear out at @ 600, then @ 700, and now they tear out about 825 or so. The rice/salt combo has helped him a lot. Hopefully it'll help some more LOL.

Hate you didn't have the day you wanted, but 2nd at Worlds is still something to be proud of. I heard the platform was springy, and a ton of lifters lost control of the weight on the break-out. Congratulations on a PR bench! Especially impressive since a rough squat round can take a toll mentally and physically.

[Andre518]

Bag of rice
Box of rock salt

Throw them together in a large bowl.

Several times a day squeeze the mixture together in your palms and do it hard, literally grinding it up in your palms.

Cool Idea right now I use heavy grippers to help my grip but I think I will give this a try soon as well. Thanks Beverly.

[Detard]

Hey man nice job getting second at worlds. Maybe i'll see you there next year. Are you a junior?

[JK1]

martin,
Static holds w/ the a heavy fat-bar work well... Also, for crushing grip, cant beat CoC grippers(captains of crush)Or Ivanko gripper is a great tool for grip work also. I do them along w/ forearm work twice a week.

Definitely helped me hold onto the bar w/ hvy. DL's.

I'm always interested in this topic because with the structure of my hands (ridiculously short, thick fingers, thick meaty hands), my grip pretty much sucks.

I've got the COC's and I've tried working with them diligently. What I found out was that I could close the COC, but I still couldn't hold onto a deadlift bar unless I got things set absolutely perfectly. I haven't tried working with a fat bar yet, but I'm thinking thats the next step in addition to more static hold work. Has anyone tried the Fat Gripz from Elitefts? Are they worth it?

[tnathletics2b]

Nolan Ryan and other fireballers would soak their fingers in pickle juice to prevent blisters on the tips of his fingers. Ryan swore by it. Maybe it had a toughening effect on the skin? Maybe worth looking into.

[endymion88]

my hands used to lose weights until i did the kta gripper program it was such an intense program that i've never lost anything since. honestly everything else gives out on me before my hands. also since doing the program which is very tough i haven't needed to touch a gripper to still close the number 3, so i'm guessing that not using straps helps maintain atleast 90% of the gains.

[martin]

We have an 800+ puller at our gym. (Mike Griffin) His hands used to tear out at @ 600, then @ 700, and now they tear out about 825 or so. The rice/salt combo has helped him a lot. Hopefully it'll help some more LOL.

Hate you didn't have the day you wanted, but 2nd at Worlds is still something to be proud of. I heard the platform was springy, and a ton of lifters lost control of the weight on the break-out. Congratulations on a PR bench! Especially impressive since a rough squat round can take a toll mentally and physically.

Yeah thanks man. I'm giving it a go. Maybe 800 will be on the cards next year for me lol.

It was good competing, just the first time I have done a meet where I didn't get what I expected out from it. It's all valuable experience for me though, and I'm hungry to hit some big weights in the gym in preparation for next year.

Hey man nice job getting second at worlds. Maybe i'll see you there next year. Are you a junior?

Cheers. Yeah I hope to do it next year as long as all goes well. It's in Finland, which will be way cold in November!

Im not a jr sadly, open mens. I'm not sure what weight I'll be at this next year either, think my body wants to grow and trying to stop it is probably stopping progress.

M

[robchris]

Martin,
Definitely CoC, however, the Ivanko is more versitile and adjustable...

[endymion88]

i like the vulcan adjustable gripper. closes just like coc.

[EmptyBarbell]

I've been using the @ 1-2 IRONMIND GRIPPERS along with spraying my hands with stickum and doing static holds as long as I can. I've found that has helped me alot..