Need Advice: Grip strength training

I've been doing a lot of grip strength training at the gym and I've been thinking about increasing the intensity of my training through the use of grippers.

Specifically the Captains of Crush grippers, as seen here.

http://ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Main/captainsofcrush.html


My goal is to be able to close the #4 rated grippers (rated at 167kg) within 3 years. My current grip strength is around 40kg for my right and 38kg for my left.

Now to my question, should I start with a lower rated gripper (2# rated at 90kg) which I could probably half-close or should I start using the #4 grippers which I probably wouldn't even be able to close by a quarter?

Sincerely,

Side question: Does anyone know the world record for strongest grip strength? I've been searching the web and the Guinness book of world records and I haven't been able to come up with anything.

Edit:

As you can see. Anything from the trainer to the #1 rated CoC grippers are really easy to close. I'm just wondering if I start with something with such a low rating would I be wasting my time, if my goal was to increase my grip strength to such a high level.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tYxljTObnY"]Captains of Crush Gripper - YouTube[/ame]

 

I assume the reason that you want to develop strong grip is to be able to apply on your opponent's arm. If that's your goal, you should work on object that's more similiar to an human arm such as the cane bundle or just a short wooden stick.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/717/twistshortstick.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/17/twistshortstick1.jpg/

 

Actually I was thinking of training my crush grip and pinch grip so I can apply throws by my opponents muscle and skin. I think the crush grip is also really effective for wrist/finger/hand locks.

I mean a dogs bite strength (for big breeds) is around 110kg and a humans jaw strength is around 75kg.

Imagine if each of your hands had the same crushing power of a dogs jaw. You could probably crush bone without even having to apply anything else.

Edit: With big enough hands you could probably grab someones face and crush both their cheekbones. Not to mention any throws you apply afterwards.

 

I think I know what you are talking about here. To be able to convert from gi to no-gi in grappling will require a pair of monster grips in order to be able to pull on your opponent's muscle or skin. Have you considered taking advantage on your opponent's bone structure? If you use your right hand to grab on your own left arm daily, you may find out something interest.

In order to do so, your fingers will need to dig deeply into some object. The grip tool is just not suitable for that purpose. It doesn't develop your "finger tips" strength. To throw a bag that filled with steel balls will be a good training tool for that.

 

CF there are much better ways you could spend your time... like in the gym doing heavy lifts which will increase your overall strength AND your grip strength.
Seriously. A power lifter will have a strong grip.

 

You should start with a #1. It's rare for a person to be able to close a #1 on their first try. They're not like the ones you can get for a few bucks at a supermarket.

 

none of this will give you the gripping power you want. the angle of fingers and the palm is wrong. there are specific gripping and pinching exercises in all internal martial arts and other martial arts designed to develop this power. i would suggest you do that, rather than what you are doing at the moment.

 

You build strength in a muscle by using that muscle. Using pinch plates will give you pinch strength, using grippers will give you crushing strength.

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLyp77bVdtM&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL"]æ¡ï¼†æ‰£ï¼Œthe difference between grab & hook - YouTube[/ame]

 

I've a set of 200lb trippers that most people I train with (500lb plus deadlifters) only get two or three reps with, don't underestimate the difficulty of those things!

Also andy bolo ton has the best grip training article in the world (okay maybe not but I liked it)

Admittedly it's not about crushing strength but i'm pretty sure there'd be carryover: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online...ng_performance/grip_training_for_the_deadlift

Also check out http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/

 

I have no problem with doing strength exercises at all. Just want to point out that:

1. You need the strength in the tips of your fingers.
2. You need to practice the right angle to achieve the right result as the video I posted shows.

 

True, but at the same time, grip strength training, like all training, should be all encompassing. For example, to develop a strong chest, you do bench presses. However, there are more components in chest training than just the chest. Developing your shoulder muscles and tricep muscles will allow for a stronger bench press, which will in turn, allow for heavier training for the chest, developing you chest strength.

Strength in one area is not isolated to only one muscle group - it consists of several muscle groups. So, when developing grip strength, we need to strengthen the hands, sure, but we also need to be thinking about forearm strength, and strength applied to crush grip, pinch grip, and support grip. I agree that when training for a specific purpose, we need to train that specific purpose (i.e. specificity). however, in order to develop one's strength overall, we cannot isolate our training to that specific focus - we need to encompass a variety of training methods.

 

Start with the Trainer and #1 and go from there. The #1 will defy the average Joe for a while.

It will get you far, but specialized grip training is the only way to develop truly impressive levels of grip strength.

 

Sounds like you have some experience with the CoC grippers.

Do you use them yourself?

 

I do specialized grip training with my weight training. I can close the #2 and used to be close to the #3 but since I've had to tone back due to my kids I'm still at the #2.

Grippers aren't the only type of grip strength you want to look into though. Considering your approach for grip training (pulling on your opponent's muscle/skin) you'll need individual finger strength as well.

The best grip exercise for martial artists bar none in my opinion is block weight tossing. Saw off the end of a hex headed dumbbell and throw it back and forth from hand to hand.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHLv3XSw52c"]Block Toss, 22lbs, 14yrs - YouTube[/ame]

 

Also, you cant go wrong with finger boards. My current board of choice is this http://www.bouldersuk.co.uk/epages/es142185.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es142185/Products/1050000200

 

Unless you are going to devote every ounce of your mental and physical energy to closing the #4, you will not make it. Even if you do, that thing has stopped many extremely strong men. One thing I have noticed is that many weightlifters/powerlifters think the squat & deadlift give you a powerful grip. Partially true, it gives you a decent grip. If you want really strong hands then, do the squats and deadlifts because you have to. But then you are going to need a lot of different kinds of specialized hand training. I recommend going to the Ironmind web site and getting the books from John Brookfield. Also browse through their grip strength equipment. Their "Go Really" grip machine is a better overall tool for crushing strength. You can adjust the distance between the bars to focus on different aspects of your crushing strength. To do this you just stick some wood under the loading plate. If you do go for grippers, start easy and work your way up. You can really hurt yourself trying to close big grippers too soon. Work your extersors as well or you are likely in for some unpleasent elbow pain. Thick bar work is great as well. Now you don't have to buy a fancy thick bar, you can get Fat Gripz. They are a sleeve you put over a standard bar and they work great. We also need a strong forearms so don't forget to work that area, including pronators and supanators.

 

With all due respect, you will not get close to a #4 in three years when your current level of grip strength isn't enough to close a #1. You'd just as soon get to a 500kg squat in three years.

Realistic goals man!

 

I've been CoC training for about 5 years on and off and can just about get the #3 to touch on a good day. My grip is naturally strong anyway but it's taken this long to get to the #3 and I'm not sure if I'll ever manage the #4 if I'm really honest. Just so you get an idea for how hard the #4 is, here's a list of the 5 people who have been certified as closing it. http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Main/captainsofcrush4.html