Do you want to build a stronger grip? Here are 5 innovative exercises that will help improve your grip. Improving your grip will have a huge positive carryover to your training in many areas!
#1) Single Leg Isometric Glute Bridge + Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Screwdrivers + Single Leg Lowering
This exercise provides a huge bang for your buck and strengthens the glutes, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, shoulder and scapular stability, and grip.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. Set yourself up as you would when you are performing regular glute bridges.
- Hold a kettlebell in a bottoms-up position, and perform a bottoms-up press. Make sure your shoulder blade remains in a protracted position for the duration for the exercise (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- Extend your hips by pressing through the back portion of your foot and squeezing your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back. Your body should form a straight line from your knee to shoulders. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- Extend your other leg so it is in a vertical position. If you cannot fully extend your knee, or if you are unable to maintain proper form, you can keep your knee bent at a 90 degree angle.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now slowly lower your leg to a range that allows you to maintain proper form. Once you hit your end range, return your leg back to the starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise, perform kettlebell screwdrivers. In the starting position your palm should be in a neutral position.
- While looking at the kettlebell the entire time, rotate your wrist, forearm and elbow so your palm is facing away from you. Pause for a count, then perform the reverse movements and rotate the kettlebell so your palm is facing you.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to drop.
- For the duration of the exercise keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace) and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps per side (of the leg lowering)
#2) Overhead Barbell Hold + Hanging Kettlebells
This exercise improves shoulder and scapular stability, lumbo-pelvic stability, and grip.
Coaching Tips:
- Hang a band around both ends of a barbell, and attach a kettlebell to the band.
- Press the barbell into an overhead position (or start with barbell in an overhead position).
- Once you are in the overhead position, your entire body should remain in a fixed position.
- Keep the barbell over your head. It should not drift ahead or behind of your body.
- Keep your wrists in a neutral position.
- Now hold for the target length of time.
- Do not allow your shoulders to shrug.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of a 10-30 second hold
#3) Pull-Up Iso Grip Switches
This exercise improves grip, shoulder and scapular stability, and lumbo-pelvic stability. This exercise has an awesome carryover to pull-ups, chin-ups, and even muscle-ups.
Coaching Tips:
- Adopt your preferred hand width and positioning.
- Adopt a slight hollow body position. Straighten your knees, contract your quads and glutes.
- Get to the top position by performing a pull-up or chin-up. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise. Do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- While maintaining this elbow angle and body position, use one hand at a time, and switch your grip.
- For the duration of the exercise, maintain the pull-up specific body position I described above. This will be very challenging.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps per side
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#4) Seated Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Presses
This exercise improves upper body strength, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, lumbo-pelvic stability, and grip.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a tall seated position, and fully extend your knees. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- I am intentionally leaning back more as this is tougher in terms of lumbo-pelvic stability.
- Hold a kettlebell in each hand, and in a bottoms-up position.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- Perform an overhead press. Do not move the weights overhead by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, excessively shrugging your shoulders, or leaning to the side.
- In the top position, your arms should resemble close to a straight line, and your biceps should be in close proximity to your ears. Pause for a count and gain control.
- Return to the starting position with control.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- In the bottom position, your elbows should remain at approximately a 45-60 degree angle with your torso. Do not allow them to flare out.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps
#5) Single Leg Hip Lift Hamstring Curl Combo
This exercise strengthens the posterior chain muscles, improves grip, shoulder and scapular stability, and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Start with your hips on the ground. Place the back of your foot on top of a bench, box, or other elevated surface.
- You may either keep your non-working leg fully extended, or bent at 90 degrees. Do not cheat with this non-working side.
- Adopt your preferred hand width.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now extend your hips by driving through the back portion of your foot and using your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage.
- In the top position, your body should form a straight(ish) line from your knee to shoulders.
- While keeping your hips elevated, perform a single leg hamstring curl and pull your body forward using your hamstring.
- Once your knee is over your heel, perform the reverse movements and return your body to the starting position.
- On the way down/eccentric component, only go to a range where you can maintain proper form.
- Be sure to engage both the core muscles and glutes on the non-working side.
- Do not allow your shoulder blades and shoulders to elevate, and don’t mindlessly hang out on your joints.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side
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