- Stronger grip is consistently linked with better health in large population studies.
- There are three main types of grip: crush, support and pinch.
- Carries, dead hangs and heavy holds build grip with very little equipment.
- Use straps selectively, but keep training your grip directly.
Why grip strength matters
Grip is where almost every lift starts and ends. Whatever you pick up, pull or carry has to pass through your hands, so if your grip gives out, the rest of your body never gets the chance to work. That is why a weak grip often limits deadlifts, rows, pull-ups and carries long before the big muscles are tired.
Grip strength also has a reputation well beyond the gym. Large population studies have repeatedly found that people with a stronger grip tend to have better health outcomes and live longer on average, and clinicians use grip as a quick measure of overall strength, particularly in older adults. That is a link, not proof that squeezing a gripper adds years to your life. Grip is mostly a window into how strong and active you are in general.
It matters for daily life too: carrying all the shopping from the car in one trip, opening jars, holding a child or a suitcase, and keeping hold of a rope, handle or bar when you are tired.
The three types of grip
- Crush grip: closing your hand around something, like a handshake, a gripper or a thick bar. This is what a clinic dynamometer measures.
- Support grip: holding on to something for time, like a deadlift, a farmers carry or a dead hang. This is the one most lifters need.
- Pinch grip: holding something between your thumb and fingers, like a weight plate gripped by its rim.
Most people only need to prioritise support grip. Crush and pinch strength come along reasonably well with it, unless you have a sport such as climbing or grappling that demands them specifically.
Wrist strength and forearm endurance sit alongside these. They matter for rowing, the SkiErg and, in HYROX, the sled pull and farmers carry, where the hands work hard for minutes rather than seconds.
The best grip exercises
You do not need specialist equipment. The most effective grip work uses things every gym has:
- Farmers carries: heavy dumbbells or kettlebells walked for 20 to 40 metres. Builds support grip, upper back and trunk.
- Suitcase carries: one heavy weight on one side. Grip plus a serious challenge for the obliques.
- Dead hangs: hang from a pull-up bar for time. Work up towards 60 seconds, then add weight.
- Heavy holds: hold a loaded barbell at the top of a deadlift for 10 to 20 seconds, ideally inside a rack.
- Plate pinches: pinch two plates together, smooth sides out, and hold for time.
- Towel or thick handle work: wrap a towel over a pull-up bar or around a dumbbell handle to make the grip much harder.
- Wrist curls and reverse wrist curls: light, higher rep work for forearm size and wrist resilience.
How to programme grip work
Grip recovers fairly quickly, but it is used in almost every session, so there is no need for lots of extra volume. Two or three short grip blocks a week at the end of sessions works well for most people.
A simple example: finish Monday with 3 farmers carries of 30 metres, Wednesday with 3 dead hangs held as long as possible, and Friday with 3 heavy holds of 15 seconds. Add weight or time each week, exactly as you would with any lift, and log your carries and hangs with the weight, distance or time so you can see the progress.
Keep your normal lifting honest too. Use a double overhand grip on warm-ups and lighter sets of deadlifts and rows, and your grip gets trained every session without any extra time. Older lifters in particular benefit from regular carries, which train grip, posture and balance in one go and closely mimic the tasks that keep people independent.
Straps, chalk and mixed grip
Straps have a place. If the aim of a set of heavy rows or Romanian deadlifts is to train the back and hamstrings, and your grip is failing first, straps let those muscles do the work. The mistake is using them for everything, so your grip never gets the chance to adapt.
Chalk is the simplest upgrade. It dries sweat and makes a big difference to holding on, particularly on high rep sets and hangs. Where the gym allows it, use it. Our guide to lifting belts and straps covers when each tool genuinely helps.
Grip for HYROX and hybrid training
Grip endurance is a genuine limiter in HYROX. The sled pull, the farmers carry and the rowing machine all ask a lot of your hands and forearms, and all come straight after running, with your heart rate already high. Forearms that are pumped halfway through the farmers carry cost time and composure.
HYROX athletes benefit from longer carries and hangs, and from practising the farmers carry over race-like distances once or twice a week as an event approaches. Mixing short heavy holds with longer moderate carries covers both strength and endurance. Our guide to grip and forearm endurance for HYROX covers race-specific work in more detail.
When grip training hurts
Some forearm soreness is normal when you first add grip work. Pain on the outside or inside of the elbow that builds over weeks and flares when gripping may be tennis or golfer's elbow, which usually settles with sensible load management and specific exercise rather than rest alone. Wrist pain that lingers between sessions is worth checking too. Build up gradually, especially with thick handles and towel work, which load the forearm tendons more than they seem to.
Our guide to tennis elbow explains what typically helps, and Lycan Strength members get 20% off on-site physiotherapy if things do not settle.
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Questions
How can I improve my grip strength quickly?
Add farmers carries, dead hangs and heavy holds two or three times a week and progress them like any lift. Most people notice a difference within a few weeks.
Does grip strength really predict health?
Large studies consistently link stronger grip with better health outcomes, especially in older adults. It mostly reflects overall strength and activity rather than acting as a cause on its own.
Should I use lifting straps?
Use them when grip would otherwise stop you training a bigger muscle properly, such as on heavy rows. Keep plenty of strap-free work so your grip still adapts.
Are hand grippers worth it?
They build crush grip and are handy at home, but carries and hangs carry over better to lifting and HYROX.
General guidance for healthy adults. If you have a medical condition, injury or are pregnant, check with a health professional before changing your training or diet.
