Get a Grip

It’s no secret that as we get older, our muscles lose some of their strength. Aging takes a toll on your whole body, including joints like your knees, hips, and back.

While muscle weakness is a common part of aging, there’s one specific measure of strength that’s particularly revealing about your overall health: grip strength. Researchers have even gone so far as to call grip strength an “indispensable biomarker for older adults.” 

Grip strength typically peaks around age 40 and starts to decline after that. Maintaining good grip strength as you get older is associated with slower aging, better overall health, and increased strength throughout your body.

Why Grip Strength is Important 

Grip strength is important for a variety of daily tasks that get harder as you age, whether it’s opening a jar of pickles or catching yourself to avoid a fall. However, grip and hand strength aren’t something most people think about.

A 2015 study involving 140,000 adults showed a connection between weaker grip strength and a higher risk of heart problems, strokes, and even death.

It’s not just physical health, either. Another study in 2022 found that people with stronger grips tended to have better cognitive function, less depression and anxiety, and felt more satisfied with their lives.

While researchers are still figuring out exactly why grip strength is such a good indicator of future health, some think it’s linked to the idea that weaker muscles can be a sign of faster aging in your body. But no matter the reason, it’s clear that maintaining good grip strength is important for everyone, young and old.

What Causes Poor Grip Strength?

Your dominant hand will often have a stronger grip because you use it more. But there are several reasons you can have reduced grip strength. 

• Our reliance on smartphones and touchscreens might be contributing to weaker hand strength overall. 

• Injuries like carpal tunnel, tendonitis, or a hand fracture.
• A pinched nerve in your neck that causes numbness, tingling, and weakness in one arm and hand. 
• Medical conditions such as arthritis, MS, and Parkinson’s disease.

How to Improve Grip Strength

To gauge your hand strength, try holding something heavy, like a cast-iron pan, and see if you can easily rotate it as if you’re pouring out its contents. Another test is to hold yourself in a push-up position, supporting your weight with your hands and wrists. If either of these feels tough to do for even a few seconds, some grip training exercises might be beneficial for you.

Some of these exercises may already be a part of your routines. For example, functional exercises such as deadlifts, goblet squats, and planks engage your hands and other muscle groups. 

Make sure you’re using proper grip technique during your strength training sessions to give your hands a workout too. For instance, on the rowing machine, keep a light grip on the handle — your hand and forearm muscles will get a workout as you engage your whole body. And don’t forget about maintaining a solid grip during exercises with free weights like bicep curls or kettlebell swings.

Related: 5 Ways to Increase Your Upper-Body Strength

Grip Strength Exercises

Here are a few strengthening exercises you can try at home. 

Tennis Ball Squeeze

Squeezing a tennis ball is a good way to engage your wrist and fingers to improve your grip. You can also use a stress ball for this.

First, hold the ball in your right hand with your palm facing up and your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle. Next, squeeze the ball as hard as you can using only your four fingers. Avoid using your thumb for this exercise. Maintain the squeeze for a count of 5 seconds, then release. Repeat this clench-and-release motion 10 times. Switch to your left hand and repeat the entire process.

You can practice this exercise 5-10 times throughout the day.

Reverse Wrist Curls

This exercise works your forearm muscles.

Begin by sitting upright on a bench. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip (palms facing away from your body), or you can use a dumbbell in each hand. Lean forward, resting your forearms on your knees. While keeping your forearms on your legs, lift the weight by bending your wrists backward. Slowly lower the weight back down, allowing your wrists to curl downward.

Aim for 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Plate Pinch

This exercise strengthens the pinch grip muscles. 

Begin by standing with the side of a 5- to 10-pound weight plate resting against your calf. Squat down and pinch the plate between your four fingers on the outside and your thumb on the inside. Stand up, holding the plate for 10 to 15 seconds before squatting down to rest it again.

Repeat this 10-20 times on each side. To increase the difficulty, try using a heavier plate or walking while pinching the plate.

Dead Hang

The dead hang engages the forearm and wrist flexors.

Position yourself under a pull-up bar, ensuring your back is straight. Reach up and grasp the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms facing away from you. Engage your core and hang with your arms fully extended for 20 seconds or as long as you can maintain the position.

Repeat this hanging exercise 5-10 times.

Farmer’s Carry

The farmer’s carry or farmer’s walk targets the forearms, biceps, and triceps. You can use dumbbells or kettlebells. 

Grab a pair of heavy dumbbells – choose the heaviest ones you can comfortably manage. Stand tall with your shoulders, back, and core engaged. Walk the length of a room (about 30 to 40 yards) and back, holding the dumbbells. If this feels too easy, consider using heavier weights next time.

Repeat this exercise 3-4 times.

Related: How to Properly Do a Push-Up