Poor grip strength is one of the most common physical problems we see in people prior to cycling.
This is particularly true for clients with previous training experience who are increasingly dependent on grip aids such as straps.
Direct grip training isn’t very sexy. It is not worth the investment if you are looking to improve your body composition. You have got only an hour to train.
But, these are three benefits that can improve your grip strength:
- Improved strength in pulling movements – If your chin is up, row, and deadlift strength increases, your back development will automatically follow.
- Enhanced functionality – There is no physical quality more functional than a strong grip that feels like a vice. It will be easier to pick up things and carry them around in your daily life. You’ll also have a stronger handshake which will command respect.
- Women with strong grips tend to live longer – Multiple research studies have supported this claim, even when taking into account age, gender, and body size.
Why is grip strength important when cycling?
Grip strength is often overlooked in the cycling community. Grip strength deeply impacts your cycling performance. It’s also used as a biomarker of health! Weak grip can lead to mobility and mortality issues later in life. Even if you aren’t a professional cyclist, it is a smart idea to strengthen your grip.
Grip strength is crucial for cyclists in gravel racing, endurance mountain biking and epic rides with long descents. You can be slowed down by a weak grip. You may find it a bit difficult to press the brake if you have poor grip. You’ll likely ride slower and be more cautious. You can expect to ride hard this spring if you improve your grip strength in the winter. Below are some useful exercises.
Farmer’s Walks
This is the most common ‘strongman exercise’ we use at training.
Farmer’s walks are a great way to strengthen and develop your back. Farmers’ walks are one of the most taxing exercises. Because it can be used for any purpose, it is suitable for any goal: fat reduction, hypertrophy, or strength.
Also, you don’t have to use specific equipment for farmer’s walks. Take two dumbbells with you and go for a walk. Remember to keep your shoulders back, up, and engage your core.
Straps are not recommended for grip. The length of your walk can be varied, either shorter and heavier or longer and lighter. Both are possible, but the important thing is to make it interesting.
You can also work your grip by crushing grip tools, lever bar work, or plate pinching. This article was not meant to teach you how to incorporate grip training into your workouts.
this technique can be used immediately to increase grip strength and provide great results.
Twists
You will need weight plates or a heavy cutting board or book to do this exercise. The object must be lifted and held with your fingers. Place your object sideways on the ground. Grab the object with a pinch grip. As you stand, lift it off of the ground. The object should be raised until your arm is straight in front of it. To get the best results, alternately supinate with pronating your wrist. Rotate the palm up and down 10 times each. Switch hands, and then repeat the process. Each hand should be used five times.
Find the best curling exercises
You can improve your grip by using a simple trick: make sure that your arm training includes a version of a reverse or Hammer curl.
Use a thick grip to make it even more effective.
Particularly, reverse curls will strengthen your wrist extensors. As you get tired, your grip will also be challenged. To do reverse curls correctly, it is important to keep your wrists straight. You’ll lose all the benefits if your wrists are fragile.
Push the bar with your maximum potential
Whatever exercise you choose, whatever your goal, it is important to push the bar as far as you can. It sounds easy, but it is amazing at how few trainees actually do it. The problem is that they are wasting potential benefits.
This will make you more stable when lifting, allow you to exert more power, and reduce your risk of injury. You can create an “irradiation” effect by pressing down on your grip. This causes your inter-muscular coordination to improve, which will make your body function more efficiently as one unit.
This is a good tip to use for your next bench press. Perform the first set as you would normally, but with normal tension in both your forearms. Your second set will be more difficult. You’ll need to break the bar with both your hands until your knuckles turn yellow. You’ll be able to lift more with stronger contractions and in safer ways.
You can use a grip trainer instead of a solid bar to maximize the output.
You may also want to read,
