Training For Real World Strength (+ How To Live Longer)

Today I’m going to show you how to get strong. Real strong.

None of that gym strength. None of that “Hey, watch me push these dumbells” type of strength.

No.

We’re going to work on building real-world strength.

And my friends, trust me when I say this, nothing will transfer to real-world strength quite like a strong and powerful grip.

Think about it, any time you need to apply strength and muscular force, whether you grab, hold, lift or push something, your hands are involved and frequently become the limiting factor.

A strong grip equals strength in and out of the gym. And if you have weak hands, well my man, you are weak.

Interesting side note: grip strength is correlated with longevity. People with a stronger grip live longer and healthier lives on average (thank you science).

As I always say, strength first.

As with any and all exercises you do, progress is the name of the game (big surprise, I know).  Aim to add reps or more difficult exercise variants over time, but don’t rush it.

Build up your strength gradually and master easier variations first. Your hands and fingers are some of the most delicate parts of your body. Don’t be reckless.

So how do you build a gorilla grip?

Wrist curls, reverse curls, and other “secret” bodybuilding exercises?

No, silly.

In order to develop true power, you must strengthen the muscles in your hands and fingers. And here are the best exercises for the job:

• Fingertip Push-ups: The king of calisthenics just got meaner. Start on your knees and slowly build up to one-arm push-ups on your digits. (Bruce Lee did these with two fingers!)
• Fat Bar Training: Pull-ups, rows, curls, deadlifts performed with a fat bar (the bigger the diameter, the harder the exercise hits your hands and forearms)
• Extended Hanging: Hang from a pull-up bar for time (wrap a towel around the bar to increase difficulty)
• Rope Climbing: One of the most effective ways to develop real-world strength and athleticism.

Also, don’t use wrist wraps. Use thick or fat bars. Make it harder on your grip, not easier.

Get yourself some “Fat Gripz” or wrap a towel around the bar for a real challenge.

And that’s all she wrote. Use your hands for something other than spanking the monkey and get gorilla strong.

 

Thank you for reading

Victor