Increasing Grip Strength

If you are one of millions of people suffering from weak grip-strength, there is a solution.

Most people think that if they are experiencing a weak grip then they must need to strengthen the flexor muscles that "close" the hands, so they purchase gripping devices and squeeze balls...but to no avail, instead often suffering in creased weakness and the onset of pain. But the thought that if your grip is weak then you would need to increase strength by performing more and heavier gripping exercises does make sense. Certainly if the muscle group is weak, it needs to be strengthened, right? Not exactly.

Overuse of the finger flexors and finger adductor muscles in unidirectional movement patterns, (Gripping, squeezing, typing, etc.) actually create a muscle imbalance by making the flexors/adductors short and tight, causing them to always be in a state of being semi-contracted. Since segments of the flexor muscles are always in a state of contraction, they are pre-fatigued which eliminates their endurance and the semi-contracted (short) muscle segments are so short that they cannot shorten anymore. And it is the muscle's ability to shorten as much as possible that provides the actual strength. I know, this sounds really confusing.

Try and picture this: If you have a muscle that is 10" long and when contracted shortens to the length of 8", it does not have the strength of a muscle that is 10" long, but can shorten to 6" long. The reason for this is that the first muscle only moved 2" while the second muscle could move 4". The further a muscle can move, the greater its strength and endurance levels are.

The key to increasing grip strength levels is to stretch the short, tight, semi-contracted flexor muscles that "close" the hands and exercise and strengthen the extensor muscles that "open" the hands. The stretches elongate the short tight flexor muscles and help release the muscle segments that are in a perpetual state of contraction. Following these stretches with pure extension exercises also helps to release the semi-contracted state of the flexor muscles through a process known as Reciprocal Inhibition, which works on concept that when one muscle group contracts its antagonist has to relax, thus releasing the semi-contracted muscle segments.

You can still exercise the muscles that "close" the hands, but not until they are of adequate length and the muscle balance between the flexor and extensor muscles is corrected. Once this occurs, your grip-strength levels will increase substantially, often 25-50 lbs. in just 6-8 weeks!