Boxing / Combat Sports
Johann CSCS
November 27, 2024
You’re not aiming for a record-breaking rock climb, but passing a grip strength test could be the single most important indicator of your health you’re overlooking. Trainers and researchers agree: your grip isn’t just a reflection of hand strength—it directly relates to your overall health, athletic potential, and even longevity. Recent studies consistently show that grip strength tests predict risk of heart disease, physical decline, and life expectancy better than many standard medical measurements.
This guide reveals exactly why your performance in a grip strength test matters, how to measure your grip correctly, and practical steps to quickly boost your results.
You might think of grip strength as just your ability to squeeze something tightly—but it’s actually a key signal of your body’s overall health status. In fact, grip strength has been linked to reduced risk of heart disease, earlier detection of physical decline, and even longer lifespan.
One landmark study published in The Lancet found that low grip strength was associated with a higher risk of death from all causes, and was even a better predictor of mortality than systolic blood pressure in many cases.
This isn’t just about old age, either. Grip strength reflects total neuromuscular output, making it an early warning sign for poor movement efficiency and weakness across the entire kinetic chain. It’s a diagnostic tool in disguise.
The takeaway? Stronger hands equal a stronger life—inside and outside the gym.
Moreover, grip strength reflects neuromuscular health and functional independence as we age. According to Bohannon et al. (2001), grip strength is one of the first physical attributes to decline with age, often preceding drops in leg strength.
You might not realize how frequently you depend on your grip: carrying groceries, opening jars, using tools, or even catching yourself when slipping. A strong grip isn’t just about athletic training—it supports everyday independence. Weak grip strength increases your risk of dropping objects, straining your joints, and even falling.
Athletically, grip is often the first point of failure. It doesn’t matter how strong your back or arms are—if your grip fails during a deadlift, pull-up, or clinch, your overall power output drops dramatically. Grip endurance becomes critical for sports performance and strength carryover.
Research from the Journal of Gerontology shows that grip strength correlates with better functional health outcomes in older adults, including fewer fractures and longer independent living. Training grip today is a long-term investment in strength, resilience, and quality of life.
You might not realize how frequently you depend on your grip: carrying groceries, opening jars, using tools, or even catching yourself when slipping. If your grip is weak, not only does everyday life become challenging, but you become more susceptible to injury.
Athletically, grip is often the first point of failure. It doesn’t matter how strong your back or arms are—if your grip fails, your strength can’t fully translate.
To effectively strengthen your grip, understand these four core types:
This grip is about applying maximum pressure. Think: shaking hands firmly or crushing a soda can. Exercises include Captains of Crush grippers and plate squeezes.
This is your ability to hold weight for a sustained period. Exercises like dead hangs, farmers’ carries, and loaded holds boost this grip.
Your thumb power shines here—critical for gripping wide, flat objects. Plate pinches and block holds are essential exercises.
Often overlooked, wrist strength supports the stability of your entire hand. Movements like hammer rotations, wrist curls, and sledgehammer levering can vastly improve wrist durability.
Towel Hangs: Wrap a towel over a pull-up bar and hang for time to build support grip and forearm endurance.
Plate Holds: Grab two weight plates and pinch them together for time. Great for building pinch grip strength.
Fat Grips: These attachments enlarge dumbbell or barbell handles, increasing grip recruitment during pressing and pulling.
Rope Rows or Pull-Ups: Switching to ropes increases forearm activation and simulates grappling demand.
Loaded Carries instead of Curls: Carries build total-body tension and superior grip strength compared to isolated bicep curls.
Dead Hangs over Cable Extensions: For overhead endurance and wrist stability, hangs offer functional improvement.
Pro Tip: Train grip 2–3 times per week, pairing it with back or pull days. Vary the style (crush, support, pinch, wrist) to avoid plateauing and ensure balanced development.
Enhancing your grip doesn’t require radical changes to your training—just a few smart additions:
Grip Finishers: Add towel hangs or plate holds at the end of workouts.
Integrated Grip Tools: Use fat grips or ropes during standard lifts.
Replace Isolation Work: Swap some isolation movements for carries or hangs for dual-purpose training.
If you’re looking to develop a stronger grip, you don’t need a complicated routine—just a smart approach. The gym offers multiple ways to build crush, support, pinch, and wrist strength with basic equipment and focused consistency. Whether you’re a strength athlete, a climber, or a martial artist, these methods will level up your grip performance and overall lifting control.
Farmer’s Carries: Use dumbbells or kettlebells. Walk for 30–60 seconds.
Dead Hangs: Grab a pull-up bar and hang. Aim for 30–60 seconds.
Towel Pull-Ups or Rows: Adds challenge to forearms and grip.
Fat Grips: Add these to barbells or dumbbells to increase grip demand.
Captains of Crush Grippers: Train max squeeze strength.
Plate Pinches: Hold two plates together with fingers and thumb.
Wrist Rollers: Develop forearm endurance.
2–3x per week, either as part of your pulling days or conditioning sessions.
Keep reps controlled and time-under-tension high.
Focus on progressive overload: longer hangs, heavier carries, thicker grips.
By layering these movements into your routine, you’ll see rapid improvements in hand and forearm strength that carry over into every aspect of training—from deadlifts to clinch control.
Grip strength is one of the most important markers of real-world strength, athletic performance, and aging resilience. But how do you actually measure it—and what’s considered “strong”?
How to Perform a Grip Strength Test:
We break it down with two tools:
These handheld digital or analog devices measure how hard you can squeeze—usually in pounds (lbs) or kilograms (kg) of force.
| Sex | Age Range | Strong Grip | Average | Below Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 20–39 yrs | 105–125+ lbs | 85–104 lbs | Under 85 lbs |
| Male | 40–59 yrs | 95–115+ lbs | 75–94 lbs | Under 75 lbs |
| Female | 20–39 yrs | 65–85+ lbs | 45–64 lbs | Under 45 lbs |
| Female | 40–59 yrs | 55–75+ lbs | 40–54 lbs | Under 40 lbs |
These are calibrated grippers from 60 lb (Trainer) up to 365+ lb (No. 4):
| Gripper Level | Resistance | What It Indicates |
|---|---|---|
| Guide | 60 lb | Rehab / warm-up |
| Sport | 80 lb | Strong beginner |
| Trainer | 100 lb | Entry-level grip work |
| No. 1 | 140 lb | Average trained male |
| No. 2 | 195 lb | Strong grip benchmark |
| No. 2.5–3.5 | 237–322.5 lb | Advanced to elite |
| No. 4 | 365 lb | World-class grip |
Real-World Goal:
Men: Aim to close a No. 2 gripper
Women: Strong if closing a Trainer or No. 1
Time how long you can hold it closed (isometric hold)
Track max reps at a specific level
Progress by increasing resistance or moving to the next gripper
For Captains of Crush or any proper gripper:
The rep only counts if the handles touch completely — no daylight between them.
That means closing the gripper fully, pausing briefly, and then controlling the release.
Almost touching isn’t a full rep
Partial closes (e.g. 75%) are good for endurance or warm-ups, but don’t count as max reps
Cheating with other hand or body swing voids the rep
Grip strength isn’t just important in the weight room—it directly impacts how you perform in your sport. Whether you’re gripping a bat, climbing a rope, or holding a javelin, sport-specific grip strength improves execution, durability, and control.
Climbers demand elite levels of support and pinch grip strength, especially in the forearms and fingers. Training with hang boards, finger rolls, and campus boards is crucial. A weak grip here leads to pump-out and fall risk.
Bat speed, control, and swing path all depend on crush and wrist strength. Stronger grip improves bat whip and injury prevention in high-impact swings.
Lineman and defensive players use their hands to fight off blocks—requiring powerful crush and wrist strength. Grip also helps in ball security and tackling leverage.
Dexterity, rotation control, and racket/club accuracy come from balanced grip strength—especially wrist and pinch mechanics. Overtraining leads to tennis elbow; undertraining weakens follow-through.
Grip strength plays a role in throwing events like javelin, shot put, and discus. A strong grip supports release precision and energy transfer from hips to fingertips.
Training your grip with your sport in mind is one of the easiest ways to increase specificity, prevent injury, and create transfer from gym to field.
Climbers: Emphasize support and pinch grip.
Baseball/Softball: Wrist and crush grip crucial for swing speed.
Football: Defensive linemen rely heavily on wrist and crush strength for hand fighting.
Tennis/Golf: Strong yet dexterous grip required for racquet or club control.
Track & Field (e.g., javelin): Pinch and wrist strength influence release velocity.
Developing your grip in these contexts leads to better coordination, power transfer, and resilience on the field.
In combat sports, grip strength is a make-or-break skill. From grappling and clinch control to wrist stability for strikes, your grip determines how well you can execute and resist techniques. Every serious combat athlete should incorporate grip-specific drills.
Jiu-Jitsu / Wrestling: Gi grips, sleeve control, hand fighting—support and pinch grip key.
Boxing / Muay Thai: Wrist strength improves punch stability and clinch durability.
MMA: Full-spectrum grip demands for cage control, takedowns, glove grip.
Gi Rope Pulls or Rope Climbs
Clinch Dumbbell Holds
Wrist Levering + Rice Bucket Work
With these exercises, your grip becomes a weapon—and a shield.
Farmer’s Carries: Use dumbbells or kettlebells. Walk for 30–60 seconds.
Dead Hangs: Grab a pull-up bar and hang. Aim for 30–60 seconds.
Towel Pull-Ups or Rows: Adds challenge to forearms and grip.
Fat Grips: Add these to barbells or dumbbells to increase grip demand.
Captains of Crush Grippers: Train max squeeze strength.
Plate Pinches: Hold two plates together with fingers and thumb.
Wrist Rollers: Develop forearm endurance.
2–3x per week, either as part of your pulling days or conditioning sessions.
Keep reps controlled and time-under-tension high.
Focus on progressive overload: longer hangs, heavier carries, thicker grips.
Grip strength isn’t a fitness trend—but a root of health, athleticism, and longevity. The evidence is clear: weak grip is an early warning sign for aging, neuromuscular decline, and reduced performance. Meanwhile, a powerful grip is linked to longer life, fewer falls, better lifting capacity, and stronger bones.
Grip is the #1 limiting factor in heavy or high-rep deadlifting.
Research shows grip failure precedes back/hip fatigue in >80% of intermediate lifters.
Stronger grip increases pulling endurance and barbell control, adding 10–20% more reps at submaximal loads.
Studies show grip fatigue reduces upper-back activation by up to 30% as sets progress
A strong grip maintains form longer, delaying scapular breakdown and allowing more total volume.
In cleans/snatches, grip doesn’t directly increase power, but:
Inconsistent grip leads to missed catches.
Stronger grip stabilizes wrist/elbow position during pull phase.
Grip endurance strongly correlates with:
Core engagement (plank EMG increases with sustained grip fatigue)
Total session workload (grip fails before legs ≈ >20% of time)
Indirect benefit:
A firm grip increases radiation effect (neural co-contraction from forearm tension)
This improves triceps and chest activation by ~5–10%
| Exercise / Movement | Grip Strength Role | Estimated Performance Gain | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | Primary limiter under heavy load or fatigue | +10–20% reps or load tolerance | Grip training delays failure and improves bar control |
| Pull-Ups / Rows | Sustains upper-back recruitment and form | +20–30% pulling volume | Strong grip preserves scapular retraction longer into sets |
| Kettlebell Carries / Swings | Supports endurance, posture, and core recruitment | +15–25% session output | Grip failure typically ends these workouts prematurely |
| Olympic Lifts | Provides wrist/elbow stability during high-velocity pulls | ↑ Technique consistency (no load gain) | Helps prevent bar drop or catch error due to grip inconsistency |
| Bench Press | Enhances muscle activation via co-contraction | +5–10% pressing power | Tight grip increases neural drive to triceps and pecs (irradiation) |
By consistently developing crush strength, pinch grip, wrist stability, and support endurance, you’re not just improving your lifts—you’re investing in your future.
Add loaded carries to your program. Start hanging from the bar. Use fat grips, towels, ropes—whatever forces your hands to adapt. You’ll feel the difference, and your performance across all areas of life will reflect it.
It’s not about having a bone-crushing handshake. It’s about owning your strength—one rep, one grip at a time.
Grip strength is an underappreciated foundation of athleticism and functional health. It’s what keeps you safe, powerful, and mobile through your lifespan. Whether you’re aiming to win in sport, stay independent longer, or just perform better in the gym, grip training is essential.
Try the interactive above, test yourself, and start building grip into your weekly routine today. The payoff is immediate—and lifelong.
Falls: Lower grip strength increases fall risk significantly, especially after 50.
Cardiovascular Health: Stronger grip linked with decreased cardiovascular incidents.
Bone Density: Grip strength correlates directly with higher bone density levels.
Train grip strength 2–3 times per week. This allows for consistent overload while giving your muscles time to recover.
Add daily dead hangs, use fat grips, and incorporate loaded carries. These compound strategies build strength fast.
While some factors like hand size and tendon density are genetic, grip is highly trainable with the right programming.
Not usually—but avoid heavy grip work right before max-effort bench or overhead pressing days to preserve joint integrity.
Strong grip is linked to lower mortality rates, fewer falls, and greater independence in aging populations, per several major studies.
2–3x/week is ideal. Focus on endurance, control, and variety.
Yes—just avoid max-effort grip work before pressing days.
Yes. It’s linked to injury risk, functional independence, and longevity.
coachjohanncscs.com only uses primary research and scholarly studies as references over secondary sites. Other references are primarily from reputable social media accounts of experts only in the fields of health, nutrition, sports science, physiology, psychology, and physical therapy.
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