Here’s how getting a grip can lend itself to other aspects of your life—inside and outside the gym.
What Does Grip Strength Do For You?
Improved Endurance
You’ve likely felt it before—that strain in your fingers and soreness in your forearms when you start to rep out some pull-ups. Better grip strength and improved muscular endurance means you can crank out more reps before the muscles you’re targeting—your lats in this case—give out.
But the benefits don’t end there. Improved muscular endurance means you can carry a heavy load longer, too.
Bigger Lifts
Grip strength goes well beyond pumping iron, and you don’t have to be a gym rat to benefit from it. The more you can grip effectively, the more you can carry. Harnessing superior grip strength can, in effect, lighten the weight of your load and help you reach your fitness goals faster.
Injury Prevention
Turns out a stronger grip can help save you from unwanted injury. Strengthening the muscles involved in gripping can help stave off common sports-related injuries, such as tennis elbow, and even lessen the likelihood of tweaking a wrist when gripping common household items like a frying pan. Strong muscles and connective tissues also tend to recover faster, so a strong grip can help limit post-injury recovery time, too.
Improved Quality Of Life
As it turns out, your life really is in your hands—or at least in your grip strength. According to a study in the UK, a stronger grip is linked to better quality of life.
“Grip strength is a biomarker and has been referred to as a ‘will-to-live’ or a ‘vitality meter,’” say Richard Bohannon, professor in physical therapy program of the department of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. “Among older adults, grip strength is predictive of future mortality and disability. It diminishes in adults with chronic diseases such as diabetes.”
Grip strength has also been correlated with a lower risk of heart attack and stroke.