Improving grip strength is one of those terms you hear a lot at the gym. You have probably heard your gym instructor say hey you need to work on your grip strength. But what does it mean and do hand grippers really work? In this guide, we are going to dive into the best hand strengthener options and figure out which grip strengthener will work best for you.
How do hand grippers work?
If you are not familiar with hand grippers or hand strengtheners they are small forearm exercise accessories. You use them to do regular hand gripping exercises. They are generally spring loaded to provide the resistance and come with different levels of resistance.
The process of using a forearm gripper is pretty straight forward. You simply grip the handles and squeeze for as many reps as you can.
Check out this quick example video:
As you can see its easy to get started and you won’t need much instruction. Personally, I like the fact that you can do your hand gripper exercises while watching TV or reading. Using them for just a few minutes each day is easy to do and you will see the improvements fairly quickly.
What are the benefits of the best hand grip strengthener?
It goes without saying that improve grip strength is the main benefit of using a forearm gripper. If you are looking to improve your deadlift, pull up or another lifting exercise improving your grip strength will improve your lifts. This is generally why people use hand grippers and its simple to do and it works.
There are additional benefits to using a grip strengthener which are often overlooked. For example, if you have a desk job and spend most of your time using a computer you can have issues with carpal tunnel syndrome or finger pain.
Forearm strength and protecting your wrist are two things often overlooked. This applies to those who are involved in intensive weight training and to those who have a repetitive strain on their hands, wrists or forearms at work. Either way carrying out regular hand gripper exercises will strengthen your grip, improve your strength and reduce the likelihood of injury or pain.
So which is the best hand gripper?
You might be surprised to discover just how many options there are when it comes to hand strengtheners. Here we will take a look at some of the best options and what features they each have.
Captains of Crush Hand Gripper
- The single best hand strengthener, grip-training tool you can buy
- Build stronger hands fast--prevent, reduce and recover from hand injuries
- Good-looking, durable, and precise--featuring billet aluminum and alloy steel construction
- 11 different strengths, for all levels from beginner to World's Strongest Man
- Made in the USA by IronMind, the industry leader since 1988
If you have done any research into hand grippers you have probably come across the captains of crush hand gripper. They are probably the most famous of the options in this guide and with good reason.
Ironmind who manufacture the grippers are a well-known and high-quality company. There are 11 different strength level options. Be sure to carefully check which one you have selected before you buy. If you are just starting out then the lower end 60-pound option might be fine for you. If however, you have a higher level of strength than a higher resistance level would be more suitable.
My advice would be to select the option you will start with and also buy the one directly above it. That way you can work through your starting level and progress to the next. There are relatively inexpensive so buying two will not break the bank.
In terms of quality, the captains of crush hand grippers are very well made and durable. Unlike some plastic options, the steel used here will mean you have them for many years to come.
Check out the best pricing from Amazon below.
Gripmaster Hand Exerciser
- THE ORIGINAL SPRING-LOADED HAND & FINGER EXERCISER: Prohands is used by professional athletes,...
- STRENGTH, POWER & ENDURANCE FOR ATHLETES: Exercise each finger individually, or the entire hand....
- REHABILITATION & PREVENTION (STRONGER, HEALTHY HANDS): Ideal for anyone wanting to develop and...
- THE PROHANDS FAMILY OF HAND EXERCISERS (2ND IMAGE): VIA is our entry-level model, GRIPMASTER is our...
- VARIOUS TENSION LEVELS: Graduated tension levels help the user measure progress. VIA 1lb to 6lb,...
The gripmaster hand exerciser as you can see is based on a completely different design. It has a more specific focus on being a finger strengthener while also helping to strengthen the wrist and forearm.
Some common users for this version would be those specifically looking for finger exercises. These include rock climbers and office workers.
If you are looking for something specifically for wrist strength then the Gripmaster hand exerciser is probably not for you. However, finger strength is frequently overlooked. If you were to combine the Gripmaster with the captains of crush hand gripper it would provide a great combination.
One other area they are useful for is for certain musicians such as guitar and piano players.
Check out the best pricing from Amazon below.
There are many other options out there but few offer the quality and value for money that these two options do. My opinion would be to get both and use them togetether but they do both work well independantly also.
Get started on improving your grip strength and see the benefits in your training and daily life.
