Hand Strength

[spyrosmom]

Hi!!!

I am finding that as I can lift heavier weights, my hands get tired before the working muscle does, making it difficult to finish. I especially notice it on exercises when my hands seem to support a lot the weight (one arm rows and chest flies). I try not to keep a tight death grip on the wts because that makes it worse. How do I get my hands to keep up with the rest of me?? A guy at work suggested squeezing a stress ball during the day to build up strength and endurance but it hasn't seem to have helped.

Once I get to 20lb dumbbells is when I notice it, not on anything lower. I don't have the problem with the barbell, but not all exercises are do-able with a bar. My hands fit find around the middle part of the dumbbells, so thats not the problem. Any suggestions?? Its frustrating knowing I can lift heavier, but not having all my body parts in on the plan!!

Thanks,
Nan

 

[jodijodi]

I have this same problem as well. I would love to find a solution!

 

[LeanneM]

Bumping for you! Another person here who has noticed the same thing!

 

[snocone bella]

Many websites sell devices to help with this. They are usually called lifting straps or wrist straps. They can be as simple as a length of cotton webbing, to fancier things with neoprene padding and velcro straps around the wrist and a strap that has a bit of velcro on the end. You basically wrap some part of the device around your wrist (that is where you will feel the extra weight), and the rest wraps around the bar or dumbbell, usually with the end tucked in between your palm and the weight. Some work in a different way - they have a metal hook as part of the device.

They range from a couple dollars to 30 or more.

Some people recommend that you should work on increasing grip strength, letting that catch up before increasing the other weights. I'm not convinced mine would ever catch up, and I didn't want to halt progress on the heavier weights going up. So I got some, and they work very well to allow heavier weights/enough reps, with both the dumbbells and barbell. It can be a bit tricky learning how to put the second one on (after the first is already secured), but once you figure it out, it's fine.