Mastering the Kung Fu Grip While Getting In Shape At The Same Time
A strong grip gives a person a better first impression, as in “He has a firm
handshake.” A strong grip is also demonstrative of a person in control, as
in “She’s got a good grip on her business,” or vice-versa as in, “He let it
slip through his fingers.” A strong and powerful grip is important in just
about any sports activity, including boxing, weightlifting, or tennis and
golf.
Grip strength is also a key measure in our bodies overall health condition.
Medical analysis of grip strength has revealed that low grip strength is
predicative of an impending medical condition. Even if you are a healthy
middle-aged man you should look out for low grip strength. Can you crack an
egg by squeezing it in one hand? If you cannot do it - beware.
Having a strong grip for most sports is important, but it is essential for
martial arts. When grappling, a strong grip gives you the ability to
leverage your opponent or place him in locked positions. If you’re
delivering a strike, your fingers, wrist, and forearm all need to be able to
both deliver and absorb the blow. You can learn these maneuvers in class or
watching instructional videos. There are a few different types of grip
strength, as well as several ways to develop each of them.
Types of Grip Strength
A leading sports psychologist and power lifter says there are basically three
types of grip strength:
Squeezing: used in shaking hands, breaking an egg, crumpling up paper.
Pinching: holding a coffee cup, picking something up with your fingers.
Supportive: carrying duffel bag, holding something heavy, climbing up a
ladder.
The martial artist utilizes the squeezing and pinching grips the most. You
don’t have to engage in grappling either, grip strength is important when
trapping and checking your opponent in wing chun, judo, and classic karate.
Strong fingers and hands are important in preventing injuries in contact
sports. Throwing a punch, finger jab, pressure point strike, or knife-hand
blows are all dependent on your hand strength.
The Anatomy of the Grip
There are two areas that are responsible for your level of grip strength:
your hand (fingers and palm) and your forearm (including your wrist). Both
need to be strong and powerful to prevent injury when striking. If throwing
non-fisted strikes like finger jabs, eagle claws, or back-handed strikes,
the wrist needs to be strengthened so that it doesn’t collapse on impact.
Finger Strength Exercises
You don’t need to have a gym full of equipment in order to strengthen your
grip. Look around your house and you are sure to find much of what you will
need. Specialized martial art equipment, apparel, and more can be found at
the world’s leading martial arts supplier – centuryfitness.com.
Here are some finger exercises:
Farmer’s Walk: Grab two 3 gallon buckets (fill them up with water, sand,
rocks, or if you are a farmer some grub for the pigs) walk around with them
until you can’t hold them any longer. Take a 5 minute rest and then repeat
for 3 times.
Paper Boy: Layout a double wide newspaper flat on a table. Put one hand in
the center of the paper and pull in the edges using only your fingers. Bring
it together to form a ball and then crush it a few times digging you fingers
deep into the ball of paper. Throw it away and repeat for the entire
newspaper. Switch hands every other page.
Metal Recycler: Go out and buy a dozen of your favorite beverages that use
metal bottle tops. If you bought beer, then you probably won’t get to the
next exercise. Position the bottle cap between your index finger and your
thumb. Try to bend the cap in half. Repeat for the entire dozen until your
fingers are numb, or you get drunk.
Plastic Man: Wrap some rubber bands around your fingers and try to spread
them out against the band’s resistance.
Stress Busters: If you are fortunate enough to work at a company that gives
you free stress buster balls to squeeze the entire day, your grip will
already be pretty good. Didn’t get a free stress ball? Then go out and get a
tennis ball to bring to the office. Squeeze this the entire day making sure
to rotate hands.
Wrist Exercises
Weighted bar: The Body Reflections Weighted Bar Foam covered steel weighted
bar with plastic caps at each end features a durable, soft comfort grip.
It’s ideal for strengthening your wrists and other home workouts. It’s
available from 5lbs. to 18lbs. It greatly improves strength and muscle tone.
Your kitchen broom also makes the perfect weighted bar. Grab your broom at
the very end of the handle. Hold the broom so that it is perpendicular to
you and so that you hand extends directly in front of you about waist high.
Make sure the sweeping end is resting on the floor on the left side of you.
Now, hold your arm straight-out at waist level, palm facing down, and twist
your wrist clockwise and try to lift the sweeping end from the 7:00 position
to a 12:00 position about 8-10 times. If it is too easy for you, tape a book
on the sweeping end and repeat. Change arms after each set.
You should start to see marked improvements in your grip strength in about 4
to 6 weeks. If you continue to do the above exercises routinely for 4
months, your grip strength could increase 100%. Not bad to finger flick a
guy across a room.
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