Grip Strength and Training

[Nemesis Lead]

I remember hearing that "Captains of Crush" grip strength trainers were a good way to increase grip strength and improve pistol control. Problem is....I don't remember where I heard this or if the source was credible.

My question is:

1) Is a stronger grip helpful in USPSA shooting (or more precisely) do you spend time working to increase your grip strength?

2) If so, are Captains of Crush grip strength trainers the way to go or is there a better solution?

Many thanks in advance.

[Seth]

I own 3 of the captains of crush trainers... the Trainer, #1 and #1.5. They are outstanding quality. I have been taught a crushing grip is desirable and helps with recoil control.

I have spoken to others who have taken classes with guys like Manny Bragg and we've shared similar notes.

S.

[Dan Burwell]

Bob Vogel walks around with one all the time

[spanky]

Would the CoC ones be desirable over the ones that have independent springs for each finger?

[Will_M]

Spanky I asked that same question a while back on another thread but never got an answer.

I've used torsion spring grip trainers before. Do you gentlemen feel like they favor only certain finger muscles?

i.e. whenever I use mine, my ring finger and pinky tend to not have to work as hard. Since I would guess you would want those fingers to be stronger as they are lower than the rest while gripping the gun, therefore providing more potential torque, are these style grippers really what we want for developing forearm/grip strength for shooting?

That being said, My Captains of Crush #1 should be here in a couple days haha.

[G-ManBart]

Bob Vogel walks around with one all the time

I think Manny may have been the one to turn him on to them, but I'm not 100% certain. I'm working with a Grip Master now but plan to order a couple of the CoC soon. R,

[edison]

I also like the dynaflex powerball.

[Will_M]

I'm gonna have to try the powerball. I remember playing with one a few years ago and it was pretty interesting. I remember it made my forearms feel like they were going to fall off after only a few minutes.

[Dan Hefta]

I prefer this method http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbsSeVr5NSI

[Corey]

Is there a quality difference between say the CoC trainers and say these: http://shootersconnectionstore.com/CED-GRIPMASTER-P1146.aspx

Im lokoing to try something, just curious as to what exactly i should be looking for...

[dirty whiteboy]

grab a chin up bar and see how long you can hold on.

[benos]

grab a chin up bar and see how long you can hold on.

I predict Jerry Miculek will be buried, still holding on to a chin up bar, with one hand.

be

[G-ManBart]

Is there a quality difference between say the CoC trainers and say these: http://shootersconnectionstore.com/CED-GRIPMASTER-P1146.aspx

Im lokoing to try something, just curious as to what exactly i should be looking for...

That's the Gripmaster I'm using now. I like it, but think I need a step heavier. I'm still going to order the CoC and give them a try as well. R,

[Graham Smith]

As I understand it, the GripMaster lets you exercise individual fingers while the CofC exercise the whole hand at once.

FWIW, I've been experimenting with a cheap version of the GripMaster in my right hand, lightly compressing everything but the index finger, then flexing the index finger like pressing a trigger. Not sure if it's going to help but after a few minutes of "dry fire" training, I can feel it.

[Aglifter]

From a wasted life, long ago...

You have various "types" of strength in your hand - at least, in strongman, you had various types of training.

There's static, usually w. a large or difficult grip, Crushing, individual finger strength, and wrist strength. My guess is that pistol shooting more resembles a static grip - I'd say probably working w. a 2" O.D. pipe - than crushing.

Ironmind, same company which makes the CoC, used to make a kind of lever bar w. a 2.5" grip, and I believe a 2" grip - mostly meant to build the wrists as well as the hand - it might be an excellent choice. (Obviously, shooting is not as intensive on grip strength as strongman, so matching the training to the event is probably not as critical.)

The closest exercise I could imagine, would be using a blue gun, held in your shooting grip, to do push-ups, focusing on "bouncing" in and out of the extended position - but

A) I don't know if it would work

i) if it did, you might have to do them off your knees, etc

The overwhelming majority of the populace already has an overdeveloped pec/bicep/anterior deltoid relative to their posterior shoulder muscles, so push-ups are about the last thing they should do a bunch of... Now, as a pull-up/reverse bench handle...

Larger is not nec. better - you want to be as close as you can to the size of your grip. (If I were approaching shooting like strongman, I would even consider getting some blue guns/otherwise cheap & inert frames to modify into handles.)

For revolver shooting, I would I would think you'd want to do some work on individual finger strength.

Its also v. important to work on hand expansion strength, in addition to grip strength - it will help relieve some of the stress from repeatedly working your crushing strength, and a balanced joint is always stronger.

Edited July 22, 2010 by Aglifter

[Jake Di Vita]

CoC is good stuff. They can be used in linear progression quite successfully. My favorite things to do are heavy deadlifts double overhand, and pull-ups holding onto a 2 inch freely rotating pipe. The latter being devastatingly hard. Since the muscles trained here are so small, expect improvements on a monthly basis.

[Field]

all i know is people that work with thier hands and/ or do weight training involving gripping/pulling movements fairly regularly are going to have a leg up on holding and handling a recoiling pistol

i dont know about you guys but i think what is better than putting grips or sandpaper on your gun is to just have some good rough man hands with caluses on them.

Edited July 22, 2010 by Field

[gb32]

Ron Avery had a article in Front Sight last year about grip training and the CoC grippers. I ran the info by an acquaintance who is an old-school powerlifter, arm wrestler and trainer. He agreed with it. I have several and am impressed with the results. Lot of information on grip training on Ironmind's site as well.

[VegasOPM]

I have used a Dyna-Flex ball, grip strengtheners (like CoC), strength putty, foam balls, tennis balls, and racquet balls. They all bring a little something different to the exercise. When I used to power lift, the coach would wrap all of the bars in tape to increase the diameter- which he said strengthened your grip. I recently tore my bicep tendon, so I am working my way back right now and I'm finding the dyna-flex ball to be a great thing.

[Cold Absolute Zero]

I really like my CoC grippers. They are much more challenging and well built than your typical sporting goods store grip strength trainers. I've got a Sport, Training and #1. The #1, at a 140 lbs, was definitely a challenge for me to close. I've noted a real improvement in my recoil control since focusing more on grip strength. I find that I don't have to "try" as hard to control the gun through recoil which helps my accuracy and speed as I'm not as tense. I look forward to working my way up to the #1.5

CAZ

[kfd147]

I am going to have to try the CoC. I have been using the hand gripper from the local sports store and noticed it helps with my grip. I guess this would be a great next step. Which one would be best to start out with though?

Jason

[Jake Di Vita]

If you've never done it before...probably go in order. The trainer first.

[kfd147]

Thanks. I will order one today.

Jason

[Will_M]

I'm sold on the CoC grippers. I'd been using the grippers you get from sports stores but since they close so easily, you don't really have a way to track your improvement. With the CoC gripper, you can see that you're getting stronger by having a quatifiable result (how far apart the gripper is from closing).

(two weeks in and I can ALMOST close the #1)

[XD Niner]

I have a CoC Trainer and #1 gripper. Either is light years harder to compress than the most powerful GripMaster which I also have.

I find the Trainer is perfect for my left hand and the #1 for my right since I am so non-ambidextrous. I don't use them with any real consistency (shame on me) but when I do I clearly notice an improvement in my grip strength.

Edited July 28, 2010 by XD Niner