Trying to find ways to grip more with weak hand!

[lugnut]

What do you guys do to get more of your grip with your weak hand? I've started to work on this but find it incredibly challenging. Even in dry fire I feel my right hand is getting much more of a work out and my right forearm is certainly getting more pumped up.

I'm trying a couple things recently but figured it would be a good idea to solicit more ideas.

[bill o]

You're using ProGrip already, right?

[Jay870]

Sqeeze harder? Lol, I guess I don't really understand the question... are you thinking this a problem of technique or strength or what?

[lugnut]

I am not using ProGrip... but that won't balance my grip.

It's not a question of strength- I simply grip too much with my strong hand... I think a lot more. I'm trying to switch it around so I grip much more with my weak hand and less with my strong hand.

[lugnut]

Ultimately I'm trying to do a better job managing trigger control. There are two things I need to do. One of them is use less grip with my strong hand and strengthen my weak hand grip. The other thing I need to do is stop mashing the the trigger and isolating my trigger finger pull from the rest of my strong hand fingers.... it's not easy.

[Jay870]

I am not using ProGrip... but that won't balance my grip.

It's not a question of strength- I simply grip too much with my strong hand... I think a lot more. I'm trying to switch it around so I grip much more with my weak hand and less with my strong hand.

I understand your goal... what is the impediment? In other words... I assume you have simply tried gripping harder with your weak hand and less hard with your strong hand and perceived some negative effect?

[lugnut]

I can't seem to "make myself" do it in a match or in training very well. I'm trying to make it happen subcontiously.

[lee blackman]

Lugnut, I understand what your saying. Have you considered a "Gas-Pedal" or similar device to aid your left hand. I have an Atchins mount on my open gun, and it has a little thumb tab for extra support. I find myself "pinching" the gun with my left hand between my thumb on top of the support and the trigger guard on top of my index finger while my wrist is locked in at a 45 degree angle. My right hand still griping the gun with my right thumb on top of the safety, and three fingers wraped around the grip. But with more of the guns weight being held by my left hand, I seem to have the perception of more control of my trigger finger.

[SLM]

I can't seem to "make myself" do it in a match or in training very well. I'm trying to make it happen subcontiously.

Subconsciously is the trick. I struggle with this myself. Part of my "make ready" routine is to tell myself support hand, support hand, support hand. I'm getting better at it. It doesn't always happen right at the buzzer but I often feel my support hand grip tighter during the stage. Try reminding your subconscious mind. For me it has been a big help.

[facelessman]

Dave, for the trigger control, try shooting groups. Being aware of the trigger finger is one thing, but try focusing on what the other fingers are doing as you're shooting. Can you feel yourself gripping down with those fingers as you're pressing the trigger ? Do this two handed, AND one handed.

Best drill for weak hand grip is Bill Drills, IMO. Try some Bill Drills at more of a medium pace with a cadence. Crank down with that weak hand, and try to be aware of the trigger finger and strong hand grip fingers from the group shooting. Pick up the pace and see what happens.

I realize the drills themselves are probably something you're already doing, but focusing on what the hands and fingers are doing helped me in a way that when the pace got picked up I didn't lose as much accuracy. It also got me away from the pin'n'reset plateau I was stuck in.

Ultimately I'm trying to do a better job managing trigger control. There are two things I need to do. One of them is use less grip with my strong hand and strengthen my weak hand grip. The other thing I need to do is stop mashing the the trigger and isolating my trigger finger pull from the rest of my strong hand fingers.... it's not easy.

[lugnut]

Dave, for the trigger control, try shooting groups. Being aware of the trigger finger is one thing, but try focusing on what the other fingers are doing as you're shooting. Can you feel yourself gripping down with those fingers as you're pressing the trigger ? Do this two handed, AND one handed.

Best drill for weak hand grip is Bill Drills, IMO. Try some Bill Drills at more of a medium pace with a cadence. Crank down with that weak hand, and try to be aware of the trigger finger and strong hand grip fingers from the group shooting. Pick up the pace and see what happens.

I realize the drills themselves are probably something you're already doing, but focusing on what the hands and fingers are doing helped me in a way that when the pace got picked up I didn't lose as much accuracy. It also got me away from the pin'n'reset plateau I was stuck in.

Ultimately I'm trying to do a better job managing trigger control. There are two things I need to do. One of them is use less grip with my strong hand and strengthen my weak hand grip. The other thing I need to do is stop mashing the the trigger and isolating my trigger finger pull from the rest of my strong hand fingers.... it's not easy.

Thanks- I do a lot of those drills but I'm not really perceiving what's happening with my grip. I'll work at this with some of your ideas. Thanks.

[visigoth4]

Try using a grip master. Allows you to iscolate your fingers. especially focusing on pressing down with just the trigger finger. Many things you can do with this. I have two. One at my desk at work and another one in my car while i'm driving. They are great stress relievers as well. Fairly cheap to buy. Can get it from Amazon or any sporting goods store like Dicks or Modells.

[dravz]

I can't seem to "make myself" do it in a match or in training very well. I'm trying to make it happen subcontiously.

Only way I finally got my weak hand into the action was to make dryfire so hard I couldn't get by without it.

[shilberry]

I can't seem to "make myself" do it in a match or in training very well. I'm trying to make it happen subcontiously.

Only way I finally got my weak hand into the action was to make dryfire so hard I couldn't get by without it.

Do you mean you focused on always squeezing more with your weak hand during drills, or changing your drills so they would be difficult to do without having your weakhand putting in more effort?

[dravz]

Do you mean you focused on always squeezing more with your weak hand during drills, or changing your drills so they would be difficult to do without having your weakhand putting in more effort?

The latter

[DonovanM]

I dealt with this exact issue a while back when I was still shooting a SIG. I got lazy with my grip in dry fire and found myself boring down with my strong hand and almost using no grip pressure at all with my weak hand.

Dry fire some simpler transition drills, and be consciously determinant of the grip pressure you would like to use. Practice reacquiring your grip off the draw, off the reload, and when bringing your gun back up from when you were moving. You simply have to do this, a lot, more than it sounds like you are doing now if you are finding yourself reverting to old habits.

Once you find yourself automatically getting the grip you want in dry fire, move to live fire. Same thing. Be consciously determinant of the grip you want. Keep going. You might revert once again in a match, but just keep pounding it out, eventually it will be second nature.

[lugnut]

Thanks everyone... I think I'm getting this better... as my tendonitis seems to be acting up more in my left arm. Once I get past this I'm sure I'll be doing the Vogel grip!!

[Blujay291]

I struggle with this as well

[jeffgray1]

I dealt with this exact issue a while back when I was still shooting a SIG. I got lazy with my grip in dry fire and found myself boring down with my strong hand and almost using no grip pressure at all with my weak hand.

Dry fire some simpler transition drills, and be consciously determinant of the grip pressure you would like to use. Practice reacquiring your grip off the draw, off the reload, and when bringing your gun back up from when you were moving. You simply have to do this, a lot, more than it sounds like you are doing now if you are finding yourself reverting to old habits.

Once you find yourself automatically getting the grip you want in dry fire, move to live fire. Same thing. Be consciously determinant of the grip you want. Keep going. You might revert once again in a match, but just keep pounding it out, eventually it will be second nature.

+1 Slow down and work dry fire. Get the feel you want at a slow pace consistently, and then start ramping up the speed. You have to get it to an unconscious point, as you are more likely to do it that way at full speed. Just my opinion, but this method helped me with reloads tremendously.

[grapemeister]

I find that if I only think of a firm neutral grip when shooting, I don't run into the issues you described. In other words, any thought of ratios between strong hand and weak hand tends to screw me up. I just think even, neutral and solid grip, and let the hands work it out. One hand may be gripping harder than the other, but I'm really not concerned with it since I'm not feeling an imbalance.

I guess in your case just the thought, and letting the hands work it out, wasn't working for you. Maybe the tendinitis and/or other physical problem have played a bigger part that what you have imagined?

I had a similar problem one time. Something felt awkward and off balance in my grip. The only thing I knew to do at the time was to experiment by slowly bringing the gun up to the ready position over and over until the hands finally worked it out. I would come to the ready position from the draw, low ready position, and from my lap as I was watching TV. All the while I was thinking neutral, balanced, and solid grip. I did the thinking, but for the most part I let the hands work it out. A lot of times I would close my eyes, or look down at the floor, so I would not interfere with the mechanical or physical part of it.

I'm guessing it's something we never stop experimenting with and improving upon.

I