The quest for stronger hands is difficult to start, but once it starts you can't stop. The main reason for this difficulty is the availability of grip tools, as no gym will have any grip device. Sure, they will have a $6,500 machine that can specifically isolate the forearm,but not a single functional grip toy. Once you find some good grip toys, you will discover a whole new fascinating world of grip strength training. The addictive part is due to the gripper or blobs. Unlike a max effort squat, the gripper fits in your pocket and you can try all day long. Then, the grip-bug strikes, and you are ever committed to closing the next gripper, or bending the next nail.
First of all, there are many different aspects to grip training. The most important exercise in all of grip training is block weights. These are truly the "Squat" of the grip world. The total hand strength, finger tip strength, and thumb strength they build are unrivaled by anyother grip activity. Block weights are a form of the PINCH where you pinch a thick or thin object between the fingers and thumb. It can be as wide as The Blob, a 2x4, or even a quarter.
Next we have the most popular: Grippers. Grippers are addictive and fun, and one can be certified a "Captain of Crush" through IronMind.com or a "Mash Monster" through The GripBoard. Though these are not the best for building strength, they are a perfect way of measuring progress in grip strength. The motion used here is the CRUSH, where you crush an object with your fingers and the hand.
Finally we have the granddaddy of grip exercises: Nail bending. This bending of 6" bars demands great wrist strength, hand strength, and body strength. BENDING can be done with steel, nails, bolts or any piece of metal you find in the 5" to 7" range.
Below is a quick list of how you can get started toward the goal of having stronger hands and wrists.
1). Sledge Hammer: This toy costs between 5 and 30 dollars, new. Even better, there's probably one in your garage. If you are an average man, start with an 8 lb sledge. If you have some strength training, start with 10 lbs. If you are a "big beefy dude", start with a 12 lb sledge.
To train with these, twist it side to side, or raise it to the front or back. Change arm positions and keep levering in every angle conceivable. Focus on using only the wrist while keeping the arm and body still during the lever. I would keep the reps at the 3-6 range, but it's always fun to try the 1-rep-max or sets of 10-20. Just find what works for you. Check here for a lever work out.
2). Heavy Duty Gripper: Though these aren't the best items for developing total hand strength, they are by far the most fun. Unlike your store-issue gripper at 30-lbs, these heavy duty grippers are made up to and over 300 lbs. For sure, not your average gripper.
I would suggest buying two of these to start, at 20 dollars a piece. They should last a long time, with little chance of breaking if used and maintained correctly. (oil + low reps)
If you are an average man:
IronMind: #T and #1
BeefBuilder: Beginner and Advanced
If you are a strong man or even a "big beefy dude".
IronMind: #1 and #2
BeefBuilder: Advanced and Master
In both cases, these are my recommended minimums, and if you have the cash I would recommend getting the next higher IronMind Gripper, or as many of the BeefBuilder grippers as possible. The more variation you have, the better.
To train with these grippers, keep the reps low and the intensity HIGH! Keep the reps in the 1-3 range. To train, crush the gripper you can close with max intensity and keep hitting negatives with the one you can't. Check here for a gripper work out.
The source for these grippers are:
www.ironmind.com
www.wwfitness.com (beefbuilder)
When you get truly addicted to grip, you will want the best grippers in the world. These are the RB Crushers, made by Robert Baraban. Check out these works of art at My RB Crusher page.
3). Thumb Training: This is a must for hand strength training. The thumb leads to total hand strength that grippers can't give you. To do this, buy a few pony clamps of different sizes at Home Depot for 2 dollars each, and squeeze them with the finger tips. When it gets hard, add rubber bands to increase the resistance.
Also buy a 50-85lb dumbbell and saw the ends off. Gripping this "block weight" or "blob" will build tremendous hand strength. The down side is when you master a block, you need a whole new dumbbell to advance. The good part is Grip Guru John Brookfield says "playing with bock weights may be the best way to develop total hand strength".
Finally, IronMind.com and wwfitness.com both have a wide variety of grip tools to chose from, all of them attachable to a loading pin so you can gradually increase weight with weights on a loading pin.
4). Other tools: There are thick-bars, dumbbells and barbells with very thick handles. Normal handles are 1" thick, but thickbars are 2" to 3" thick, and turn any exercise into a grip work out. Then, there's nail bending, where you bend larger pieces of steel to develop stronger wrists and hands. There's also grip machines of all sorts, pinch devices, and other misc items. Finally, there's card tearing, phone-book tearing and any other strength feat imaginable. Once you start hand strength training, a whole new world of grip will open to you.
5). Financially Challenged Training: You don't need to drop 500 bucks to train grip. In fact, you can have a perfectly well rounded grip routine at any gym. First, there is the plate pinch. Turn two 25lb plates, smooth-side out, pinch them, and lift them of the ground. Also, work with 45 lb plates with two hands. For variety, see how many 10's or 5's you can pinch off the ground.
Plate curls. This is done holding a plate in your hand, straight out, so that the fingers and wrist support the full weight of the plate. I guess it would be in the "hand shake" position, with the palm facing up, and the plate resting in the hand, parallel to the floor. Then, curl it as you would a dumbbell and notice the extreme strain on the fingers and wrist. Start with a 25 and go for reps until you can curl a 35! Quite the feat of strength. You can also curl plates with the wrist. Same technique, only done seated, using only the wrist.
Then, of course, are your standard barbell wrist curls of any type. Just push your self to train heavy. Also, try the double over hand grip when you dead lift. It too will tax the grip.
6). Buy some books. The Mastery of Hand Strength and The Grip Masters Manual are the uncontested two best books on grip training, both by John Brookfield. Buy these books, and you too will find your self reading them once a month. They are priceless to the world of grip. An absolute must, if you want stronger hands. Also, the KTA program is the best way to learn about grippers and gripper training. Literally: after reading the book alone, you may be able to close your goal gripper.
7). Train Dexterity. Do anything imaginable to keep training the hands. The ball rotation, playing with a bo-staff, squeezing a stress ball, playing an instrument, squeezing the small pony clamp with the pinky and ring-finger, and my favorite: sand grabbing. Buy a large bucket, and dump a 50lb bag of play-sand in to it. Then, thrust your hand into it and quickly open and close the hand. Place the emphasis on the extension of the hand, but squeeze the sand with all you have. After 10-30 reps, your forearm should be on fire in ways you never imagined.
8). Read the Gripboard. The best source for grip training in the world.
That's a short intro to hand strength training. Develop the wrist, the crush, and the thumb, all equally, and you will soon have some incredible hands capable of some incredible feats.
-Eric