Grip strength is an often overlooked aspect of fitness. I admit that I never really thought about my grip strength and how important it is. We tend to place most of our focus on lifting weights and getting in cardiovascular exercise. But did you know that grip strength is an important longevity marker?
Don’t feel bad, I didn’t have a clue either.
So let’s cover the why and how of grip strength and how to incorporate it into your exercise routine.
Importance of Grip Strength for Women Over 40
Grip strength is more than being able to open jars or carry groceries. It’s a key indicator of our overall muscle health.
Research has shown that grip strength correlates with longevity and resilience against chronic diseases. For women over 40, maintaining strong hands and forearms is essential for staying independent and active as we navigate aging and hormonal changes.
Connection Between Grip Strength, Overall Health, and Aging
Grip strength reflects not only our hand and forearm power but also the health of our entire musculoskeletal system. A strong grip helps us to reduce our risk of injuries like falls. Also, having strong grip strength improves our stability during daily activities and exercise.
For example, a strong grip helps us to grab onto heavy dumbbells during weight training or balance our body during yoga. Additionally, it supports day-to-day tasks like lifting objects. This helps us to maintain our independence in older age and prevents muscle loss.
Grip Strength and Menopause
During menopause, hormonal shifts, particularly the decline in estrogen, can lead to reduced bone density and muscle mass. These changes directly impact our grip strength, as weakened bones and muscles make it harder to hold, lift, or carry items.
By focusing on improving our grip strength we can help to counter these effects by maintaining muscle mass and stimulating bone health which will reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Why Grip Strength Declines with Age
Muscle Mass and Strength Naturally Decline (Sarcopenia)
Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass, begins around our mid-30s and accelerates after age 50. This process weakens the muscles responsible for grip strength, making it harder to perform activities that were once effortless. Without targeted efforts to maintain muscle, the decline becomes more pronounced over time.
Hormonal Changes During Menopause
As mentioned above, menopause brings a significant drop in estrogen, a hormone that supports muscle and joint health. This hormonal shift contributes to reduced muscle tone and joint stability, which can make the hands and wrists particularly vulnerable. This decline also impacts tendons, potentially leading to conditions like arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, further weakening our grip strength.
Sedentary Lifestyles
Modern lifestyles often involve long hours at desks, minimal manual labor, and little focus on hand or forearm strength. As a result, the muscles in the hands and wrists weaken from disuse. For women over 40, breaking free from these sedentary habits and integrating grip-strengthening exercises into our routine is essential for reversing this trend.
Benefits of Strong Grip Strength
Improved Performance in Daily Activities
A strong grip makes everyday tasks easier, from carrying heavy grocery bags to opening stubborn jars. These abilities are essential for maintaining independence and reducing frustration as we age.
Enhanced Strength for Weightlifting and Exercise
Grip strength is foundational for many fitness activities. Strong hands improve your ability to hold onto barbells, dumbbells, or resistance bands, allowing you to lift heavier weights and perform exercises with better form. This directly contributes to overall strength gains and muscle growth.
Better Bone Density and Joint Health
Exercises that challenge grip strength often involve weight-bearing movements, which stimulate bone remodeling and density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Grip training also strengthens the tendons and ligaments in the hands and wrists, supporting joint health and preventing injuries.
Increased Confidence and Independence
Knowing you can handle physical challenges, whether in the gym or in your daily life, boosts confidence. Women over 40 who work on their grip strength are better equipped to face physical tasks without assistance, promoting a sense of independence and empowerment.
Indeed, by prioritizing grip strength, we can enhance our overall health, stay active, and embrace aging with strength and resilience.
Assessing Your Grip Strength
Understanding your current grip strength is the first step toward improvement. Here’s how you can test and set benchmarks for progress:
How to Test Your Grip Strength
- Hand Dynamometer:
- A hand dynamometer is a device that measures grip strength in pounds or kilograms.
- To test:
- Hold the dynamometer in your dominant hand.
- Squeeze as hard as possible for a few seconds.
- Record the highest reading. Repeat with the non-dominant hand for comparison.
- Many gyms and physical therapy offices offer access to these tools.
- Normal and optimal levels are for your age group
- Practical Tests:
- Dead Hangs: Grip a pull-up bar with both hands and hang for as long as possible. Record your time and use it as a baseline for future tests. A good goal to aim for is 60-90 seconds.
- Farmer’s Carry Test: Carry a heavy object (e.g., dumbbell or kettlebell) for a set distance or time. Note how long you can hold the object without dropping it. A good benchmark is carrying 75% of your body weight for 90 seconds without stopping or setting the weight down.
Setting Benchmarks for Improvement
- Record your starting grip strength using one or more tests as discussed above.
- Set realistic short-term and long-term goals. For example:
- Increase dead hang time by 5-10 seconds within a month.
- Use a heavier weight for farmer’s carries by the next testing cycle.
- Track progress regularly to stay motivated and adjust your exercises accordingly.
Exercises to Improve Grip Strength
Any exercise where you are holding onto a heavy weight will indirectly improve your grip strength. My favorite exercises for improving grip strength are farmer carries and dead hangs.
Direct Grip Strength Exercises
- Dead Hangs:
- How: Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended, gripping the bar tightly.
- Focus: Builds endurance and static grip strength.
- Progression: Start with 10-15 seconds and gradually increase to 1 minute or more.
- Farmer’s Carries:
- How: Hold a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand and walk a set distance. Keep your shoulders down and core engaged.
- Focus: Strengthens grip, forearms, and core stability.
- Progression: Increase the weight or distance over time.
- Towel Wrings:
- How: Take a wet towel and twist it as if wringing out water. Alternate directions.
- Focus: Targets hand and wrist muscles.
- Progression: Use a larger towel or add resistance by twisting against another person.
Compound Movements that Build Grip
- Deadlifts:
- How: Hold a barbell or dumbbells and lift them from the ground to your hips, focusing on maintaining a strong grip.
- Focus: Builds full-body strength and improves grip by holding heavy weights.
- Progression: Use heavier weights or try variations like Romanian deadlifts.
- Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups:
- How: Grip a bar and pull your body upward until your chin is above the bar.
- Focus: Challenges grip and upper body strength.
- Progression: Add weight with a vest or focus on slower negatives.
- Rowing Exercises:
- How: Use dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands for bent-over rows or seated rows.
- Focus: Improves grip and strengthens back and arm muscles.
- Progression: Gradually increase resistance or perform one-arm variations.
Grip Tools and Accessories
- Hand Grippers:
- How: Squeeze the handles of a hand gripper together repeatedly.
- Focus: Isolates grip muscles for targeted strengthening.
- Progression: Move to grippers with higher resistance levels.
- Stress Balls:
- How: Squeeze a stress ball in one hand, hold for a few seconds, and release. Repeat.
- Focus: Easy way to strengthen grip muscles during downtime.
- Progression: Use a firmer ball or increase repetitions.
- Resistance Bands for Finger and Wrist Extension:
- How: Wrap a resistance band around your fingers and spread them apart against the band’s tension.
- Focus: Balances grip strength by training finger extensors.
- Progression: Use bands with greater resistance.
By combining these exercises with regular practice, you can significantly improve your grip strength, benefiting both your fitness and daily life.
Tips for Building Grip Strength Safely
Warm Up Your Hands and Wrists Before Exercises
A proper warm-up prepares your hands, wrists, and forearms for the demands of grip-strengthening exercises, reducing the risk of injury.
- Simple Warm-Up Ideas:
- Wrist Circles: Rotate your wrists in both directions for 10-15 seconds.
- Finger Taps: Rapidly tap your fingers against your thumb, mimicking playing a piano.
- Light Resistance Band Stretches: Use a band to gently stretch your fingers and wrists.
- A warm-up increases blood flow to the small muscles in your hands, making them more pliable and ready for activity.
Avoid Overtraining to Reduce the Risk of Joint Strain
Grip strength exercises can put stress on the tendons and joints in your hands and wrists. Overdoing it may lead to discomfort or conditions like tendinitis.
Tips to Avoid Overtraining:
- Limit grip-specific exercises to 2-3 times per week.
- Pay attention to any pain or fatigue, especially in your wrists or fingers.
- Use proper form during exercises to avoid uneven strain.
Gradually Increase Weight or Resistance
Progressive overload is key to building strength, but increases should be gradual to avoid overloading your hands and wrists too quickly.
- Start with manageable weights or resistance levels.
- Increase load or intensity by small increments, such as 2-5 lbs for weights or a heavier resistance band.
- Perform controlled movements to ensure your grip muscles are actively engaged rather than relying on momentum.
Incorporate Rest and Recovery for Hand Muscles
Like any other muscle group, your grip muscles need time to recover and grow stronger.
- Include Rest Days: Space out grip exercises with rest days or alternate them with exercises focusing on other muscle groups.
- Active Recovery: Engage in light activities like finger stretches or stress ball squeezes to promote blood flow without overexertion.
- Use Recovery Aids: Consider using tools like wrist rollers or foam rollers for your forearms to alleviate soreness.
The Benefits of Grip Strength
Enhances Performance in Strength Training
Grip strength is foundational to many strength-training exercises, from lifting weights to performing pull-ups.
- Barbell and Dumbbell Control: A firm grip ensures better control over the barbell or dumbbells, allowing you to focus on proper form and maximizing muscle engagement.
- Increased Load Capacity: As your grip improves, you can handle heavier weights in exercises like deadlifts, rows, and bench presses, accelerating overall strength gains.
Improves Balance and Coordination in Exercises
A strong grip helps stabilize your body during exercises that require balance and precision.
- Planks and Push-Ups: Grip strength stabilizes your wrists and fingers, reducing strain and allowing for better alignment.
- Yoga and Pilates: Poses that involve weight-bearing through the hands (e.g., downward dog) become easier and safer with strong wrists and forearms.
Builds the Foundation for Overall Muscle Growth
Grip strength acts as a limiting factor in many exercises, meaning that weak hands can hold back progress in other muscle groups.
- By improving your grip, you unlock your potential to lift heavier and perform more repetitions in upper body and core workouts.
- Exercises that challenge your grip often engage multiple muscle groups, providing a compound benefit for overall strength and conditioning.
Reading Suggestions
Joint Pain in Menopause: What You Need to Know
Strength Training in Women: A How to Guide
The Ultimate Guide to Creatine in Perimenopause
Conclusion
Building grip strength isn’t just about your hands—it’s a cornerstone for your entire fitness journey and an important longevity marker. Strong hands lead to a stronger body and more confidence and independence in your daily life. To improve your grip strength all you really need to do is a few dead hangs and farmer’s carries a week. Pretty easy, right?
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions. Have a great week!
