Hex Dumbells
A Stronger Grip Leads to Bigger Forearms
So what is the secret to developing bigger forearms and a powerful grip? First you must realize that there is a direct correlation between hand strength and forearm size, and then plan your training accordingly. It is hard to develop a massive set of forearms without having a vice-like grip. Bottom line, if your grip sucks your forearm development will lag behind
The best forearm workouts will train both aspects. They willtarget the muscles of the lower arm while also working grip strength. Fixing a weak grip is the first step in adding large amounts of muscle mass to the forearms. Not to mention that but a weak grip could be holding back the progress of other larger muscles such as lats, traps, and biceps. If your grip gives out before you have sufficiently stimulated the target muscle then your muscle growth (ie. progress) will be limited.
LOSE THE STRAPS!
What do people normally do to keep a weak grip from slowing down their progress on pulling movements? They purchase lifting straps to cover up their poor grip strength. Think of how much more forearm muscle that you would build if you fixed your lagging grip. The first step is to avoid using straps. This is no different than someone only doing partial bench press reps (you know who you are) because they lack strength off the chest. How much more muscle fiber could you potentially stimulate if they fixed their weakness.
DO NOT LET A WEAK GRIP HOLD YOUR ARM DEVELOPMENT BACK!
So what are the best exercises for building a vice like grip? Some you may have seen before, others you may have never heard of.
- Fat Bar Partial Deadlift.
- Farmer’s Walks
- Sledgehammer Swings
- Hex Dumbbell Holds
Fat Bar Partial Deadlifts: This is a very effective exercise for developing grip strength as well as dramatically increasing the size of the forearms. If you don’t have access to a fat bar, you can use a pair of FAT GRIPZ. Place the bar in a power rack behind you. Take a double overhand grip just outside of your hips. The bar should be positioned so that you only have to move is a few inches to complete the pull. The double overhand grip behind you insures that you cannot leverage it against your body like you could if the weight was in front of you. After a few warm up sets, try a significant amount of weight for a predetermined amount of time. Always try to increase weight or time on these.
Farmer’s Walks: Unfortunately there are very few commercial gyms have farmer’s walk handles. If you aren’t at a gym that does then you can substitute heavy dumbbells. To make the exercise even more challenging, again FAT GRIPZ can be used to increase the handle diameter. Pick and heavy weight, and carry it over predetermined distance. Always try to increase the weight, decrease the time it takes to cover the distance, or increase the distance.
Sledgehammer Swings: Obviously you first need a sledgehammer, 8lbs in enough to start, and you need something to strike with it. An old tire is probably your best option option. Overhand strikes are a good place to start, but vary your strikes for complete development. Start with 30 seconds bursts of swings. Always work each side evenly.
Hex Dumbell Holds: Find a pair of Hex Dumbbells. You don’t need to go heavy at first. 20-30lbs is a good starting weight. Grab them by the end, without touching the numbers (cheater) and hold them for time. 30 seconds to 1 minute is a good place to start. Eventually you will get to a weight you physically cannot pickup because of the size of the hex head. At this point work to continously increase your time.
The bottom line is that your forearm workouts will suffer unless you address your grip. Once you have increased your grip strength you will have laid the foundation for a truly impressive pair of arms.
About the Author
Don Johnson is the founder and head strength coach at Mammoth Strength, and athletic training facility in Jacksonville Fla. Visit his sites at Mammoth Strength and Forearm Workouts
40# Hex Dumbell Pinch
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