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Kettlebell Adding grip training to S&S

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BJJ Shawn

BJJ Shawn

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The biggest thing currently holding me back in doing explosive swings with a 32kg bell is my grip strength, as it just doesn't feel secure enough to really throw the bell like I can with the 24. I can do my 100 swings in sets of 10, and they are definitely more crisp than when I started adding the 32, they still feel like I'm holding back due to grip, so I need to fix this problem. I have baby sized hands which makes it more difficult, but I know I have room for improvement and don't want to let this hold me back.

What would be a good recommended grip strength program to add on TOP of doing S&S about 4 days per week. I don't want to stop doing my swings, but I also don't want to go overboard and destroy my grip making S&S more difficult. I have seen @Steve Freides talk about deadlifting helping his swing strength, and my next block will be Russian Bear so I will get plenty of deadlifting then, but in the meantime what would you add to S&S?

Thank you,
Shawn
 
@BJJ Shawn, I have no magic for you. When I switched to the 32 for 1h swings, I did so by using it once a week. I found a lot to learn in that once a week session. I tried to keep my grip relaxed at first and was content with lower swings, and then after a few weeks, I decided to try gripping it harder and that worked - I could swing it to the right height. Eventually, I was able to relax the grip and still keep the swing height.

I really did learn a lot in the process, e.g., I thought I was gripping the 24 only in the hooks of my fingers and not using my thumbs at all, but I was actually using them, and using them a little more helped with the 32.

-S-
 
Your additional grip strengthening options would be limited if you want to keep on swinging the 32K. I can tell you what worked for me when I struggled with 1H swinging the 32K due to grips' lagging strength. It did affect my form, by the way, in terms of throttling power output and reflexively engaging the biceps.

I started using leather grips for swings, which loosened my arms and squared my shoulders. By the time I was including 40K 1H swings 40%+ of the time, I discovered I was able to efficiently swing the 32K without the leather grips!

Weird, I know... and grips use for swings or snatches is frowned upon around here.
 
BJJ Shawn said:
The biggest thing currently holding me back in doing explosive swings with a 32kg bell is my grip strength, as it just doesn't feel secure enough to really throw the bell like I can with the 24. I can do my 100 swings in sets of 10, and they are definitely more crisp than when I started adding the 32, they still feel like I'm holding back due to grip, so I need to fix this problem. I have baby sized hands which makes it more difficult, but I know I have room for improvement and don't want to let this hold me back.

What would be a good recommended grip strength program to add on TOP of doing S&S about 4 days per week. I don't want to stop doing my swings, but I also don't want to go overboard and destroy my grip making S&S more difficult. I have seen @Steve Freides talk about deadlifting helping his swing strength, and my next block will be Russian Bear so I will get plenty of deadlifting then, but in the meantime what would you add to S&S?

Thank you,
Shawn
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@BJJ Shawn
The advice from the others is great.

You mention having small hands. So instead of thinking about strengthening your grip, I wonder if you can find a kettlebell with a smaller diameter handle. I'm guessing your grip strength as a BJJ competitor is way above average anyway. But if I was in your position, I'd shop around for a smaller diameter kettlebell handle. Maybe even an adjustable KB with a smaller diameter handle than what you're using now.
 
When I had this issue this spring I followed Adam Glass' advice for grip for KB which is NOT to add more support grip exercises - but to generally strengthen the grip with pinches, plate curls, and sledge work (ulnar & radial levers + supination & pronation ). Adam is a skilled KB lifter and a high level grip athlete.

Went from struggling with the 32 to hanging onto to it quite quickly. Adding these exercises with reasonable volume (1-3 sets of 10-15 reps) and reasonable frequency (1-2 sessions per week) has been great. Avoiding further work in the "support" position or even thick bar - I agree - those will negatively interfere. But some thumb work (pinches), wrist strength (plate curls) and generalized wrist strength (sledge work in other planes and articulations) has no interfered with my ability to wing around the KB several times per week (generally swinging or snatching 3-4 days a week). The exercises I picked are not strictly from the article linked above - but they hit the same ideas - and cherry pick from some more evolved over time ideas on bolstering grip in general. Also - work your extensors - band extensions, rice bucket, reverse wrist curls. 1-2x a week.

A note on pinches - combining both static pinches, and dynamic pinches, plus varied widths of pinches over time seem to be important for longterm thumb strength development and avoiding injury.
 
Nacho said:
Are you using chalk? In new version of the book it’s strongly recommended and also mentioned you probably should not do additional grip work.
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Yes, I use chalk.
bencrush said:
@BJJ Shawn
The advice from the others is great.

You mention having small hands. So instead of thinking about strengthening your grip, I wonder if you can find a kettlebell with a smaller diameter handle. I'm guessing your grip strength as a BJJ competitor is way above average anyway. But if I was in your position, I'd shop around for a smaller diameter kettlebell handle. Maybe even an adjustable KB with a smaller diameter handle than what you're using now.
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My hands are baby sized...since this isn't a competition and I don't have to worry about regulation, that may be a possibility, but for now I'm going to stick with what I have and I may try to go that route when I buy a 36kg or 40kg bell. I will be moving over to barbell in the next couple months for a while and only swinging as an accessory, so I don't think it's worth looking at this point, but will keep it in mind for the future.
 
Phil S said:
When I had this issue this spring I followed Adam Glass' advice for grip for KB which is NOT to add more support grip exercises - but to generally strengthen the grip with pinches, plate curls, and sledge work (ulnar & radial levers + supination & pronation ). Adam is a skilled KB lifter and a high level grip athlete.

Went from struggling with the 32 to hanging onto to it quite quickly. Adding these exercises with reasonable volume (1-3 sets of 10-15 reps) and reasonable frequency (1-2 sessions per week) has been great. Avoiding further work in the "support" position or even thick bar - I agree - those will negatively interfere. But some thumb work (pinches), wrist strength (plate curls) and generalized wrist strength (sledge work in other planes and articulations) has no interfered with my ability to wing around the KB several times per week (generally swinging or snatching 3-4 days a week). The exercises I picked are not strictly from the article linked above - but they hit the same ideas - and cherry pick from some more evolved over time ideas on bolstering grip in general.
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Perfect, that's exactly the info I needed to know! Thank you.
 
BJJ Shawn said:
Perfect, that's exactly the info I needed to know! Thank you.
Click to expand...
My pleasure. I made a few edits, even while you were replying. Sorry - took me a moment to gather my thoughts, I should have taken more time on the first post. But hopefully this can help you take the limiter off your swings - I know it helped me a ton. I struggled to swing the 32 for 1 good 1-arm rep in Feb due to the grip aspect, and can do sets of 10 snappy and powerful now with minimal slip.
 
BJJ Shawn said:
The biggest thing currently holding me back in doing explosive swings with a 32kg bell is my grip strength, as it just doesn't feel secure enough to really throw the bell like I can with the 24. I can do my 100 swings in sets of 10, and they are definitely more crisp than when I started adding the 32, they still feel like I'm holding back due to grip, so I need to fix this problem. I have baby sized hands which makes it more difficult, but I know I have room for improvement and don't want to let this hold me back.

What would be a good recommended grip strength program to add on TOP of doing S&S about 4 days per week. I don't want to stop doing my swings, but I also don't want to go overboard and destroy my grip making S&S more difficult. I have seen @Steve Freides talk about deadlifting helping his swing strength, and my next block will be Russian Bear so I will get plenty of deadlifting then, but in the meantime what would you add to S&S?

Thank you,
Shawn
Click to expand...
I've added farmers walks right after swings although, I wasn't doing S&S every day, that would be horrible overkill and set you back a ton. Maybe twice a week before doing a lighter day would work. For you I would assume towel pull ups would be best, that was my favorite for rolling.
 
In line with @Phil S 's comment and the article he linked, I've recently discovered pinch grip training makes my hands feel really healthy! I've been pinch grip training for about three weeks with light loads and my hands fell better and stronger already.

I really agree with the advice about not over training support
 
I am also a big proponent of varied grip training.
However I have never found grip to be anything close to a limiting factor in 32kg swings.
(And just say no to chalk... :cool: )
 
Use the 1x/week 2H swing day to give your grip some time to recover from heavy 1H swings so you can hit it hard 2x/week (for 3x/week total, combined).

Also, check out Kettlebell Kings 35mm and 33mm competition bells. I picked up a 32kg comp bell (35mm) and really enjoy the smaller diameter handle for 1H swings and the shorter stack height for getups.
 
I have jokingly said I have Asian otter hands so I get where you're coming from.

Can you upload a vid of your 32kg swings?

I'm sure you just have to find that sync where you are using just enough hip snap to get the bell to chest height but not gripping too hard that you're fried afterwards
 
Mark Limbaga said:
I have jokingly said I have Asian otter hands so I get where you're coming from.

Can you upload a vid of your 32kg swings?

I'm sure you just have to find that sync where you are using just enough hip snap to get the bell to chest height but not gripping too hard that you're fried afterwards
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Yes, I will upload a video after training tomorrow morning.

I can swing to chest height in sets of 10 without a problem, and am currently doing 8 of my 10 sets with the 32kg. I don't necessarily feel fried afterwards either, but I feel like with my 24kg I can really snap my hips and have to stop the bell from going higher than chest and throw it back down hard where I simply can't do it with the 32kg without letting go of the bell.

I'll upload a video and we can go from there. I'll do one with the 24 and one with the 32, maybe there is something wrong in my technique overall and not just with the 32 so a form check would be good in any case.
 
Well, I said I would upload a video today, but that was a lie. I tweaked something in my upper glute/lower back yesterday, making movements of any kind difficult, so I simply walked this morning to warm up a bit then stretched the are for a good long time. No real progress in the way it felt, so I will continue icing it and hopefully will be back with a video in a few days.
 
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BJJ Shawn said:
Well, I said I would upload a video today, but that was a lie. My tweaked something in my upper glute/lower back yesterday, making movements of any kind difficult, so I simply walked this morning to warm up a bit then stretched the are for a good long time. No real progress in the way it felt, so I will continue icing it and hopefully will be back with a video in a few days.
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You can use this recovery time to build some pinch blocks :cool:
 
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