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Bodyweight Bodyweight Grip Exercises

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Situation:
Extended travel and limited access to traditional grip tools.
No equipment. Traveling light, means no Grippers either.

Question:
I'm interested in hearing any solutions people have come up with to train grip whilst on the road.
Besides the obvious...
  • Finger Tip Push-ups
  • Towel Hangs
Thoughts???
 
You can hang on the door, depending on your strength level you can do it with just one hand, or with part of the fingers: index+middle, middle+ring, ring+pinky, even the thumb for symmetry... if you are strong enough you can even hang on the door frame, it's quite challenging because of the tiny gripping surface it offers. It might sound stupid, but it's a staple in bouldering!
Additionally, from all of this positions you can do pull ups, the negative part will be the hardest because you have to control the descent much more to limit the momentum, which makes the grip more difficult... pull ups on the door frame is quite brutal, I've never met a non-climber able to do it.
 
Zirbo said:
You can hang on the door, depending on your strength level you can do it with just one hand, or with part of the fingers: index+middle, middle+ring, ring+pinky, even the thumb for symmetry... if you are strong enough you can even hang on the door frame, it's quite challenging because of the tiny gripping surface it offers. It might sound stupid, but it's a staple in bouldering!
Additionally, from all of this positions you can do pull ups, the negative part will be the hardest because you have to control the descent much more to limit the momentum, which makes the grip more difficult... pull ups on the door frame is quite brutal, I've never met a non-climber able to do it.
Click to expand...
Well, I am a climber... and I can and have done door frame pull-ups. I have a wonky shoulder and am trying to avoid hangs...
But thanks for the advice
 
Hello,

Pinching a tennis ball (or golf ball). Pinching something "flat" such as a wallet or a small piece of wood plank (which holds in the hand / in the pocket)

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
If your backpack has a handle at the top, while I don't recommend pretending your backpack is a kettlebell and swinging it, I have used that handle to do slower exercises like the windmill.

There used to be a product called a "packweight" - I have one. It's a small, kettlebell-sized duffle with plastic tubing you can put on the handle and then you can use it pretty much like a kettlebell. I think it's long since discontinued - I just searched for it in a variety of ways and can't find it except in old copy.

-S-
 
Knuckle Pushups because strong wrists are important also.

+1 for the door pinches, you could add a one armed Row also.

Wringing out a towel, crumpling and tearing paper are John Brookfield standards. Not bodyweight though.
 
Varied hangs (bodyweight) on a thick bar gets my vote and makes my forearms and grip take notice. If they bother your shoulders maybe just try white knuckle gripping odd shaped objects (brooms, spade handle, frames etc) for a few isometric holds. These don't have to be heavy to get a training effect, if you concentrate on the quality of the contraction.

Balance the gripping out with fingertip holds (top of a push up position), and raise feet as these get easier.

Simple but effective, especially if on the road.
 
IonRod said:
I am in disbelief you cannot take even one gripper with you? How tightly do you pack your bag?
Click to expand...
You have no idea...:)
But I really do go as minimal as possible; then a bit less than that.
While I use Grippers from time to time, I find them to be one of least effective grip tools. That being said, I may break down and throw one in my pack next week.
 
Thanks to everyone who has responded thus far. I've got some good stuff to work with here...
Thanks again.
 
While there may or may not be any direct improvement in grip strength, pushups on the backs of the hands are anecdotally popular in correctional facilities and among other communities of not-so-nice folks in the belief that they strengthen the wrists in order to make them more resistant to compliance techniques.
 
J Petersen said:
While there may or may not be any direct improvement in grip strength, pushups on the backs of the hands are anecdotally popular in correctional facilities and among other communities of not-so-nice folks in the belief that they strengthen the wrists in order to make them more resistant to compliance techniques.
Click to expand...

Wrist pushups are great! I used to have frequent pain in my left wrist. I had to start real carefully because my wrist was pretty tender but after a while it stopped bothering me and my wrists experienced a level of durability that I just wasn't used to.
 
One of the rehab exercises following wrist surgery was to extend a towel on a flat surface in front of you (table top) and reel it in/bunch it up. If possible, wet it down a little or put some weight on it.

You can also lean against a table or counter top with elbows bent, fingers bent, hooked on the top at full extension. Flex up onto the tips. Do the thumbs as well, adjust resistance by changing the incline.

You can do this on a wall as well, an outside corner works better than a flat.
 
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