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Bodyweight Grip strength test

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Marc

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Hello everybody,

ther is a lot of bunk on youtube, but Jeff's channel is def a great ressource.
Just wanted to share this one:

 
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@Marc, the idea of grip strength as a barometer of sorts has been around for a while. Much like heart rate variability, which is newer as I understand things.

My personal preference is to not use things like that and trust my gut - and follow my program as planned unless I'm not feeling well. I'm sure I've had days when I've done something that, had I checked my HRV or my grip strength, would have been contra-indicated. Just me, just my opinion, but I haven't felt the need for either in my own training.

-S-
 
@Steve Freides A lot of people on this forum came through the last few decades reading Pavel's work and we've been indoctrinated into a training style where you don't beat yourself up. We've had the practice rather than work out mentality drilled into us.

A lot of younger guys and girls have been heavily influenced by crossfit and ninja warrior and think it's normal to go for PR's nearly every time they go to a gym . They don't feel like they've had a "workout" unless they walk out of the gym feeling smoked. I imagine they are probably his main demographic and they'd get a lot more value out of a grip test than a lot of people on this forum.

I take a fairly intuitive approach too, some of the days I've started training and I just felt weak but once I warmed into it they turned out to be some of the better training sessions I've had. Other times I've started feeling down on strength and it just didn't pick up, so I just ended up having a light day. It normally takes me a few sets before I know if I'm firing on cylinders.
 
@Steve Freides A lot of people on this forum came through the last few decades reading Pavel's work and we've been indoctrinated into a training style where you don't beat yourself up. We've had the practice rather than work out mentality drilled into us.

A lot of younger guys and girls have been heavily influenced by crossfit and ninja warrior and think it's normal to go for PR's nearly every time they go to a gym . They don't feel like they've had a "workout" unless they walk out of the gym feeling smoked. I imagine they are probably his main demographic and they'd get a lot more value out of a grip test than a lot of people on this forum.

I take a fairly intuitive approach too, some of the days I've started training and I just felt weak but once I warmed into it they turned out to be some of the better training sessions I've had. Other times I've started feeling down on strength and it just didn't pick up, so I just ended up having a light day. It normally takes me a few sets before I know if I'm firing on cylinders.

Exactly this!
 
Hello everybody,

ther is a lot of bunk on youtube, but Jeff's channel is def a great ressource.
Just wanted to share this one:



"Don't Ignore This Early Warning Sign"

I don't see this as a viable method being an early warning sign that "your training was about to go off the rails".

As Steve stated, it been around for a while.

Other warning signs that are more relevant are elevated blood pressure and elevated heart rate upon waking.

Hand Grip Dynamometer

One of this use of the hand grip dynamometer is to measure overall strength, which it does not necessarily do.

I had a college class years ago. The instructor had a hand grip dynamometer. The instructor's grip measurement and mine were virtually the same.

The instructor was a Tri-Athelte and did very little strength training. As a Powerlifter, my strength level was about more than twice his. Endurance Training for me was a set of 5 repetitions.

What the hand grip dynamometer does is measure one of...

The Three Types of Grip Strength
Why Grip Strength Matters and How to Build It - Aaptiv

1) Crush Grip Strength: This is what the hand grip dynamometer measures.

I had an IronMind Crunch Gripper. A friend of mine had huge hands and could crush it for several repetition.

I struggled to close the gripper with both hands.

However, my overall strength was much greater than his.

2) Support Grip Strength: This type of grip strength means you are able to hold on to something for a long period of time.

Support Grip Strength means you are able to hold on to a Deadlift, Pull Up Bar, etc for longer.

My friend who had enormous Crushing Grip Strength had very little Support Grip Strength, while I did.

He held on the Pull Up Bar for less than a minute. I was able to hold on almost twice as long.

3) Pinch Grip Strength: The grip strength between you finger and thumb.

Correlation Between Grip And Health

The hand grip dynamometer is one of the tools used for determining overall health. It does to some degree.

Measuring Overreaching or Overtraining

The use of the hand grip dynamometer in measuring Overreaching or Overtraining is stretch.

A more effective method is...

Autoregulation

As per Steve, "My personal preference is to not use things like that and trust my gut - and follow my program as planned unless I'm not feeling well."

Kenny Croxdale
 
A lot of younger guys and girls have been heavily influenced by crossfit and ninja warrior and think it's normal to go for PR's nearly every time they go to a gym . They don't feel like they've had a "workout" unless they walk out of the gym feeling smoked.

Lack of Knowledge

Individuals who constantly push each training session do so because of a lack of knowledge and being overly ambitious.

This group is driven by over zealous emotion rather knowledge.

I imagine they are probably his main demographic and they'd get a lot more value out of a grip test than a lot of people on this forum.

The Hand Grip Dynamometer A Poor Method

The Hand Grip Dynamometer is a poor method in determining if you are Overreaching or Overtraining.

I take a fairly intuitive approach too...

Autoregulation

This is the intuitive approach. Training days are regulated by how you feel.

If the weight feel light, push it.

If the weight feel heavy, back off.

Kenny Croxdale
 
A lot of younger guys and girls have been heavily influenced by crossfit and ninja warrior and think it's normal to go for PR's nearly every time they go to a gym . They don't feel like they've had a "workout" unless they walk out of the gym feeling smoked. I imagine they are probably his main demographic and they'd get a lot more value out of a grip test than a lot of people on this forum.
Yes, but there's still no substitute, IMHO, for developing a little self-knowledge and learn to judge when you should back off on your training plan and when you shouldn't. A gadget doesn't supply that, although I can see the argument that it's better than nothing, I'm not sure I can even agree with that.

-S-
 
Yes, but there's still no substitute, IMHO, for developing a little self-knowledge and learn to judge when you should back off on your training plan and when you shouldn't. A gadget doesn't supply that, although I can see the argument that it's better than nothing, I'm not sure I can even agree with that.

-S-
Yeah that's pretty much the way I train, I go by how I feel after the first few sets and scale the weight appropriately.

The grip test would have failed me the other day, I recently started grip training again, I had the flu last week and had the best session with grippers that I've had since I started playing with them again. I was a walking train wreck and I struggled to drag myself out of bed but my grip was better than ever. If I did any heavy anaerobic compound work that day I would have buried myself.
 
I'm 44 now, and "autoregulation" for my training is simply desire. If I have the desire to train, then it's a good sign that I'm recovered from the previous session. This is about as simple as it gets, but I've tried some other methods that were talked about here over the years, and IF I want to train, it's a good sign that I'm ready to train.
 
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