Grip strength training

Anyone here ever use grip strength trainers / grippers like the captains of crush or similar, or get their grip strength measured on a dynamometer?

If so what weight/strength would be an appropriate objective?

Yes, I've used Power Putty back when I shot well. I am sure it helped. Any grip strengthener should be used with the trigger finger separate. Hold the trigger finger still while gripping with the rest of the hand, then hold the rest of the hand still and squeeze using the trigger finger only. You don't really need a strong trigger finger, but I liked gripping a ball of putty and moving the trigger finger only. If I changed pressure on the rest of my hand they would move into the putty so it would be obvious.

I seriously doubt there is any universal ideal grip strength for all pistol shooters. Shooters can be successful with grips ranging from a firm handshake to squeezing the sap out of the grips. I lean towards gripping hard, just below the level where you are gripping so tight it causes shaking, but you need to find what works for you.

Hello,

I've gone to 2 different Hand Therapy PT groups after different hand surgeries on both side. They both used the same kind of hydraulic based grip strength measuring device that you squeeze for a reading. They then look up on a chart for a "male" my age for the average range. Not that helpful. Then they use your reading as a baseline for your progress during PT. I started at 30% of "normal" and only got it up to 50% when they said more PT isn't going to help from the bone deterioration / tendon interference.  PT Putty was good. Round rubber ring was good I thought. They start the session by putting your hand in a wet steam towel wrap. That really improves your motion. Shooting in northern climates most ranges aren't heated to the 1 hour before shooting inside. When the windows from shooting cubicles to the range open temperature can drop to near freezing. I use the hand warmer bags in my pockets as long as possible before shooting and that seems to help. 

Curious if there are any Hand Doctors or Hand PT people who could chime in on this subject. Difficult to overcome arthritis at times in the cold.

I'm in PT now for a bowling injury from a year ago, y, yeah, I know, slow learner. In addition to Steve's excellent advice, electrical duct seal putty is good. It's stiffer than Silly Putty or drugstore arthritis putty . Don't overdo it

I use Captains of Crush, in combination with other exercises that help grip—deadlifts, pull-ups, rows, cleans, farmer’s carries, dead hangs, KB swings.  All of those exercises will develop grip strength if trained correctly and consistently.  

I can close the 2 CoC in my dominant hand and the 1.5 in my nondominant hand.  I cannot say whether it “helps.”   Holding firmly and manipulating the trigger without introducing unwanted movement helps.  I don’t know whether being able to “crush” 150 pounds enables a steadier hold or better recoil recovery than being able to “crush” 100 pounds, or 75.  

Not being unreasonably weak seems more important than being excessively strong.  Technique and consistency, with reasonable strength, are key. 

The bigger benefit of grip strength seems to be that it’s a good indicator of overall health and muscle mass.

Don't forget there are 130 lb women who can outshoot most of us.. .so it's not just strength

I agree in having reasonable grip strength rather than brute grip strength. I use the CoC grip devices and the Gripmaster device (low or medium). My purpose is reasonable grip strength and training myself to hold the pistol with consistent grip pressure through the string of fire. The Gripmaster helps develop your grip fingers to maintain a consistent grip while the trigger finger moves independently.

Ergonomically, the average grip of a human male is around 80 pounds, for a female about 50.  But at those you induce tremor.  

Gripping a pistol is like gripping a tool.  The required force is only that required to maintain control of the pistol during the firing process.  Grip “strength” training is really better spent developing a bit of strength perhaps, but more importantly developing grip endurance.  To build endurance it’s better to have repetitions at a mid level force.  Eons ago a lot of pistol shooters used little sponge balls.

Don't know what strong hand had, weak hand is 150#, injury reduced strong hand to 110...

Paging Frank Goza. Frank Goza please report to thread #20536.

john bickar wrote:Paging Frank Goza. Frank Goza please report to thread #20536.

Frank Goza picked me up off the ground one handed when I played a prank on him. My neck still hurts.....poor choice on my part lol.
Jon

https://www.amazon.com/Peradix-Strength-Trainer-Therapy-Equipment/dp/B081DNCDLH/ref=sr_1_23?crid=2S1HWAC191SIP&keywords=grip%2Bstrength%2Btrainer&qid=1670984736&sprefix=Grip%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-23&th=1

You can do this while sitting in ungodly boring meetings or watching the idiot box.

I have some version of the grip exerciser (Gripmaster)  below but I wanted to post that a physical therapist suggested I balance as many squeeze repetitions with expand repetitions. 

I started with a rubber band and soon got to using whatever promotional rubber wristband I could scrounge.



These are also exercises that can be done while commuting if conditions are favorable.

Lots of exercises here.
One old school drill Coach Miller had me do was hold the spine of a phonebook extended with arm in shooting position for as long as you can. 
That's back in the days when the phonebook wasn't a chip in your phone. 
Then there is the roll a weighted rope up and down on a stick.  But use a large stick to fill your hand so you have to grip it.  2" pipe may be a good size.

Jack H wrote:Lots of exercises here.
One old school drill Coach Miller had me do was hold the spine of a phonebook extended with arm in shooting position for as long as you can. 
That's back in the days when the phonebook wasn't a chip in your phone. 
Then there is the roll a weighted rope up and down on a stick.  But use a large stick to fill your hand so you have to grip it.

I used to use the roll up grip exerciser. Mine consisted of an old gallon milk jug with a length of twine or string stapled to a piece of broom handle. I would hold the handle out with arms parallel to the floor and roll the jug up and down. The amount of water in the jug can be varied. In Gil Hebard's "The Pistol Shooters Treasury" there is a photo of Bill Blankenship's hand. You can see the checkering from the 1911 grips on it. There is also advice to grip the pistol only so tightly so the trigger finger can work independent of the other fingers. There used to be an old saying, "Tight grip=tight group. I also agree that grip endurance is more important than strength. Ladies, like Lucy Chambliss, Ruby Fox and Kim Dyer, among others, could regularly trounce 90% of all other bullseye pistol shooters.

The potato exercise is another good one.

Don’t get sucked in to Bickar’s trap

I used to use the roll up grip exerciser. Mine consisted of an old gallon milk jug with a length of twine or string stapled to a piece of broom handle. I would hold the handle out with arms parallel to the floor and roll the jug up and down. The amount of water in the jug can be varied. 

Agree. The gold standard for building forearm strength for hockey. Also helps strengthen shoulder muscles. Least cost too!

john bickar wrote:The potato exercise is another good one.

I first read that as "potato chip exercise" and thought "finally something I'm good at".  Guess not.

1911a145 wrote:Don’t get sucked in to Bickar’s trap

I think you can admit that everything you know about pistol shooting, you learned from me.

I dry fired a 2670 with 3 misses. Get your s__t together!

Sa-tevp wrote:I have some version of the grip exerciser (Gripmaster)  below but I wanted to post that a physical therapist suggested I balance as many squeeze repetitions with expand repetitions. 

I started with a rubber band and soon got to using whatever promotional rubber wristband I could scrounge.



These are also exercises that can be done while commuting if conditions are favorable.

After an injury to my hand, I started using the gripmaster in addition to the putty.  I liked that the gripmaster allows you to work each individual finger independent, so you can't "cheat".  Also, you're correct about needing to exercise the extensor muscles too.  Otherwise your hand will constantly want to curl up into a fist.