Grip Training 101: Crush, Pinch and Support Explained

Grip training is direct work for the hands, wrists and forearms, as opposed to the incidental grip work that comes with deadlifts, rows and pull-ups. Grip sport divides hand strength into distinct types because they use different muscles, different hand positions and different implements, and strength in one transfers only partly to the others. A lifter with a strong gripper close can still drop a thick bar, and a strong support grip says little about pinch. This article explains each type, the tools that train it, a first week of training and the equipment worth buying first.

The grip types

Crush

Crushing grip is closing the fingers toward the palm against resistance. The main muscles are the finger flexors of the forearm: flexor digitorum profundus, which bends the fingertip joints, and flexor digitorum superficialis, which bends the middle joints. The standard tool is the torsion-spring hand gripper, and the best-known series is IronMind's Captains of Crush. Gripper closes, timed holds and rep contests are all competition events. Crush is covered in full in Crushing Grip: How to Train It.

Pinch

Pinch grip is holding an object between the thumb and fingers with nothing underneath it and no contact with the palm. Because the thumb has to work in direct opposition to the fingers, pinch is usually the slowest grip type to develop and the most limited by thumb strength. Common tools are two smooth weight plates pinched together, pinch blocks, blob weights and plate hubs (hub lifting). See Pinch Grip: How to Train It.

Support

Support grip is holding on to a load that hangs from the hand: a heavy barbell, a farmer's handle, a pull-up bar. It is mostly isometric and is limited by how long the fingers can resist being pried open. Thick bars and rotating handles make support harder by preventing the hand from wrapping fully or settling into the grip. See Support Grip: How to Train It, and grip endurance for hangs and timed holds.

Wrist and thumb

Wrist strength and thumb strength are not usually listed as separate grip types, but both limit the other three. The wrist has to stay neutral under heavy holds and pinches, and the thumb decides most pinch and hub lifts. Wrist work includes wrist roller sets and sledgehammer levering, where a hammer is held at the end of the handle and levered forward, backward or to the side under control. A light hammer of about 8 to 12 lb is a sensible start, moving to heavier hammers as control improves. Thumb strength comes mainly from pinch and hub work.

Extensors

The extensors open the hand and fingers. Grip work strengthens the flexors relentlessly, and an extensor imbalance is linked to elbow pain (see safety). Rubber band finger extensions, rice bucket work and reverse curls are the usual tools, and they make good warm-ups and light-day work.

What each tool trains

For every tool and implement in the wiki, see the A–Z tool list.

Basic technique

Grippers. Set the gripper so the handle sits across the palm and the fingers wrap around the other handle, with the wrist neutral. Squeeze with the whole hand rather than just the index and middle fingers, and close smoothly instead of trying to snap it shut. A close counts only when the handles touch. Holding the closed position for a second or two adds lockout strength.

Pinch. Put the fingers on one side and the thumb directly opposite, centered on the implement. Lift with the legs and back as in a small deadlift so the pinch only has to hold, keep the wrist neutral, and lower under control rather than dropping.

Thick bars. Get as much of the hand on the bar as possible, keep the wrists straight, and start much lighter than your normal deadlift, around 50 to 70 percent.

Rolling handles. Set the hand fully before the pull and lift smoothly. A jerky start spins the handle out of the fingers.

A first week

This week follows the first block of the beginner program. It assumes at least one rest day between grip sessions, and each session takes 15 to 25 minutes. Grip sessions can go at the end of a normal workout, but keep hard grip work away from heavy deadlift or pulling days.

Every set should stop before technique breaks down. From there, progress one variable at a time: a little more weight, a few more seconds or a harder gripper, not all at once. Planned deload weeks, roughly every fourth or fifth week, keep tendons ahead of the load.

What to buy first

A useful starter kit costs little, and much of it may already be in a home gym.

• One or two grippers you can close. Beginners typically start in the range of the CoC Guide (about 60 lb), Sport (about 80 lb) or Trainer (about 100 lb). Pick one you can close for several reps, plus the next one up as a goal. Gripper ratings vary from unit to unit and between brands; see gripper ratings.
• Something to pinch. Two smooth plates cost nothing. A loadable pinch block is the next step.
• Something thick. Clip-on Fat Gripz work on any bar or dumbbell. The One (1.75") is the easiest; the Pro (2.25") is a step harder.
• A wrist roller and rubber bands for the wrists and extensors.
• Chalk.

Rolling handles, blobs, a dedicated axle and competition-rated grippers can wait until you know which events interest you. Equipment reviews and the vendor directory cover makers and options.

Common beginner mistakes

• Training grip hard every day. The muscles recover quickly but tendons do not.
• Buying a gripper that is too hard and grinding failed attempts instead of building reps on an easier one.
• Training only crush, the most familiar type, and neglecting pinch and support.
• Skipping the warm-up and extensor work.
• Pushing through sharp joint pain or tingling. See safety.

Where to go next

• Beginner Grip Program: an 8- to 12-week plan that grows out of the week above.
• Which Grip Program Is Right for You?: how the programs fit together.
• Crushing grip, pinch grip and support grip in depth.
• Competition prep once you want to test yourself at a contest.

Grip tissues adapt slowly. Start light, add load gradually and rest any tendon that stays sore. See safety.