I’m finding my grip is becoming a limiting factor on a couple of movements, especially the deadlift, so I thought I’d invest in a Captains of Crush gripper to try and brush up. If money were no object, I’d get a couple in the range of 1.5-2.5, but that’s a bit out of my price range at the moment.
Can anyone recommend which grip trainer I should go for?
For reference as to my current grip strength, my 1RM deadlift is 270kg (595lbs). I can get through 2-3 5 rep sets of deadlifts at 225kgs (496lbs) without resorting to using straps. My grip has never been a problem til now so it’s kind of crept up on me.
The descriptions on the Captains of Crush website aren’t particularly helpful, so hoping to get a bit of enlightenment here.
Get the number 1 and 2. The 1 is good for recovery purposes and the 2 should be hard as shit the first time you try to close. I can get the 3 with both hands now and the only ones I used to get there was the 1, 2, 2.5, and the 3 of course. Singles work very well with the harder grippers. Lots of sets of 5’s with the 1 help with conditioning the hands and also building strength if you really suck at it… which you will.
I bought the number 2 because I thought I was king meathead due to a 770lb deadlift… I barely moved the thing.
I may have to settle for just getting one for now, have you tried the 1.5? The cheapest I can find one over here is �£25 (about $40) not including postage, so it may be a case of getting the #1, using that for a few weeks/months, then getting the 1.5 or the 2.
I’m honestly not sure how much transfer they have to holding on to deadlifts…I do think they make you really good at closing grippers however. Personally I can only close the 1.5 and get about half way with the 2 and I pull 575 with no grip issues. If you were looking for a grip tool fat gripz or a rolling thunder would be better to help build your strength for holding on to heavy weights
[quote]Astar wrote:
I’m honestly not sure how much transfer they have to holding on to deadlifts…I do think they make you really good at closing grippers however. Personally I can only close the 1.5 and get about half way with the 2 and I pull 575 with no grip issues. If you were looking for a grip tool fat gripz or a rolling thunder would be better to help build your strength for holding on to heavy weights[/quote]
I agree with you. I think there are much better grip exercises but it still feels pretty cool to be work with the COC’s.
You could do static holds with the grippers. That would probably have the most carry over to your deadlift, but then you could just do static holds with a barbell or a barbell and fat gripz. The CoC grippers are pretty cool but I haven’t used mine in years and my grip has improved tremendously. The coolest part about the CoC grippers is you can take them with you. If you have a long road trip you can use them in the car or in the hotel.
[quote]Brett295 wrote:
The coolest part about the CoC grippers is you can take them with you. If you have a long road trip you can use them in the car or in the hotel. [/quote]
That’s what I do with mine. I keep them on my desk at work and take them when I road trip which is quite a bit. It’s a nice way to pass the time on a 3 hour drive.
-Hang from a chin up bar
-static holds on a deadlift
-double overhand the deadlift till you cant, then switch grip
-High rep Dumbbell row (10+ using a heavy weight and cheat a bit with out setting the weight on the ground(kroc row))
-Fat gripz
-farmers walk (real implements if you can…if not dumbbells are okay)
Then COCs.
A strong hand is a strong hand…but there are better things (free things) that are more effective
[quote]db2000 wrote:
-Hang from a chin up bar
-static holds on a deadlift
-double overhand the deadlift till you cant, then switch grip
-High rep Dumbbell row (10+ using a heavy weight and cheat a bit with out setting the weight on the ground(kroc row))
-Fat gripz
-farmers walk (real implements if you can…if not dumbbells are okay)
Then COCs.
A strong hand is a strong hand…but there are better things (free things) that are more effective[/quote]
I am aware of these options- I currently employ four out of the six items on your list there, but there is only so much room in my session before a deadlift session becomes a grip session!
Ideally a gripper would provide me with an opportunity to do some extra grip work at home, thus is the basis of their appeal.
Did deadlifts today, failed a 280kg (617lbs)attempt because of my grip - after some rep work I dropped the weight and wrapped my hoody around the bar…significantly tougher to hold on to. Hopefully adding in extra bits and bobs here and there will add up.
[quote]db2000 wrote:
-Hang from a chin up bar
-static holds on a deadlift
-double overhand the deadlift till you cant, then switch grip
-High rep Dumbbell row (10+ using a heavy weight and cheat a bit with out setting the weight on the ground(kroc row))
-Fat gripz
-farmers walk (real implements if you can…if not dumbbells are okay)
Then COCs.
A strong hand is a strong hand…but there are better things (free things) that are more effective[/quote]
I am aware of these options- I currently employ four out of the six items on your list there, but there is only so much room in my session before a deadlift session becomes a grip session!
Ideally a gripper would provide me with an opportunity to do some extra grip work at home, thus is the basis of their appeal.
Did deadlifts today, failed a 280kg (617lbs)attempt because of my grip - after some rep work I dropped the weight and wrapped my hoody around the bar…significantly tougher to hold on to. Hopefully adding in extra bits and bobs here and there will add up.
[/quote]
I dont do them all on the same day.
If I am doing chin ups on my bench day, I will hang from the bar with one hand after the set. If I am doing a military press day I might do Kroc rows.
I pretty much do grip work 4 days a week without making a big deal of it.
I have all the grippers beside my recliner so when I watch TV I can do them.
As for which one? I would get a 2 for the amount you deadlift.
I am not saying you will be able to close it…but you can work with it.
If you Cant close it start out with negatives (force it shut with two hands, let it open slowly), then when you can do it, work on reps.
When you can do reps, work on strap holds and over crushes. It can last a very long time
Where are you looking for the COC grippers that they are running 40bucks a pop. I got mine for around $19.00. Or is this a shipping and handling issue?
[quote]four60 wrote:
Where are you looking for the COC grippers that they are running 40bucks a pop. I got mine for around $19.00. Or is this a shipping and handling issue?[/quote]
I think it probably is. I haven’t looked on American websites because I figure the shipping will cost quite a bit. All the UK websites I’ve looked on are charging around £20-25.
[quote]db2000 wrote:
-Hang from a chin up bar
-static holds on a deadlift
-double overhand the deadlift till you cant, then switch grip
-High rep Dumbbell row (10+ using a heavy weight and cheat a bit with out setting the weight on the ground(kroc row))
-Fat gripz
-farmers walk (real implements if you can…if not dumbbells are okay)
Then COCs.
A strong hand is a strong hand…but there are better things (free things) that are more effective[/quote]
I am aware of these options- I currently employ four out of the six items on your list there, but there is only so much room in my session before a deadlift session becomes a grip session!
Ideally a gripper would provide me with an opportunity to do some extra grip work at home, thus is the basis of their appeal.
Did deadlifts today, failed a 280kg (617lbs)attempt because of my grip - after some rep work I dropped the weight and wrapped my hoody around the bar…significantly tougher to hold on to. Hopefully adding in extra bits and bobs here and there will add up.
[/quote]
I dont do them all on the same day.
If I am doing chin ups on my bench day, I will hang from the bar with one hand after the set. If I am doing a military press day I might do Kroc rows.
I pretty much do grip work 4 days a week without making a big deal of it.
I have all the grippers beside my recliner so when I watch TV I can do them.
As for which one? I would get a 2 for the amount you deadlift.
I am not saying you will be able to close it…but you can work with it.
If you Cant close it start out with negatives (force it shut with two hands, let it open slowly), then when you can do it, work on reps.
When you can do reps, work on strap holds and over crushes. It can last a very long time
[/quote]
I do spread out my grip work with my upper body pulling work too, but putting in a little extra while doing bench/squats etc probably wouldn’t hurt.
If you really want to save cash and don’t want fat gripz, wrap a towel around the bar when you dead lift, adjust as necessary.
Those elastic bands for opening your hands are good for hand health and cheap as shit too.
Louie simmons said strengthening the fingers individually works tremendously for the deadlift, wrapping loops of rope or whatever round a bar and dead lifting it will work or just dead lifting with one one finger from each hand. There’s special things called eagle loops available for this if you find dead lifting with two fingers uncomfortable.
Even though im not as strong as a lot of the above posters, I too think its time to start to do some grip training. Having a stronger grip i assume would only help out my all my lifts, and would be fun. Ive been swayed to get the gripforce or fatgrips over the CCs for right now.
[quote]StormTheBeach wrote:
Get the number 1 and 2. The 1 is good for recovery purposes and the 2 should be hard as shit the first time you try to close. I can get the 3 with both hands now and the only ones I used to get there was the 1, 2, 2.5, and the 3 of course. Singles work very well with the harder grippers. Lots of sets of 5’s with the 1 help with conditioning the hands and also building strength if you really suck at it… which you will.
I bought the number 2 because I thought I was king meathead due to a 770lb deadlift… I barely moved the thing. [/quote]
Wow I’m glad you posted this. I’m going to get some of those soon. Anyone tried that funny Ivanko gripper that you can adjust the spring thing? I kind of like the idea of just a single gripper and just get a few of them vs. that big ol thing.
