GearStay strong
Grip strength dynamometers: measure it, then train it
Grip strength is a simple number with a lot of research behind it. A home dynamometer lets you watch your own trend.
In a study of almost 140,000 adults in 17 countries, each 5 kg lower grip strength was associated with a 16% higher risk of death from any cause 1.
Grip is a marker, not a target. You build it through a good strength plan, and you measure it to see the trend over months and years.
What to look for
Jamar-type for the reference
The Jamar hydraulic hand dynamometer is the most widely used instrument in research, with established reliability 2.
Digital is fine at home
A low-cost Camry digital dynamometer agreed closely with the Jamar in hospitalised adults, with a mean difference of 1.9 kg and a correlation of 0.94 4.
Same protocol every time
Protocols vary widely between studies 2, so keep yours constant: same hand, same handle setting, same posture. On the Jamar, handle position 2 gave the best reading for most people 3.
Know the normal curve
Grip strength rises to a peak in early adult life, holds through midlife and then declines 5.
Train it indirectly
Carries, dead hangs and heavy pulls build grip inside your normal strength week. Thick handles make every pull a grip exercise.
Worth a look
- Dynamometer
Hydraulic hand dynamometer (Jamar type)
The design most research uses, with established reliability 2.
Best for Reference-style testing
- Dynamometer
Camry digital hand dynamometer
Agreed closely with the Jamar in a hospital study 4, at a fraction of the size of a clinical setup.
Best for Home testing on a budget
- Grip trainer
Thick-grip handles
Clip onto dumbbells, kettlebells or a bar to make rows, carries and curls harder on the hands.
Best for Grip inside normal training
- Pull-up bar
Doorway pull-up bar
Dead hangs are one of the simplest grip exercises, and the bar doubles for chin-ups.
Best for Dead hangs at home
- Kettlebells
Kettlebell pair for carries
Farmer's carries load grip, shoulders and trunk at once. Two matching bells keep you balanced.
Best for Carries and walks
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Questions people ask
What is a good grip strength?
In UK data from twelve studies, median peak grip was about 51 kg for men and 31 kg for women, with a decline after midlife 5. Compare yourself with your own past results first.
Should I train grip directly?
Train it inside your strength plan with carries, hangs and heavy pulls. Chasing the number with grip toys alone misses the point: grip is useful as a marker 1.
Sources
- Leong DP, Teo KK, Rangarajan S, et al. Prognostic value of grip strength: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. Lancet. 2015;386(9990):266–273.
- Roberts HC, Denison HJ, Martin HJ, et al. A review of the measurement of grip strength in clinical and epidemiological studies: towards a standardised approach. Age Ageing. 2011;40(4):423–429.
- Trampisch US, Franke J, Jedamzik N, Hinrichs T, Platen P. Optimal Jamar dynamometer handle position to assess maximal isometric hand grip strength in epidemiological studies. J Hand Surg Am. 2012;37(11):2368–2373.
- Lupton-Smith A, Fourie K, Mazinyo A, Mokone M, Nxaba S, Morrow B. Measurement of hand grip strength: a cross-sectional study of two dynamometry devices. S Afr J Physiother. 2022;78(1):1768.
- Dodds RM, Syddall HE, Cooper R, et al. Grip strength across the life course: normative data from twelve British studies. PLoS One. 2014;9(12):e113637.
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