10 gym moves that will make you a better runner
Whether you’re training for a marathon or just trying to improve your 5K time, strength training can help unlock your full running potential
Mention grip strength to most men and the image that springs to mind is cranking out innumerable reps on a rusty gripper that you happened to find in your old man’s garage.
According to Chad McMurren, former natural bodybuilding champion and owner of grip-training store Grip & Lift Australia, “getting a $2 gripper and squeezing it mindlessly for hours on end doesn’t do a whole lot for your grip. The fastest way to increase your grip strength is to chase a specific one-rep max using grippers which have specific poundages.”
With poundages ranging from 63.5kg for a Number 1 gripper, to an immovable 165.5kg for a Number 4, Captains of Crush grippers are the gold standard in grip training and competition.
Follow this workout from McMurren to build a knuckle-crushing grip
Click here for your can’t-fail plan for XXL biceps
Equipment
This workout requires three grippers: a warm-up gripper (which allows you to do 10 reps easily), a working gripper (which allows you to 5-7 reps) and a goal gripper (which you can’t quite close).
Directions
Warm-up gripper
2×10 reps (your effort level should be low)
Working gripper
3×5-7 reps (if you can go higher than this rep range, you need to up the poundage)
Goal gripper
3×1 rep (close the gripper as far as you can, then hold this position for 3-5 seconds)
Warm-up gripper
1×10 reps (focus on maintaining perfect form)
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