Grip strength development series part 7: The Plate Pinch

Hey folks,

This week I return with yet another awesome grip building exercise, the plate pinch. This exercise is a lot harder than it looks but produces great results. Don't let the weight you will be using fool you, as I'm sure you will have to start relatively light but I am certain you will soon see a real difference.

Simply get a smooth plate, not one with a little ledge to hold as that's cheating. Pinch the plate with all your fingers and thumbs as close to the edge of the plate as possible. Hold it by your side and squeeze those fingers and hands as if your life depended on it. Aim for 30-60sec holds. Once that feels comfortable go heavier. Another progression is to hold 2 plates together making for a thicker grip and a far more challenging exercise but still absolutely awesome for your finger, thumb, hand and forearm strength.

Remember, it's all well and good training your forearms but it's not the forearms that grab the bar it's the hands, so be sure to train them too.



Throw this into the mix and let me know how you get on. Again place it at the end of your workout as not to compimise your grip for other exercises.

When you have mastered this try reducing the numbers of fingers gripping the plate. A real test is the thumb and the two fingers next to it, brutal.

Make sure your fingers and thumbs are straight, if they are bent once again you are cheating. So start light, do it properly and build from there.

Enjoy and until next time,

Matt Whitmore

Two-Finger Single Arm Kettlebell Swing (Grip Strength Development Series: Part 6)

Hey Guys and Gals,

So last time round I hit you with a bit of 2 bells in one hand action and this week I want to stick with using kettlebells to advance you in your journey towards superior grip strength. I introduce - The 2 finger single arm kettlebell swing.

You may remember the 2 finger barbell deadlift I shared with you a couple of weeks back. As mentioned, training your fingers individually is a great way to improve your grip strength. The great thing with using the 2 finger grip on the swing is that it's incredibly demanding keeping a hold of an object that you are explosively swinging away from the body. This is why it is very important to start light to condition yourself properly and only progress when it feels comfortable to do so.

Whatever you do, DON'T take 1,2 or 3 finger grip work lightly as it's incredibly demanding on the fingers, ligaments and tendons but when done properly they are absolutely awesome grip building exercises.

As always mess around with the rep ranges depending on your goals. I like to go nice and heavy (as usual) on these with a 5-10 rep range but feel free to increase the rep range for more grip endurance.

Also, works great with double bell work (a kettlebell in each hand), inside the leg swings or Mike Mahler style outside the leg swings.

Give it a try and as always let me know what you think.



Have a great day,

Matt

The Double Kettlebell Single-Arm Swing (Grip Strength Development Series: Part 5)

Hey fellow lifters,

I thought I would mix things up this week and throw some awesome kettlebell exercises your way that will add some serious strength to your grip.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, adding thickness to the bar or object you're lifting will immediately challenge your grip in a completely different way. That's why this week I'm sharing with you the double kettlebell single arm swing. The technique remains the same as the traditional single arm swing with the only difference being that you will be holding two kettlebells (I know Im Stating the obvious but just to be clear). Whether you're a kettlebell sport kinda person or you prefer the hard style swing it works well for both.

It's important you get a really firm grip on the 2 bells before hiking the kettlebells back for the first rep and please don't be afraid to chalk up, it makes a huge difference to the lift.

I like to perform these as heavy as possible for anything between 5-10 reps for nice and explosive reps, however feel free to mix up the rep ranges to cater for your goals. 20-30 reps if you are looking to improve your grip endurance.

Throw this into your regular routine and I guarantee it will add great value to your kettlebell lifting. Using just 1 kettlebell will feel like a piece of cake.

Give it a try, enjoy and I look forward to sharing the next installment with you soon.



Have a great day.

Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,

Matt

Strength Workout: Friday 8th July

Superset the following for 5 sets of 5 reps, with 3 minutes rest between supersets.

2 progressively heavier warm up sets with 3 heavy working sets. Push those barriers. Once 3 working sets feels good, increase the weight and aim for 2 working sets. Once you have progressed to 3 working sets on this poundage repeat the process.

1. Bench Press using Fat Gripz
   Dumbell Rows using Fat Gripz
   
   
2. Bottom Position Squats (set the rack in the bottom position at parallel or just above and start your reps from a dead pause using no Momentum)
   Reverse grip barbell rows
   
   
3. Incline Dumbell Presses using Fat Gripz (set bench at about 30 degree angle)
   Stiff Leg Deadlifts

BioSignature Success in 4 Weeks

Having been training with Fitter London from early 2010 I had already seen a great progression in my overall strength and fitness but was still looking for that extra something to get the improvements I really wanted. I've been training for over 10 years and have always struggled to gain size and a considerable increase in strength, mainly thanks to what I thought was my high metabolism. Siting in the region of 70kg in body weight I am by no means a big guy and could consume up to 6000 calories a day, combined with a decent weight training program, was still only able to gain around 2-3kg in muscle mass that would then be lost if my calorie intake dropped. I'd resided to the fact that its just the way I am and was never going to get the strength gain I wanted.

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My initial assessment involved the measuring of my body fat percentage at 12 points around my body that revealed a current measurement of 11.8%. Then followed an in depth analysis of my current diet and lifestyle that was then followed by a strict 2 week diet and supplementation plan with the intention of getting my body fat percentage below 10% and a high intensity, varied training schedule based on the Fitter London classes and one personal training session a week with Matt.

The diet was a paleo based diet, high in protein and removing dairy and carb heavy food with the exception of fruit. I found the first few days a challenge as the craving for sugar set in and my body felt tired as it adapted to a protein based energy source. With the promise of a cheat day after two weeks on the plan, I could eat what ever I wanted. it wasn't a tough decision to stick with it and persevere.

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These two weeks had given me exactly what was promised when I decided to take on the BioSignature challenge and the next two weeks were set to see even more improvements. What I really liked about the whole concept was the combination of intelligent nutrition and supplementation and a focused training program that was specific to me and adapted to my body's needs as I progressed. Preparation was key to getting the diet bang on and admittedly, it was initially a struggle to prepare enough meat for my meals and to avoid resorting to quick fix meals like sandwiches. It soon became a part of my routine though and I enjoyed the challenge of coming up with carb free meals.

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