If you don’t include grip strength training in your workout regimen, it’s essential to rethink your strategy. Luke Jones, a certified personal trainer and movement coach at HERO Movement, highlights that grip strength is usually the first to tire out during strength-training sessions and is an aspect of fitness that is often neglected. Luke has created a top-notch grip strength routine to help you enhance your grip and boost your performance at the gym.

How Grip Strength Affects Lifting Weights

While grip exercises may not be as visually striking as heavy deadlifts or pull-ups, they can significantly impact your performance in those exercises. Luke points out, “When your grip weakens prematurely, your major muscle groups aren’t able to function effectively.”

A sturdy and reliable grip forms the basis for lifting heavier weights. For example, while executing deadlifts, having a firm grip establishes a solid connection with the bar, providing better control and stability.

“It builds trust with your nervous system so it’s more willing to let you access your full strength through the hips, legs, and back,” Luke adds. “In rows and pull-ups, a strong grip allows your forearms to keep pace with your larger pulling muscles, giving your lats and upper back the work they’re capable of. It’s a small detail that often unlocks much bigger results.”

The #1 Grip Strength Routine for Stronger Lifts

Luke incorporates grip work into the majority of his training sessions. Below are some of his go-to’s.

Kettlebell, Farmers, and Suitcase Carries

“Loaded carries help build support grip and overall tension, and thicker handles or towels challenge hand position and strength even more. Pinch grip can also be used,” Luke says.

He recommends starting with the basics then, once you progress, using thicker handles.

1. Hold a weight—dumbbell or kettlebell—in each hand.
2. Stand tall with your arms at your sides and your core activated.
3. Walk forward for a set distance or time.

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Hangs From a Pull-up Bar

“Hangs and monkey bars work the open-hand grip and shoulder stability—really useful for most pulling movements,” Luke explains.

1. Hold onto a pull-up bar with hands shoulder-distance apart, using an overhand grip.
2. Hang onto the bar with your arms extended and feet off the ground.
3. Maintain relaxed shoulders during hold.

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Mace Work

“Clubs, maces, and sticks bring in rotational control, wrist mobility, and dynamic grip endurance—one of my top tools for building real-world strength,” Luke tells us.

The long handle on a steel mace, along with the uneven weight distribution, provide a true challenge for your grip. Some exercises to incorporate the steel mace into include offset mace holds, two-handed 360 swings, and the mace uppercut or row.

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Climbing

“Climbing mixes up crush, pinch, and support grips and forces you to adapt in real time, which carries over well to other tasks,” Luke says.

So head to your local rock climbing gym and get climbing! Even better? This is sure to be an enjoyable, invigorating workout.

Alexa Mellardo