Grip strength is a fundamental yet often overlooked aspect of fitness. It refers to the ability of your hands and forearms to generate force, allowing you to hold, lift, and carry objects with ease. Whether you’re opening a jar, carrying groceries, or swinging a golf club, grip strength plays a crucial role in daily activities and athletic performance.
Despite its importance, many people don’t actively train their grip, even though it impacts overall strength, coordination, and injury prevention. A weak grip can limit progress in weightlifting, reduce endurance in sports like tennis or rock climbing, and even indicate overall health and longevity.
What Is Grip Strength?
Grip strength is the force exerted by the muscles in your hands, fingers, and forearms. Understanding and improving grip strength can enhance performance in sports, reduce injury risk, and make everyday tasks easier. In the next sections, we’ll explore the benefits of strong grip strength and how to train it effectively.
How Is Grip Strength Tested?
Grip strength is commonly measured using a hand dynamometer, a device that assesses the force generated by your grip. This test is quick, easy, and widely used in sports performance, rehabilitation, and health assessments.
Grip Strength Testing Procedure:
- Prepare the Dynamometer – The handle is adjusted to fit the individual’s hand size for an optimal grip.
- Maximal Effort Grip – The individual squeezes the dynamometer as hard as possible for about 3–5 seconds without moving their arm or body.
- Repeat for Accuracy – The test is typically done three times per hand, with short breaks in between. The highest value recorded is used for comparison.
What Are Normal Grip Strength Ranges?
Normal grip strength varies by age and gender, but general averages are:
- Men:
- Ages 20–29: 44–55 kg (97–121 lbs)
- Ages 30–39: 42–52 kg (92–115 lbs)
- Ages 40–49: 40–50 kg (88–110 lbs)
- Ages 50–59: 36–46 kg (79–101 lbs)
- Ages 60+: 30–42 kg (66–92 lbs)
- Women:
- Ages 20–29: 27–35 kg (60–77 lbs)
- Ages 30–39: 26–33 kg (57–73 lbs)
- Ages 40–49: 24–32 kg (53–70 lbs)
- Ages 50–59: 22–30 kg (48–66 lbs)
- Ages 60+: 18–28 kg (40–62 lbs)
Grip strength below these ranges may indicate weakness, while significantly higher numbers suggest exceptional grip strength, often seen in athletes and manual laborers.
Benefits of Increased Grip Strength
- Improved Athletic Performance – Essential for sports like golf, tennis, weightlifting, and rock climbing.
- Better Functional Strength – Helps with daily tasks such as opening jars, carrying bags, and lifting objects.
- Reduced Risk of Injury – Stronger grip can prevent wrist, elbow, and shoulder injuries.
- Indicator of Overall Health – Studies show grip strength is linked to longevity, cardiovascular health, and reduced fall risk in older adults.
- Enhanced Lifting and Strength Training – Critical for exercises like deadlifts, pull-ups, and kettlebell workouts.
Grip Strength in Sports, Work and Everyday Life
Sports
In sports that involve lifting, throwing, swinging, or grappling—such as golf, tennis, rock climbing, and hockey—a strong grip enhances control, power, and endurance. A weak grip can lead to early fatigue, reduced precision, and a higher risk of injury, particularly in the wrists and forearms.
For example, studies have shown that the average male tour golfer has a grip strength between 50-60 kg, with the lead side being 5-10kg stronger. This increased grip strength is linked to better performance in golf, including increased clubhead speed, and improved control of the clubface.
Work
Grip strength isn’t just important for athletes—it can also be influenced by a person’s profession. Jobs that involve frequent manual labour, such as mechanics and construction workers, tend to require higher levels of grip strength compared to more sedentary occupations like office work. As a result, occupational demands play a key role in shaping an individual’s grip strength over time.
Everyday Life
Grip strength also plays a vital role in everyday life and is even linked to overall health and longevity. From carrying groceries and opening jars to lifting children, a strong grip makes daily tasks easier and reduces strain on the hands and wrists. Research suggests that grip strength is a key indicator of overall health, as it reflects muscle function, cardiovascular fitness, and physical resilience. Weak grip strength can lead to difficulties with fine motor skills, fatigue, and an increased risk of injury. By incorporating simple exercises like squeezing a stress ball or performing resistance training, anyone can improve their grip and enhance their quality of life.
Exercises to Build Grip Strength
While common grip exercises like wrist curls and squeezing putty can help improve your grip strength, incorporating more dynamic and functional movements can take it to the next level. Try some of the exercises below to build a stronger grip.
Farmers Walk
The farmer’s walk is a simple yet highly effective exercise for building grip strength, core stability, and overall endurance. To do it, pick up a heavy object in each hand (like dumbbells, kettlebells, or even grocery bags filled with weight), keep your shoulders back, engage your core, and walk in a straight line for a set distance or time. To make it harder, wrap a towel around the handles before gripping them—this increases the challenge for your forearms and grip strength. No fancy equipment? Load up reusable grocery bags with heavy items and carry them the same way!
Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings are a powerhouse exercise for building grip strength, explosive power, and endurance. As you swing the kettlebell back and forth, your hands and forearms must work hard to maintain control, improving grip endurance over time. The dynamic motion also engages your core, hips, and shoulders, making it a full-body workout. To increase the challenge for your grip, try using a thicker-handled kettlebell. No kettlebell? A heavy backpack or jug of water with a sturdy handle can work as a substitute!
Pronation/Supination
The pronation and supination exercise is great for strengthening the forearm muscles and improving wrist stability, which is key for sports like golf, baseball, and tennis. To do it, hold a golf club or baseball bat at shoulder height with one hand, gripping near the handle. Slowly rotate your wrist to turn the club or bat so it points downward (pronation), then rotate it back up and beyond so it points upward (supination). The farther your hand is from the weighted end, the harder it gets. For an extra challenge, use a heavier club, choke up less, or wrap a towel around the grip to make it tougher on your hands!
Kettlebell Bottoms Up
The bottoms-up kettlebell hold is an excellent exercise for improving grip strength, wrist stability, and shoulder control. To do it, hold a kettlebell upside down by the handle, keeping your wrist straight and elbow bent at 90 degrees. The unstable weight forces your grip and forearm muscles to work harder to maintain control. You can make it tougher by using a heavier kettlebell, extending your arm overhead, or holding it for longer.
Conclusion
Grip strength plays a vital role in both sports and daily life, influencing everything from athletic performance and injury prevention to simple everyday tasks. Incorporating grip-strengthening exercises into your exercise routine can lead to noticeable improvements in strength, endurance, and overall well-being. Even small efforts to build grip strength can result in big benefits, enhancing both performance and long-term health. Start today, and experience the difference a stronger grip can make!
If you’re recovering from an injury or looking to prevent one, the team at Sheddon Physiotherapy and Sports Clinic can help. Our experts provide personalized guidance and treatment plans to support your recovery and optimize your performance. Contact us today to book an appointment and take the next step toward better health!
Cronin, J., Lawton, T., Harris, N., Kilding, A., & McMaster, D. T. (2017). A brief review of handgrip strength and sport performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(11), 3187–3217.
