Welcome to my grip strength workout plan, which will include a PDF at the end of the article for you to download – completely free and no email required. All that I ask is that if you find value in the workout, follow me on YouTube. I don’t believe in fluff content, so we’re going to get right to it.
Having grip strength is super important for many different types of people, such as those who consider themselves weight lifters, senior citizens, athletes and even the hard workers out there grinding it out on a day job that is rough on the hands.
This workout is perfect to add at the end of your upper body workout days and should only take you 10-15 minutes to complete. I also do this workout on my non-lifting days – I’ll do a myx fitness ride for 30 minutes, then end with this grip strength workout to complete my 45 minute workout.
Purpose of the Workout
The purpose of this workout is to increase grip strength. Having a strong grip can improve all aspects of your fitness or athletic career. For example, I played (a long time ago LOL) Quarterback in college, and having a strong grip allowed me to handle the ball much more effectively and improved my arm strength, give a nasty stiff arm to a defender and overall it improved my confidence.
The same can be said if you play baseball, golf, field hockey, tennis, hockey, lacrosse or anything that you have to grip a stick / bat and produce a certain level of swing speed to compete at a high level. Grip strength can increase those numbers.
And, in everyday life, whether you’re old or young, you want to have a firm, strong handshake when you meet people and introduce yourself. What you don’t want is to have “fish hands” and a weak handshake. Here at FTS, we’re all about helping you improve your confidence through workouts, this grip strength workout plan does just that!
Equipment That You’ll Need for This Workout
- Dumbbells / Kettlebell
- Weight Plate
- Barbell
Grip Strength Moves Breakdown
In this section, I’ll break down each grip strength workout movement so you know exactly how to perform each exercise! Let’s begin!
Finger Tip Push-ups
Begin by getting in a push-up position with all your fingers on the ground. Beginners should use their knees. If you want more of a challenge, you’ll want to get in a normal push-up position, off of your knees.
Go all the way down (chin should touch the ground) and push up with your fingers to go all the way up.
Repeat movement, making sure your back and glutes are flat, not sticking out.
Kettlebell Straight Arm Holds (1 hand at a time)
Begin by being in an athletic stance. Grip the kettlebell or dumbbell and hold it up over your shoulder.
Hold this position for 30 seconds if you’re a beginner, and 1 minute for stronger people. To add more of a challenge, walk forward and backward until time is up, while remaining in an upright position.
Repeat movement with other hand.
Substitutes for Kettlebell: If you don’t have kettlebells, use a dumbbell. If you don’t have a dumbbell, fill up an empty gallon of milk jug with water.
Weight Plate Holds
Begin by being in an athletic stance once again. Take two weighted plates with thickness (I use Rogue Fitness 45 lbs weight plates for this exercise) and hold them with both hands as your arms hang from each side of your body.
Hold this position for 30 seconds if you’re a beginner (use 25 lbs weight plates), and 1 minute for those that want a challenge (increase weight to 35 lbs or 45 lbs weight plates). To increase the challenge, walk forward and backward until time is up, while remaining in an athletic position.
Repeat movement.
Substitutes for weight plates: If you don’t have weight plates, you can use the top of a dumbbell or something thick and heavier.
Standing Barbell Wrist Curls – Front and Behind
Begin by standing in an athletic position and hold the barbell in front of you with your hands just inside shoulder width.
Curl up with your wrist, activating the forearm and wrist muscles, then bring back down. Repeat movement.
Next, hold the barbell behind your back with your hands just inside shoulder width. Again, curl up activating those forearm muscles.
Substitutes for Barbell: If you don’t have a barbell, you can use dumbbells or a PCP pipe with a string attached with weight at the end of the rope. If you don’t have any equipment, you can do this exercise without it, but just know it will be difficult to gain strength without resistance.
Grip Strength Workout Plan and PDF Download
Below, you’ll see my grip strength workout plan. There's also a PDF below this table (no you don't need to submit your email). All I ask is that if you get value from this workout, follow me on YouTube.
| Move | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Finger Tip Push-ups | 3 | 20 / 40 for advanced |
| Kettlebell Straight Arm Holds | 5 | 30 seconds / 1 minute for advanced |
| Weight Plate Holds | 5 | 30 seconds / 1 minute for advanced |
| Standing Barbell Wrist Curls | 3 | 30 / 50 for advanced |