Product: Gillingham High Performance Hand Grippers (GHP)
Use: General grip strength training
Links:
Manufacturer's Information Page
Amazon Page to Purchase
Price / Value: These grippers are currently about $26 shipped if you have amazon prime or a little more if you don't. That's about in line with some other grippers out there at the higher end, and a little more pricey than the cheap ones. These are very much worth the money.
Description: Each gripper contains a single heavy duty coil spring which is mated to two aluminum handles. The handles are cut with knurling to aid in grip. The knurling is variable and deeper and shallower in different areas depending on what is needed. The two handles also have different milling. The handle with only a smooth line at the top is designed to rest against your palm where the one with multiple lines goes against the fingers. The knurling on the finger side is slightly shallower than the knurling on the palm side. The first few training sessions I had to stop before my hands were tired because the knurling hurt. For someone with "work worthy" hands it probably won't be a problem. If the knurling were any shallower, the grip wouldn't be sufficient.
Reason for Purchase: During our weekly training in South Bend I noticed that one of my major weaknesses was my grip strength. I'm a decently strong guy and I lift weights, but I felt weak when I was doing BJJ and especially wrestling. In order to remedy that I started researching guys who train grip strength professionally.
Main Review: There are a few brands of well known grippers and most use them as a competition. I searched through and decided to try the GHPs as they looked the best. I started with the #3 which is rated at 150lbs. I don't think the poundage label really has anything to do with a real test of strength...it's mostly just a label. The #3 is the last step in the "beginner" group and I figured it would be a good place to start.
When I first got the #3 I could only close it (like the picture above) 3 times or so with each hand. After training a few times over a week or so I quickly got to where I could close it 10 times with each hand. This is the time where the manufacturer recommended to move up a level. I ordered the #4 next and could only close it once or twice. After about a month of training twice a week while at my desk at work I worked up to 10 times per hand. About mid December I bought the #5. I'm still on it now (Mid Feb) and am only up to 5 or 6 times per hand. The #4 to #5 felt like a much bigger jump than the #3 to the #4. The jump to #6 is even larger. I'd like to one day work up to being able to close the #6 at least 5 times. Close it 10 means being at #7 and usually only professionals get to #7. The work it would take is likely into the diminishing returns for what I'm doing...but we'll see.
I've noticed significant increases in strength on my hand. Along with gripper training I've been doing some rubber band training where you wrap it around all 4 fingers and thumb then try to open your hand and spread your fingers. This works the other side of the forearm and seems to help balance things. I've went through some strange periods where I get small painful twinges or strange soreness but it goes away just like muscle aches and pains. I imagine it's weaknesses in the various connective tissues and muscles in my hands and forearms that haven't really been trained that much. My hands feel better and stronger now than they ever have in the past.
I've also noticed a significant increase in my ability to grab someone's wrist and keep control of it. If I get a 2-on-1 it's pretty difficult for someone to get my hands off of them. This is exactly what I was hoping for. Many of you have shaken hands with someone who is work-strong. Someone like a carpet layer, contractor, iron worker, etc. They are going to have naturally strong grip strength because they work with their hands every day. I sit at a desk all day, haven't done construction in over 10 years, and had started developing girly hands. This is getting me to a much higher level than through any other method I'd ever tried. I've also noticed that when I deadlift my grip strength doesn't give out before my legs/back which is a change for the better.
I'd highly recommend grip training for about anyone. There really isn't a downside to having stronger healthier hands. As a tool to achieve that, I think these grippers are about the best thing out there that I've come across.
Last edited:
