Is it advisable to train the grip once per week, as with other muscle groups (typically), or more frequently?
I had a difficult time finding the answer to this one on the web, but I think I have found the solution. As Grapple Arts and Grippage explain, there are different facets to the grip, including wrist strength, finger strength, thumb strength, pinching and so on. There is also ’supporting grip’, examples of training for which would be holding onto a heavy bar, hanging from a chin bar, etc.
So the trick here seems to be to exercise these different aspect on different days. So one day might be crushing grip and pinching grip, and a few days later wrist strength (through plate curls) and thumb strength.
As you probably know, you also need to work the opposite muscles of the body limits development to prevent injuries due to uneven development. So exercises where the fingers spread out from a closed position, such as with bands around them, or when jabbed into a bucket of sand might need to be done too.
On top of that, there are grip exercises which involve holding heavy bags by the material (to simulate grabbing clothing or gi, for example), and using thick bars when doing normal weight training (foam is recommended, to simulate the ‘give’ of human limbs while grabbing, for greater transference of the strength gains). But it might not be ideal to do all of this at once, and instead to just focus on a few things at a time.
I am reading a great book called ‘Science and Practice of Strength Training’. It’s a classic text and I’ve had it for probably over five years, but only just getting around to reading it. The first part is theory, second part application.
An interesting fact in the theory section, is that muscles take, as a between-person average, around .4 seconds to produce their maximum possible force. There are many implications of this.
Take two fictional athletes, Bob, who can produce higher force overall, and Jim, who is stronger in the first .4 seconds of movement (called the deficit zone, if I remember correctly). Just for the sake of comparison say this holds true for all muscles and all movements. Now say they have an arm wrestle. Bob should win, because an arm wrestle last longer than .4 seconds, which is enough time for Bob to exert his higher maximal force. But say they have a vertical jump contest, or a punching power contest. Jim would win these, because although he is weaker overall, these exercises take place fully in the deficit zone.
Also, it is impossible to exert maximum muscular force in a punch, because again it is faster than .4 seconds.
If an athlete’s sport takes place mostly in the deficit zone, which is most sports, there is only so much that can be gained from maximal force training. After a certain point it becomes more efficient to focus on exercises that build up the ability to produce force quickly.
It’s obviously common knowledge that say, a boxer trains differently to a wrestler, but it’s interesting to know the science and principles behind it.
Bench press is a weakness of mine, being the only sub-200 lbs of the 3 major lifts for me. The main reasons are:
I have relatively long arms so the bar has further to travel (but this makes deadlift easier)
I have always used the flat back bodybuilder style technique
By having a flat back, less force can be transferred through the legs and into the bench, in the opposite direction to which the bar is moving. This is fine if you’re new to weights, or if you’re trying to build up the chest muscles, because the pecs are doing more of the work and going through a greater range of motion; but it’s not useful if you’re trying to lift as much weight as possible.
So one answer is the powerlifter’s arch, which I’ve shied away from because I have thought it is more likely to cause injury. But, after further research it seems it’s the upper part of the back which is arched, not the lower. And the ass is always on the bench.
See this video:
And this one:
One consideration might be the transfer of this to other movements – which is probably minimal since there is far less movement. But having said that, perhaps it is more useful in some cases, such as a punch straight from a guard where the hands and elbows are already forward.