[jpagdilao]

Do hand grips really make your grip stronger? I'm trying improve my strength so that I have better control when holding the GI? Suggestions welcome.

[treoptika333]

Gi pullups. Yep.

[waterrob]

Towel pullups are awesome, too.

[Growler]

Most hand grippers you find at the local sporting goods store aren't really very strong. Ironmind has some which are considerably better, but honestly just deadlifts and pull-ups work pretty well and you already have access to that most likely.

[Vanilla Guerrilla]

I do a few things to strengthen grip.

A) I have the Orangahang from Origin Bjj. They came in over the weekend, and I love them. I had been using a hand towel, but this is significantly better, IMO. Really works the fingers a lot, and also works the forearm and wrist muscles some. But mostly finger strength, which is important, IMO. I attach it to my cable crossover and do lots of stuff: pec flies, preacher curls, rows, pull downs, lateral raises, etc etc. They have an oppening on one side with a built in collar, and I'll attach both of them to one cable and practice cross chokes with heavy weight resistance. Like I said, these things work the hell out of your fingers, and work your forearms too, just not as much as the next two things.

B) Homemade fat grips. I had an extra barbell, and I wrapped layers upon layers of duct tape on the places I’d grip (about 6 inches wide, and about 2.5 inches thick). Works great for working out the forearms. I attach it to the cable crossover and do curls, pull downs, rows, etc. My forearms get burning more than anything else.

C) Rope on a stick roll up. Easy to make, works great. Attach a cable, rope, or any type of wire to a short bar, in such a way that you can roll it up like a yoyo without it just spinning and not rolling up, and attach a weight to the other end of the cable/rope/wire, and roll it up. Seems to work best if you hold it close to your chest with your elbows out.

[BJJMark95]

The only thing that will TRUELY help your grips for jiu-jitsu that I have found:

Training consistently and..........TIME

[B-eras]

Standard pull up bar with old Gi jacket hanging from it, letting arm sleeves fall down to grip, start with legs bent touching floor pull self up, then work to straight leg, then lift complete body up with just finger sleeve grip. It has helped a lot!

Also, if you have sturdy hanging hooks, attack tennis ball to them and do pull ups. Brown belt from my gym does this, he also rolls gripping the tennis balls(not for grip strength)