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How to improve grip strength for basketball
How to improve grip strength for basketball
Palm a Basketball with this Grip Strengthening Basketball...
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Athletes who plays basketball want to do three things: dunk the ball, spin the ball on their finger and palm the basketball.
Palming a ball requires grip strength. A strong grip will not only help you grip a basketball, it will also help your overall game. Grip strength will give you more control when you dribble and better “touch” when you shoot.
The following six grip-strengthening exercises will help you palm a basketball and improve your game in no time.
1. Barbell Reverse Grip Curls
Curls are a great biceps isolation move that can also increase your grip strength. Using a barbell instead of an EZ Bar forces you to use a fatter grip and really recruit your forearm muscles to keep the bar level. Using a reverse, or overhand, grip, you fight gravity more, making it harder to lift the bar.
How To Perform:
- Grasp a bar with an overhand grip, hands about shoulder-width apart.
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- Keeping your back straight, elbows close to your body, and shoulders retracted, curl the bar by bending at your elbows.
- Do not flare your elbow, lean too far back or use your momentum to curl the bar.
- Sets/Reps: 3×10-12
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2. Fingertip Push-Ups
Palming a basketball is not just about forearm strength. It’s also about finger strength. Performing Push-Ups on your fingertips leads to an increase in finger strength and therefore grip strength.
How to Perform:
- Get into a standard push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart, and your core, glutes and lower back contracted.
- Instead of placing the palms of your hands on the floor, hold yourself up with your fingertips spread out on the floor.
- Sets/Reps: 3×15-20
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3. Towel Grip Pull-Ups
Pull-Ups are one of the best upper-body exercises for athletes. How many you can do depends largely on your grip strength. A great way to add a grip variation to a normal Pull-Up is to wrap two towels around the bar and grasp those instead of the bar. The unusual neutral grip requires more muscle recruitment in the forearms and hand musculature.
How To Perform:
- Wrap two towels over a pull-up bar about shoulder-width apart, with the two ends of the towel hanging evenly.
- Grasp both ends of the towels with a neutral grip.
- Perform a standard Pull-Up, pulling with your upper back and not just your biceps.
- Sets/Reps: 3×10-12
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4. Cable Reverse Grip Tricep Push-Downs
This exercise mimics Barbell Reverse Grip Curls, but targets the triceps and forearms.
Once again, the reverse grip provides less leverage, making your forearms and hand musculature work harder to push the weight down. This will ultimately lead to a stronger grip, making it easier to palm a basketball. The triceps muscles are important for basketball players, since they play a crucial role in shooting and passing strength.
How To Perform:
- Attach a straight curl bar to a cable and adjust the height so it is at the top of the tower.
- Grasp the bar with an underhand grip.
- Keeping your elbows close to your body and your back straight, push the bar down until your elbows are straight.
- Slowly raise the bar until your elbows are at 90 degrees, and repeat the motion.
- Sets/Reps: 3×10-12
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5. Towel Grip Inverted Rows
These confer the same benefits as Towel Grip Pull-Ups, but focus more on the rhomboid muscles than the biceps.
Performing this exercise with towels also increases grip strength, which will help you palm the basketball and have more control when dribbling.
How To Perform:
- Adjust a Smith machine bar to waist height, or rack a barbell at waist height on a free-weight squat rack.
- Wrap two towels over the bar about shoulder-width apart, with the two ends of each towel hanging evenly.
- Lie down on the floor underneath the bar and grasp both ends of the towels.
- Keeping your back and legs straight, and your glutes contracted, pull your chest up to the bar.
- Focus on retracting your shoulders and using your rhomboids more than your biceps.
- Sets/Reps: 3×15-20
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6. Pinch Plate Farmer’s Walk
Holding a heavy weight plate in each hand while you walk can be a grueling workout for your hand musculature and forearms.
To make them even harder, try grasping a weight plate with just your fingers. This will increase the muscular endurance of your grip.
How To Perform:
- Grasp a weight plate in each hand with a pinch grip. Don’t use the handles!
- Keeping good posture, walk 50 yards with the plates by your sides without stopping.
- Sets/Distance: 3×50 yards
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Continue your grip training with these workouts:
- Grip and Rip With Rice Bucket Hand-Strengthening Exercises
- 5 Time-Saving Grip Strength Exercises
- 3 Easy Steps for a Stronger Grip
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Athletes who plays basketball want to do three things: dunk the ball, spin the ball on their finger and palm the basketball.
Palming a ball requires grip strength. A strong grip will not only help you grip a basketball, it will also help your overall game. Grip strength will give you more control when you dribble and better “touch” when you shoot.
The following six grip-strengthening exercises will help you palm a basketball and improve your game in no time.
1. Barbell Reverse Grip Curls
Curls are a great biceps isolation move that can also increase your grip strength. Using a barbell instead of an EZ Bar forces you to use a fatter grip and really recruit your forearm muscles to keep the bar level. Using a reverse, or overhand, grip, you fight gravity more, making it harder to lift the bar.
How To Perform:
- Grasp a bar with an overhand grip, hands about shoulder-width apart.
- Keeping your back straight, elbows close to your body, and shoulders retracted, curl the bar by bending at your elbows.
- Do not flare your elbow, lean too far back or use your momentum to curl the bar.
- Sets/Reps: 3×10-12
For privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.
I Accept
2. Fingertip Push-Ups
Palming a basketball is not just about forearm strength. It’s also about finger strength. Performing Push-Ups on your fingertips leads to an increase in finger strength and therefore grip strength.
How to Perform:
- Get into a standard push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart, and your core, glutes and lower back contracted.
- Instead of placing the palms of your hands on the floor, hold yourself up with your fingertips spread out on the floor.
- Sets/Reps: 3×15-20
For privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.
I Accept
3. Towel Grip Pull-Ups
Pull-Ups are one of the best upper-body exercises for athletes.
How many you can do depends largely on your grip strength. A great way to add a grip variation to a normal Pull-Up is to wrap two towels around the bar and grasp those instead of the bar. The unusual neutral grip requires more muscle recruitment in the forearms and hand musculature.
How To Perform:
- Wrap two towels over a pull-up bar about shoulder-width apart, with the two ends of the towel hanging evenly.
- Grasp both ends of the towels with a neutral grip.
- Perform a standard Pull-Up, pulling with your upper back and not just your biceps.
- Sets/Reps: 3×10-12
For privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.
I Accept
4. Cable Reverse Grip Tricep Push-Downs
This exercise mimics Barbell Reverse Grip Curls, but targets the triceps and forearms. Once again, the reverse grip provides less leverage, making your forearms and hand musculature work harder to push the weight down.
This will ultimately lead to a stronger grip, making it easier to palm a basketball. The triceps muscles are important for basketball players, since they play a crucial role in shooting and passing strength.
How To Perform:
- Attach a straight curl bar to a cable and adjust the height so it is at the top of the tower.
- Grasp the bar with an underhand grip.
- Keeping your elbows close to your body and your back straight, push the bar down until your elbows are straight.
- Slowly raise the bar until your elbows are at 90 degrees, and repeat the motion.
- Sets/Reps: 3×10-12
For privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.
I Accept
5. Towel Grip Inverted Rows
These confer the same benefits as Towel Grip Pull-Ups, but focus more on the rhomboid muscles than the biceps. Performing this exercise with towels also increases grip strength, which will help you palm the basketball and have more control when dribbling.
How To Perform:
- Adjust a Smith machine bar to waist height, or rack a barbell at waist height on a free-weight squat rack.
- Wrap two towels over the bar about shoulder-width apart, with the two ends of each towel hanging evenly.
- Lie down on the floor underneath the bar and grasp both ends of the towels.
- Keeping your back and legs straight, and your glutes contracted, pull your chest up to the bar.
- Focus on retracting your shoulders and using your rhomboids more than your biceps.
- Sets/Reps: 3×15-20
For privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.
I Accept
6. Pinch Plate Farmer’s Walk
Holding a heavy weight plate in each hand while you walk can be a grueling workout for your hand musculature and forearms. To make them even harder, try grasping a weight plate with just your fingers. This will increase the muscular endurance of your grip.
How To Perform:
- Grasp a weight plate in each hand with a pinch grip. Don’t use the handles!
- Keeping good posture, walk 50 yards with the plates by your sides without stopping.
- Sets/Distance: 3×50 yards
For privacy reasons YouTube needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.
I Accept
Continue your grip training with these workouts:
- Grip and Rip With Rice Bucket Hand-Strengthening Exercises
- 5 Time-Saving Grip Strength Exercises
- 3 Easy Steps for a Stronger Grip
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How to Build Finger Strength for Basketball | Live Healthy
By Kay Tang
Strong fingers and hands are crucial to a basketball player's performance. The majority of the movements -- dribbling, passing, intercepting, blocking, shooting -- is performed with your fingers and hands.
Weak fingers will negatively impact your ball handling and shooting. To strengthen your fingers and improve grip strength, you can perform a variety of exercises, ranging from lifting weights to dribbling drills. In addition, conditioning your digits can help to prevent common injuries -- jammed or sprained fingers -- which can land you on the bench.
Raise a Weight Plate
Perform a finger raise with a weight plate, which strengthens your fingers as well as the muscles in your forearms powering your grip. Begin by picking up a 10-lb. Olympic weight plate in each hand.
Hold the plates by your sides with palms facing your body and your thumbs pressing against the plate's flat side. Extend your fingers to lower the plates.
Lift the plate by curling and closing your fingers. Perform 10 to 15 reps. Increase the load to 25 lbs. and then 45 lbs. as grip grows stronger.
Dribble with One Finger
Execute a dribbling exercise with two balls in which you strengthen each finger.
Begin by crouching low to the ground and dribbling a ball 10 times with each hand.
Dribble the balls 10 times with only your thumbs. Try dribbling as hard as you can with one finger on one ball. Dribble next with only your forefingers 10 times. Continue this pattern for your middle fingers, ring fingers and pinkies.
Repeat the exercise but speed up the dribbling. Stay low to the ground, keeping your dribble at ankle height.
Squeeze for Strength
Perform squeezing exercises with your fingers to improve grip strength. Begin by holding a basketball above your shoulder with your right hand.
Draw your fingers together slowly, squeezing the ball until it pops out of your hand. Perform 15 reps and then repeat the exercise with your left hand.
Squeeze an old tennis ball with your right hand, pressing your fingers into the ball with as much force as possible. Perform 15 reps for each hand.
Volley for the Fingertips
Volley the basketball between your fingertips to develop strength and control of the ball at the ends of your fingers.
Begin by positioning your hands in front of you at chest height and holding them 3 to 4 inches apart.
Pass the ball back and forth between your hands for five to 10 minutes, using the tips of your fingers but not your thumbs. Raise the volley to face height and continue for another three minutes.
Place your hands behind your head and volley the ball for three minutes. Finish the exercise by bending your knees and volleying the ball as low to the ground as possible for three minutes.
Stretch with a Band
Stretch the antagonist muscles of your fingers, wrists and forearms after doing grip-strengthening exercises to maintain muscular balance. Begin by forming your hand into a crescent or C shape.
Loop a rubber band around your fingertips and thumbs of your right hand. Wrap the band around your fingers twice to remove any slack if necessary. Spread your fingers and thumb slowly as if they're flower petals blooming.
Reverse the motion to return to starting position.
Perform 10 reps. Repeat the stretch for your left hand.
References
- The Men's Health Guide to Peak Conditioning; Richard Laliberte
- Basketball for Women; Nancy Lieberman
- Diesel Crew: Training Grip Strength for Basketball Players
- Winning Basketball for Girls; Faye Young Miller and Wayne Coffey
- BasketballCoach.com: Basketball Ball Handling Drills - Perfect Ballhandling
- Basketball Guard Play; Steve Alford and Ed Schilling
Tips
- Focus on developing the strength of your non-dominant hand and fingers, which will afford you more options during game play.
Warnings
- Avoid exercising through finger-related injuries or pain. If you're experiencing pain in your hands or fingers, consult with your doctor.
Writer Bio
Kay Tang is a journalist who has been writing since 1990. She previously covered developments in theater for the "Dramatists Guild Quarterly." Tang graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science from Yale University and completed a Master of Professional Studies in interactive telecommunications at New York University.
projectiles and exercises for development
Many people often use the hand trainer just for fun. But if you really want to improve your athletic performance, then modern simulators will help! We present an overview of effective simulators that will tell you how to increase your grip strength.
Hand strength: what is its importance?
The performance of basic exercises with a barbell and dumbbells with a large weight mainly depends on the "strength of the arms", or rather, the strength of the hands and fingers. If you have weak muscles in your forearms and wrists, you simply won't be able to hold the projectile. Therefore, you should not take on large weights before increasing the grip strength.
The main exercises that require a strong grip are the deadlift and the barbell row. Developed wrists are important when doing pull-ups, bench presses, and barbell curls. Due to weak forearms and fingers, movements will be incorrect.
We train the forearms
Grip strength develops gradually.
The basic exercises for pumping up the muscles of the forearms are the extension and flexion of the hands with a barbell. To do this, stand up straight and take a light barbell; bend your arms at the elbows so that the forearms are parallel to the floor; raise and lower the barbell with a movement of the brush.
Perform a forward and reverse grip alternately (in the first case, the palm is pointing down, in the second - up). Do 12-15 reps. You can work on a simplified version in which the bench serves as a support for the forearms.
We develop grip strength on simulators
For training at home, there are devices and simulators specifically for training the muscles of the forearms and hands (for example, expanders and gyroscopes). You can also use additional elements for strength exercises (neck expanders).
Since the musculature of the forearm and arms consists of many muscle groups, it is considered one of the most complex.
Each of the simulators has its own advantages, training the hands, forearms, arms in different ways.
IronMind egg
Hand grip strength is increased not only in the gym, but also with the help of compact devices. This simulator in the form of a polymer egg is perfect for warming up the muscles of the forearm, hands and fingers before training on expanders. It is also useful for recuperation between workouts or during rehabilitation after injuries. It is made from materials of different densities, which makes it possible to work with different forces. The exercise is performed with the whole brush or individual fingers.
Hand Grip Strength Development
The Hand Grip is a safe alternative to barbell hand extension and curl exercises that train similar muscles. The main advantage of the expander is the possibility of operation outside the gym.
There are many variations of such simulators:
- Expanders for each hand (represents 2 handles on a spring).
- Expanders for working with both hands at the same time.
- "Spinning" expander (or PowerBall gyroscope).
- Rubber rings.
Gyro training PowerBall
Research by physiologist S. Axel in 2008 showed that just 4 weeks of regular training on the gyro machine significantly increases the strength of the muscles of the forearm, and also improves wrist reflexes.
PowerBall is used in physiotherapy as a rehabilitation therapy tool for arthritis and hand deformities. In addition, the simulator plays an important role in the prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome (a disease of office workers).
Fat Grifz Grip Strength Exercises
The grip strength of the hand is effectively increased by using special attachments on the bar that increase its diameter. By the way, training with a thicker bar for pull-ups, bench presses, and curls significantly increases the work of the musculature of the hand and forearm.
Athletes who use the Fat Grifz are pleased not only with improved grip strength and forearm muscle growth, but also with a more accurate understanding of the technique and mechanics of movement.
An added benefit is the addition of workload in basic exercises.
Effective trainer Wrist Roller
The principle of operation of the trainer is to wind a rope with an additional load on a special handle 50 cm long and 3 cm in diameter. An important advantage of Fat Grifz is the possibility of making it from improvised means.
This machine is great for building up the forearm muscles responsible for hand rotation. There is no direct analogue to this exercise, but related to it are extension and flexion of the hands with a barbell.
Conclusion
This was an overview of the most popular hand trainers for developing grip strength. Of course, the sports industry is growing at a rapid pace. But the effectiveness of these simulators has been tested for years and has proven itself in practice from the best side! They will definitely come in handy in your life, so they will not just take up space in the pantry.
Improve your grip strength: how to strengthen your forearms and improve your grip
Everyone needs grip strength, not just cast iron lifters.
Also in everyday life, strong forearms and a strong grip have many advantages. Find out in this article why you need to improve your grip strength and, above all, how to do it.
What is grip strength?
By grip strength we mean the force that must be exerted to grasp something. From shaking hands to carrying bags or boxes to pull-ups, your grip strength is constantly required.
When your fingers act, such as grasping, spreading, squeezing, or squeezing something, it is your hands that are actually doing the hard work. To have a slightly muscular forearm is a fundamental prerequisite for great grip strength. The muscles responsible for this strength extend from the elbow to the fingertips and are found on both the front and back of the forearm.
©BJI Blue Jean Images
Different types of grip strength
Basically, there are five types of grip strength. Depending on the activity or exercise performed, different muscles are used.
- La force pressante (Crushing grip): You grab onto something and hold on tight.
You need this strength when, for example, you do pull-ups or deadlifts. - Wrist Strength: You lock your wrists to build finger strength, for example during dumbbell exercises such as bicep curls or lateral raises.
- Thumb Strength (Pinch): You take an object, such as a weighted disk, and place it between your thumb and fingers.
- Finger strength: Spread your fingers as far apart as possible.
- Holding force (holding grip): You stretch your fingers and hold an object in your open palm, such as a basketball, a thick barbell, or several plates.
What muscles does grip strength use?
To develop grip strength, the muscles of the forearm and hand must work together. The muscles of the forearm are made up of 19 different muscle bundles, including extensor muscles and flexor muscles. Their origin is mainly in the elbows. Muscle fibers begin here, running along the wrist and ending for the most part at the fingertips.
When you move your finger, the force generated comes mainly from your forearm.
As for the mobility of your hand, there are more than thirty muscles responsible for movement, distributed between the palm and thumb. Fingers are not made up of muscles. So if you want to work on grip strength, you should be targeting your forearms.
© Nastasich
How important is grip strength in training?
The forearms are a relatively small group of muscles. Therefore, it is not surprising that they are often overlooked in strength training. Most athletes focus primarily on the bust, legs, and biceps. However, it would be quite appropriate to pay more attention to the muscles of the forearm. Because, at the end of the day, everyone needs grip strength, and that's all the time.
Here are the benefits of regular grip strength training:
- Do more reps: Grip strength is the limiting factor for many exercises, like when you have to stop the last set of a deadlift because you can no longer hold the barbell.
And this, even if there is still enough juice in the muscles you are targeting. - You increase your basal metabolism: The greater your grip strength, the better your body will perform during your workout. You have more strength, you progress and build muscle faster, which in turn increases your basal metabolic rate.
- You avoid injury: You are as strong as the weakest member of the chain. If your grip strength is not up to par with other muscle groups, you will overload your body and be more prone to injury.
- You improve your performance in many disciplines: Grip strength is required not only in bodybuilding. In rock climbing, gymnastics, and other ball sports like basketball, strong forearms will help you a lot.
- You are getting stronger every day: Running errands up to the 5th floor, carrying children from room to room or moving house. In many areas of life, grip strength helps keep you from panting too quickly.
- You secure your autonomy and a good quality of life: Research shows that people with strong grip become more independent and healthier with age.
- You are more confident and attractive: Scientists have found that men with strong arms are more attractive than those without them. On the other hand, a firm handshake indicates strong self-confidence.
How to improve grip strength?
©Skynesher
As you can see, it makes sense to spend some energy and time working on grip strength. And the good news is that you won't get bored. There are many exercises and devices that can help you increase your grip strength in a targeted manner.
Proven accessories for strengthening the forearms, wrists and hands include, for example:
- Weight Clamp: This is a hand clamp.
- Finger ring: Tension resistance band with holes for each finger.
- Andrier coil: Heavy rod with rotating tips.
- Thick Grip: Plastic sheath to increase the diameter of the weight bars.
Other accessories ideal for use in the office or when traveling on public transport include stress balls or tennis balls.
In addition, you can also work on your grip strength by doing the following exercises:
Grip Strength Exercises
Farm Walk
distance.
Important: tighten your bust and stay straight. Take small steps. Open your chest well and pull your shoulder blades together.
Deadlift
©Skynesher
Grip strength is important for barbell deadlifts. Grasp the top of the bar, lying on the ground or at a height, with your palms facing you (pronation). Tilt your pelvis forward and lift the bar along your shins to your thighs. Your knees are slightly bent and your back remains straight.
Tip: For targeted work, hold the boom up for a few seconds before lowering it.
Rowing bar
© Nastasich
Take the bar, palms facing the ceiling (supination).
Bend your knees and tilt your chest forward. Your back is straight and your chest is pulled in. Pull your shoulder blades back and open your chest wide. Now lift the barbell by tucking your elbows behind your waist.
Hold this position for a few seconds to further increase your grip strength. Important: Wrists are straight and never bent.
Drawbar Harnesses
©Skynesher
Instead of traditional pull-ups, you can simply grab the bar with one or two hands and suspend your body. At first glance, simple, in fact, it is an intense workout of the muscles of the hands, shoulders and forearms.
Important: Squeeze your bust and bring your shoulder blades together. Do not sway, but remain suspended and motionless.
Grabbing Weight Plates
This exercise is simple and can be done at any time in the gym as soon as you change the load. Take the disks from above. Grasp them firmly, lift up and hold the position. This exercise is an excellent workout for maintaining strength.
How often should I work on grip strength?
Considering grip strength is already an important first step. Many athletes neglect their forearms, which slows down their progress. Ideally, include forearm exercises in your training program at a speed of two or three times a week . A mini-series of five minutes is enough, you should not overdo it either. Give this relatively small muscle group time to recover from a workout. Otherwise, you may not have enough strength to work with other large target muscles.
Tip: Place a stress relief ring or ball next to your desk or sofa. So you can use them at any time to work on your grip strength. The possibilities are many and the time spent is always worth it. You will especially notice this when you can easily complete the last set of deadlifts without loosening your grip.
In addition to regular exercise, diet is the basis for developing your muscles. So do not forget to provide your body with enough protein and carbohydrates daily.
