When it comes to training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, it’s no secret that grip strength is a big deal. Whether you’re doing nogi collar ties or lapel grips in the gi – you’ll need strong grips to help control and dominate your opponent.
Aside from natural strength and size, there are other ways to improve your grip strength. Like all muscles, if you train them – then you will gain strength. Sometimes, people forget that hand and forearm muscles can also grow in size and strength.
So, if you’re looking at ways to improve your grip strength then look no further. In this list, we have got a group of the best grip trainers going. You’ll also notice that there’s also quite a variety. From simulated gi patches to specific finger trainers, we have gathered a list that should offer something for everyone.
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Things to look for when buying BJJ grip trainers
When looking at buying grip trainers with BJJ in mind, there are a few things to consider. These are based on the following:
Price
Remember, price doesn’t always guarantee quality. Having said this, it also works the other way. Just because an item is cheap, it won’t always mean that it’s a bargain and some really cheap products may fall apart after a while. With this in mind, it’s a constant balance between paying for quality and not getting ripped off.
Quality
There are grip trainers, and then there are grip trainers. For instance, some may be made out of plastic, as opposed to steel. Arguably, it’s worth paying a little extra for a material such as steel because it will last longer. Some products are built to last more than others – as a result it’s worth checking the materials before buying.
Specific Reason
If you want to train your grips for the gi – then there are specific grip trainers that are made with the gi in mind. If you want to train for no gi, then there are better suited no gi items instead. Usually, the gi grippers are based on finger and hand strength, whereas no gi grip trainers are based on forearm strength instead. This is something to consider.
Practicality
Lastly, the practical nature of your product is also worth consideration. For instance, if you want something small that you can use at work or on the couch, then certain grip trainers are better than others. However, if you want something to hang off your wall, then there are other products out there as well. In short, try to find the product that best fits your lifestyle.
SUPERBJJ Jiu Jitsu Grip Trainer
As seen, this grip trainer is perfect for those who train in the gi. Specifically, this is made to simulate gripping materials such as the lapel and collars. In short, it’s perfect for those that play a lasso or spider guard based game. Due to the cables involved, these give a perfect push and pull mechanism that will work your hands and forearms.
If you use this for even a few minutes, then you’ll easily feel a burn in your tendons. As you can imagine, training with this for a few weeks or months will definitely improve your grip strength and will give you iron grips that would rival any veteran black belt! Simply put, there’s not much else on the market like this which is ideal for gi players.
Logest Metal Hand Grip Set
The Logest metal hand grip set comes in a pack of three, providing grippers that range from 100lbs to 200lbs. These are a very old-school way of improving your grip strength which even pre-dates Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The premise is simple, you hold the small bars in between your hand and squeeze. The tension created by the mechanics of the bars puts real force on your muscles – particularly your thumb muscle.
It goes without saying that if you can improve your thumb muscles then this will go a long way in grappling. This is because out of all your digits, you will always need to use your thumbs when making grips. Whether this goes for gi or no gi, it is something important to follow. Thankfully, this grip set is also inexpensive which is a nice bonus.
Jinyun Finger Exerciser & Hand Strengthener
Built with athletes in mind, this is a weird looking device that will make your finger strength bullet proof. The way it works is that it has five rings for each finger. These rings are attached to a frame by coils that provide resistance to your fingers. Here, you bend your fingers whilst holding the rings, and the coils will create a tough workout.
Interestingly, this product even claims that it will give you the strength to crush an apple with only one hand. Whilst this may seem odd, it’s highly possible if you developed your fingers enough. Arguably, this grip strengthener would be most appropriate for gi players. The reason for this is that it is based mostly on finger strength which is best for gripping the gi. Having said this, you would still see gains using this for no gi as well.
Artanchao Finger Grip Strengthener
If you’re looking for something a little different, then the Artanchao finger grip strengthener may be something to consider. This is basically a ball that fits in the palm of your hand and has five cylinders poking out for the tips of your fingers.
Basically, you then squeeze these cylinders as you would with a stress ball, and the coils will provide resistance to your hand muscles. The beauty of this is that it can literally be done whilst watching TV on your sofa. In other words, it’s a pretty lazy and passive way to improve your grip strength which is ideal if you already lead a busy lifestyle. Priced at under $25, this is possibly the best grip strengthened for beginners due to its practical nature.
Viking strength Forearm Blaster
The Viking strength forearm blaster is a modern twist on an old method of improving your grips. Basically, you can do a similar grip workout using a damp towel. Of course, the Viking strength instrument is much more efficient and more practical. In fact, it even comes with an app that shows you how to perform the optimal workouts with the blaster.
Most of these workouts include attaching a weight to the chain and then using your forearms to lift the weight upward. This sounds basic but if you’ve ever done this, you’ll realize that it will burn your grips in no time. Sometimes, the older methods are the best – and if you use this, you will see quick results in the gym.
YCHLCHL Wooden Pull Up Grips
The YCHLCHL grip strengthen is meant to be used alongside pull-ups. With this in mind, you will need a pull-up bar, to begin with. This product works by strapping the objects onto the bar and then doing pull-ups with them. The catch? These are made of wooden balls and cylinders which makes it incredibly difficult to grip.
As a result, you will start using more unusual hand and forearm muscles which is where you’ll gain your strength from. If you follow him, you’ll notice that BJJ black belt Daniel Stauss uses this method and he is arguably one of the strongest men in BJJ. Although grueling, this is a sure-fire method to strengthen your grips.
How to improve your grip strength for BJJ
Let’s face it – we’d all like to improve our grip strength for BJJ. The good news is that this also happens naturally over time and explains why most black belts typically have stronger grips than most. This is because of years of grip fighting, and naturally learning how and when to grip as efficiently as possible.
For instance, if you grip with your elbow by your hip, it will structurally be stronger than with an extended arm. This is basic mechanics but can take years to figure out. As well, black belts will also spend years holding on to their opponents which will also strengthen their hands and arms.
As mentioned though, if you’re looking for a shortcut method then the aforementioned grip trainers really do work very well. This is because they fast-forward your grip strength by providing hours of gripping at home. Thankfully, most of these products aren’t particularly expensive either which means anyone can use them.
