Obviously, the best way to increase grip strength is by actually using your grip to grab on to things. If you do this without really thinking about it, like you partake in an activity like Judo or Rock Climbing, then your grip will most probably be much stronger than the average person. In my opinion, due to so much grabbing and twisting of the Gi (martial arts uniform) some of the people with the strongest grip, and most usable in a real situation, are Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu players. But if you don't do those type of activities there are still many ways to get better grip strength. However, all of them, whether free or paid for (buying hand grips etc), all come down to one thing, and that's usage.
Practise Practise Practise. The more you actually use your grip, especially at its highest physical limit, the more stronger and efficient it will become. There are so many pieces of cheap equipment out there that you can buy which help increase grip strength. But why spend money when there are so many free ways to work on your grip strength. Of course, some of the products are quite cheap and effective, so if you want to buy something low in price to help motivate you, then that's fine.
But lets look at a few exercises you can do for free that help increase grip strength. Some of those are, pull ups, door lip pull ups / hangs (top of the door frame), holding a weight plate with just your fingers, bar hanging for prolonged periods, unscrewing tight lids / tops, manual work (grabbing, shovelling, wood work, lifting, carrying, manual screwing (no drills), certain types of weight lifting, and many many more free methods.
As mentioned, you can buy products like hand grips (many different types), the Wringer, and a whole host of individual finger exercisers, like the Gripmaster range. But really, if you are going to invest in a gripping aid you may as well buy something heavy duty that can last a long time, because with normal hand grips, there are so many complaints about them snapping after a while.
The newer models that have a little spring at the front are notorious for this. And when you consider that products like the industrial spring loaded hand grip by Senshi Japan (pictured above) only cost around £20 - £25, it makes sense to buy that because they truly do last for decades.
You could buy something like the Isokinator, which comes complete fabric cord handles that the user holds onto while training. This will somewhat work the users grip. But why spend that much money, especially if your only goal is hand strength, when there are so many other devices that can do the job much cheaper.
Never heard of the Isokinator before? Well that's not surprising. It is a product that up until now has been operating somewhat under the radar. That's not a bad thing, and is certainly no reflection on how effective it is. Are you someone who frequents the gym and are happy doing so. If that's a yes, you probably don't need an Isokinator in your life. That's not to say you couldn't make use of it, of course you could. But its more of a product for those who don't have much time for the gym and want to fit in a basic but potentially thorough (depending how high you set the device) all-body workout in to their day within the space of 20 - 30 minutes.
The man responsible for this strange looking contraption is Gert F. Koelbel. He is the guy who also brought the Bullworker to the world, so he has a good track record. All the models of Isokinator, yes there is more than one, are capable of performing 7 main exercise routines and 28 others. But it can be used in other ways too, just use some common thinking and figure out how many other exercises can be performed with this device. There are quite a few.
As mentioned above, the routines that come with this product can give the user a heavy, or light session depending on how much resistance you want to train with. A full body workout in well under half an hour is easily achievable. This is why the Isokinator is highly regarded where portable, effective contraptions are concerned. The different models are: The Isokinator Classic (most popular), Green Giant (Best Choice), Spaceman, and the Lady.Read a full review of the Classic here.
It gives the user the ability to fit in an extensive but time effective workout into their day, no matter how busy they may be, or where they may be. This device is so small compared to the rest that it is a good choice for those who have minimal space or travel a lot and need something that can be carried around quite easily. I must admit though, when I first saw some of the exercises being performed with the Isokinator I laughed. They just look a bit funny. Maybe its just my strange sense of humour. But jokes aside, they are effective, and that's the objective, right?
How Effective
Well, just like with most products, the results are quite mixed. Some users say they are not sold, while others report a complete transformation in build and definition. So if we put ourselves somewhere in between, and use our common sense, it's clear that resistance training is one of the best ways to build muscle and become stronger. The Isokinator is a resistance / Isometric device that uses tension, measured in Kilograms, to provide the desired level of pressure that the user feels most comfortable with. Over time this can be increased. See some of the exercises in the video below and keep in mind, the objective is to keep the tension at a certain point throughout the exercise. That means constant tensing of the muscles, so its much harder than it looks.
So, if you stick with the training routines and do them regularly, of course you are going to see improvements in muscle strength and definition / toning. The question is how much. As individuals with different body types and genetic makeup, this will be different for every person. But really, as well as using the Isokinator the user should mix up their training with other activities, like running, body weight exercises (pull ups, press ups, etc), and even a martial art like Judo or Thai Boxing for complete all round stamina, strength and fitness.
It Costs How Much!?
Are you sitting down.. This is by no means a cheap piece of training equipment. But when I say that I'm not only talking about cheap in price, but also "cheap" as in the materials the product is made from. They are made from the best quality materials, some of which they use in space. Special Aluminium (AIMg3), Carbon steel, stainless steel, and there's even a pair of 24k gold plated balls. So this is not some cheaply made item which has been thrown together for a couple of quid and then sold for a massive profit. It's seriously robust and has been made to last a very long time. So for the high price tag, you get a versatile piece of training equipment that can be taken anywhere, offer the user a good workout in a small amount of time, and also comes with a 20 year product guarantee included.
