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Getting That Kung Fu Grip: Zero-Apparatus Exercises
Part 1, 2, 3
Exercises Without Apparatus
You can improve your grip strength without any apparatus, machines, or equipment at
all, just your own two hands. Here's a few zero-apparatus, self-resistance exercises:
Finger Exercises
- Isometric Fist: Simply make a fist and clench it tightly for one
second, and then splay your fingers out, straightening each one as far as it can. Repeat.
- Isometric Pinch: Pinch your index finger and thumb together tightly for
one second, and then spread them out as far as they can go. Repeat for the other fingers.
- Finger Extensions: Make a fist and cover the fist with your other hand,
slightly cupped, as in the salute used by some kung fu or kenpo schools. Extend your
fingers outward from the fist, and apply resistance with the covering hand. Do the same
action for the thumb. This isn't an isometric exercise (an exercise where you tense a
muscle but keep the limb stationary)--you do want to go through your fingers' range of
motion, just under resistance from the other hand. Step-by-step
Photos.
Repeat until that hand is fatigued, and then do the same sequence for your other hand.
- Fingertip Pushups: Just like regular pushups, except that instead of
starting by holding yourself with your palms flat on the floor, you hold yourself up on
your fingertips. If these are too hard to start with, do fingertip pushups against the
wall. Bruce Lee used to show off by doing these by
supporting himself on just the index finger and thumb on one hand. You might want to start
out using all ten fingers, though.
Wrist Exercises
- Self-resistance Wrist Curls: Hold your hand palm up in front of you,
with your elbow against your ribs, so that your arm forms a 90-degree angle at the elbow.
If you're a bowler, it's just like the starting
position with the ball held in your palm.
Make a fist, and let your fist hang down from your forearm. Put your other hand on top of
your fist and curl your fist upward, applying downward resistance with the other hand to
make the curl harder. Repeat with the other wrist. Step-by-step
Photos.
Next, hold your hand palm down, and do reverse curls with self-resistance: curl your fist
upward, while applying downward resistance to the back of your fist with the other hand.
Repeat with the other wrist. Step-by-step Photos.
As with the finger extensions, go through the wrists' range of motion--these aren't
isometric exercises.
- Self-resistance Wrist Twists: Hold your hand palm up in front of you,
with your forearm against your ribs, so that your arm forms a 90-degree angle at the
elbow.
Make a fist. Grab the fist with your other hand, and attempt to twist your fist while
applying resistance with the other hand (if it's the right hand, twist it
counter-clockwise, if it's the left hand, twist it clockwise). Repeat with the other
wrist. Step-by-step Photos.
Next, hold your hand palm down, make a fist, and twist the wrist the other way. Repeat
with the other hand. As with the finger extensions, go through the wrists' range of
motion.
- Fist Pushups: Just like regular pushups, except that instead of
starting by holding yourself with your palms flat on the floor, you hold yourself up on
your fists, with the striking knuckles against the floor.
Exercises Using Free Apparatus
If these zero-apparatus exercises get too boring, you can also try a few exercises that
use stuff you can find lying around your house or office. These work well for building up
your grip strength, and still don't require any money at all.
Next Page > Free Apparatus Exercises
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