Untitled Document

Using the grippers in an inverted style…

By David Horne

This article was featured in Iron Grip magazine Vol 2 # 3, July 2002, and is now updated.

Closing a nutcracker gripper with the spring lower than your hand is called Inverted closing This is just another way of being able to use your grippers, possibly ideal when you have become stale or bored with the normal position. In fact I have found it very useful to train only on an inverted style for a period of time as this got me strong for when I came back to test myself in the normal position with the tougher grippers. This style seems to tax and strengthen the index and middle fingers a lot more, possibly due to the fact that there is a greater range of motion being applied to these digits, and also that this area is forced open first by the gripper. This type of hand opening is very similar to the stress that you will feel in armwrestling. So here is a useful exercise if armwrestling is your sport.

Although it’s a lot tougher for most people to close the gripper in this style, Ironmind do not accept an inverted closing of the #3 for certification. I know that the American armwrestler Mary McConnaughy could close the #2 in an inverted style but not in a normal style; maybe this shows the armwrestling strength in the index and middle fingers that I mentioned earlier. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before she does do it though.

Using the gripper inverted can close the gap between the gripper you are using and the one you want to close.
i.e. #1 normal.
      #1 inverted.
      #2 normal.
      #2 inverted.
      #3 normal, and so on.
Also if you are a left-hander you will find the inverted gripper sits in the left hand much more comfortably due to the coil position.

You can do strap holds on this exercise by holding the shoelace in the jaws of the gripper with the lace attached to a Pulldown pulley, which of course is weighted for resistance. This excellent idea was brought to me by Andrew Christie. If you haven't got a pulldown machine you can increase resistance or check your distance by using blobs of blutac. For checking how close you are to closing the gripper use just one blob of blutac, and make it as thick as needed. Put this blob at the end of the handle, and after your attempt check the thickness of the blutac using a calliper to find how close you are to closing it. Chart your progress this way. To make the gripper tougher squeeze through the lumps of blutac till the handle grinds the handle. If you place a couple of these on the handles it will certainly increase the resistance of that gripper, and progress you onto the next gripper. Of course this blutac idea can be used with the normal style of closing a gripper as well.

The final closure, or hold for time can be aided by squeezing against the index and middle fingers with your thumb, thus training this digit as well.


athe ultimate online resource for all things grip! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawww.davidhorne-gripmaster.com
	Using the grippers in an inverted style… By David Horne This article was featured in Iron Grip magazine Vol 2 # 3, July 2002, and is now updated. Closing a nutcracker gripper with the spring lower than your hand is called Inverted closing This is just another way of being able to use your grippers, possibly ideal when you have become stale or bored with the normal position. In fact I have found it very useful to train only on an inverted style for a period of time as this got me strong for when I came back to test myself in the normal position with the tougher grippers. This style seems to tax and strengthen the index and middle fingers a lot more, possibly due to the fact that there is a greater range of motion being applied to these digits, and also that this area is forced open first by the gripper. This type of hand opening is very similar to the stress that you will feel in armwrestling. So here is a useful exercise if armwrestling is your sport. Although it’s a lot tougher for most people to close the gripper in this style, Ironmind do not accept an inverted closing of the #3 for certification. I know that the American armwrestler Mary McConnaughy could close the #2 in an inverted style but not in a normal style; maybe this shows the armwrestling strength in the index and middle fingers that I mentioned earlier. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before she does do it though. Using the gripper inverted can close the gap between the gripper you are using and the one you want to close. i.e. #1 normal. #1 inverted. #2 normal. #2 inverted. #3 normal, and so on. Also if you are a left-hander you will find the inverted gripper sits in the left hand much more comfortably due to the coil position. You can do strap holds on this exercise by holding the shoelace in the jaws of the gripper with the lace attached to a Pulldown pulley, which of course is weighted for resistance. This excellent idea was brought to me by Andrew Christie. If you haven't got a pulldown machine you can increase resistance or check your distance by using blobs of blutac. For checking how close you are to closing the gripper use just one blob of blutac, and make it as thick as needed. Put this blob at the end of the handle, and after your attempt check the thickness of the blutac using a calliper to find how close you are to closing it. Chart your progress this way. To make the gripper tougher squeeze through the lumps of blutac till the handle grinds the handle. If you place a couple of these on the handles it will certainly increase the resistance of that gripper, and progress you onto the next gripper. Of course this blutac idea can be used with the normal style of closing a gripper as well. The final closure, or hold for time can be aided by squeezing against the index and middle fingers with your thumb, thus training this digit as well. Copyright David Horne 2006




Home
Articles