How to Increase Grip Strength

Written by Steve Fayzulayev. Clinically reviewed by Naomi Fayzulayev, FNP-C, MSN.

Last reviewed 2026-11-09. See our editorial policy and methodology.

Grip strength predicts mortality and disability better than most laboratory markers, which makes it tempting to train the grip itself. That is mostly the wrong inference: grip is a proxy for total-body strength and neuromuscular integrity, and training only the forearms improves the proxy without improving what it measures.

Target 51–70 kg

The longevity-optimised range used by the structural dial. See what grip strength measures for the reasoning.

What to expect, and when

Measurable gains in six to twelve weeks of consistent training, largely neural at first and structural after about eight weeks. Progress continues for years. Decline is roughly 1% per year after 50 without training, so holding steady is itself a result.

What works, in order of leverage

1. Train the whole body heavy

Grip tracks total-body strength. Deadlifts, rows, presses and squats raise it more than grip work does, because they build the thing grip is a proxy for.

2. Carry heavy things

Farmer's carries and suitcase carries load the grip under exactly the conditions that matter — sustained, loaded, upright — and transfer to real-world function.

3. Stop using straps for everything

Lifting straps let the back outpace the grip. Using them for the heaviest sets is sensible; using them for all sets trains the grip out of the lift.

4. Add dead hangs

Simple, progressive, and they load the shoulder and scapula alongside the hand. Time under tension is the variable to progress.

5. Eat enough protein

Roughly 1.6 g per kg of body weight per day supports the adaptation. Training without it produces far less than it should, particularly after 50.

6. Keep training through your sixties and beyond

Resistance training works at every age studied, including in the frail elderly. The rate of gain slows; the direction does not reverse.

Supporting supplements

Creatine monohydrate — 3–5g/day (no loading needed)evidence A
Most evidence-backed ergogenic supplement. Increases muscle mass, strength, bone density, and cognitive reserve simultaneously.
Protein powder (whey or casein) — As needed to reach 1.8–2.2g/kg/dayevidence A
Use to supplement dietary protein gaps. Whey is optimal post-workout (fast); casein is optimal pre-sleep (slow).

Evidence tiers: A = consistent human trial support, B = mixed or mechanistic, C = early. Supplements support the changes above; they do not replace them.

What does not work

Worth knowing before spending effort on it.

Grip trainers alone

Spring grippers and stress balls improve performance on spring grippers. They do very little for the whole-body strength the measurement is standing in for.

Testing inconsistently

Grip varies with posture, elbow angle, time of day and warm-up. Compare like with like or the trend is noise.

Training to failure constantly

The hands and forearms recover slowly and are involved in almost every upper-body lift. Chronic failure training here tends to cost more elsewhere than it gains.

Treating a low score as a hand problem

Low grip usually reflects low total muscle mass or an unaddressed condition, not weak hands specifically.

When to involve a clinician

A sudden fall in grip strength, or marked asymmetry between hands, is worth investigating rather than training through — it can reflect nerve entrapment, cervical spine involvement or an inflammatory arthritis.

Track grip strength across all 8 dials →

grip strength feeds structural age. See what a good Grip Strength level is and why it differs from your lab's range. Other action guides: all improvement guides.