Yet research<\/a> has linked lower grip strength<\/a> with a higher risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. At the same time, experts<\/a> increasingly use it as a simple marker of overall strength, physical function and healthy ageing.<\/p>\n Of course, grip strength isn’t set in stone. Just like any other aspect of fitness, it can be trained. So I asked experts what they’d do to improve theirs over the next 30 days.<\/p>\n Interestingly, the same exercises kept coming up, and you\u2019re probably pretty familiar with them already. Here’s what they recommended.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n Why is grip strength so important?<\/p>\n \u201cGrip strength isn’t just about the hand,\u201d says Ashley Katzenback<\/a>, Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Cape Concierge Physical Therapy<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt reflects the integrity of the entire musculoskeletal system and correlates strongly with lean muscle mass, neuromuscular efficiency, bone density, and the body’s ability to recover from illness or surgery.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt also tells us a lot about our ability to generate and control force \u2013 and often mirrors overall muscle quality and total body strength capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cResearch<\/a> shows that people with low grip strength fall more, fracture more easily, recover more slowly, and are more likely to develop sarcopenia \u2013 the age-related loss of muscle that quietly accelerates functional decline,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n In fact, a landmark study<\/a> of nearly 140,000 adults across 17 countries found that lower grip strength was associated with a significantly higher risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease, with each 5kg reduction in grip strength associated with a 16% higher risk of all-cause mortality.<\/p>\n What to read next<\/p>\n The good news? Grip strength is highly trainable, which means there’s plenty you can do to improve yours. Here’s where the experts recommend starting.<\/p>\n The three exercises experts recommend for improving grip strength<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 1. Farmer’s carry<\/p>\n Farmer’s carry<\/a> is incredibly simple \u2013 walking while carrying a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand \u2013 yet extremely effective for challenging your grip under fatigue, as you continuously squeeze the weights to make sure you don\u2019t drop them.<\/p>\n To do it, hold a heavy dumbbell<\/a> or kettlebell in each hand, stand tall and walk, keeping your core braced and shoulders back.<\/p>\n How many? 3\u20134 rounds of 20\u201340 seconds. As your strength improves, experts recommend aiming to carry a combined load equivalent to around 50% of your bodyweight for one minute. Men can work towards around 70%<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rest: 60\u201390 seconds between rounds.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2. Dead hang<\/p>\n As the name implies, all you have to do for a dead hang<\/a> is hang from a pull-up bar for as long as you can. It\u2019s simple and brilliant for building grip endurance while challenging your shoulders and upper body at the same time.<\/p>\n Take an overhand grip on a pull-up bar, lift your feet from the floor and hang with your arms extended.<\/p>\n How long? “Start with 10 seconds and gradually increase the duration as your grip improves,” suggests Katzenback. <\/a>Complete three sets.<\/p>\n Rest: 60 seconds between sets.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 3. Bent-over row<\/p>\n Heavy lifting is one of the best ways to challenge your grip strength. What\u2019s great about the bent-over row<\/a> is that, while your back and biceps are doing plenty of work, your hands and forearms also have to work hard to resist gravity and avoid dropping the weight as you complete the rowing motion.<\/p>\n Katzenback suggests choosing a weight \u201cyou can row for five reps with good form.\u201d Hinge forwards at the hips, keeping your back flat, then row the barbell towards your belly button.<\/p>\n How many? 5 sets of 5 reps using a challenging weight.<\/p>\n Rest: 60\u201390 seconds between sets.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n One more grip exercise worth trying<\/p>\n Another type of grip can easily get overlooked: the pinch grip. This involves holding an object between your thumb and fingers without using your palm \u2013 think gripping a weight plate by its edge. Research<\/a> suggests pinch strength may also decline with age.<\/p>\n To train it, hold a weight plate between your thumb and fingers and stop it from slipping. No handles or edges to hook your fingers under \u2013 that’s the whole point. Start lighter than you think, because pinch grip is usually weaker than people expect.<\/p>\n No weight plates? A hardcover book works too. Pinch it shut by its covers and hold.<\/p>\n Do: 3 sets of 20\u201330 seconds per hand.<\/p>\n Rest: 60 seconds between sets.<\/p>\n Let’s not forget about mobility<\/p>\n With extra grip work, include simple wrist flexor and extensor stretches, gently stretching your fingers down and up to maintain mobility in your wrists and forearms.<\/p>\n You can also work on your grip away from the gym. Samantha Cubbins<\/a>, strength and conditioning coach and Lifting Club Ambassador at Gymshark<\/a>, recommends practising \u201cwringing a towel twice a day,\u201d which you can easily do at home.<\/p>\n \u201cFor this exercise, roll a hand towel tightly and, with each hand at different ends of the towel, twist your hands back and forth for about five seconds each way and aim for 15 reps each time, and see how your grip strength improves,\u201d adds Cubbins.<\/p>\n \u201cThis exercise is perfect as it can be done at home, with just a towel and won\u2019t take more than a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, improving your grip strength doesn\u2019t require hours of extra training. Building overall strength can help too, as stronger muscles give you a better foundation for lifting, carrying and holding onto heavier loads.<\/p>\n Add these exercises to your usual workouts, practise the towel drill at home and progressively challenge your grip little and often. You might just find it\u2019s not only your hands that get stronger \u2013 your lifts and your physical independence as you age could benefit too.<\/p>\n And let’s not forget your handshake. First impressions really do count.<\/p>\n![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SoqsuZThDNcgVDdkrDgwvk.png\")
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