Want to live longer? Get a grip!
But hand or grip strength is also important for daily tasks that become harder as you age, whether you're opening a jar or catching yourself to avoid a fall. Despite this, it's not something many people go to the gym for, or think about much at all.
«Hands are this important body part that's not on our exercise radar,» said Katy Bowman, a kinesiologist and host of the Move Your DNA podcast.
Adding to this issue, people's hands are becoming weaker overall, possibly because of the way we use smartphones and touch screens, said Dr.
Erin Nance, a hand surgeon in New York City. Counteracting this involves more than just exercising the tiny muscles in our hands, she added, but also those that run along our forearms, as well as the muscles in our upper arms, shoulders and core.
As Bowman said: «They work together as a functional unit.»
To evaluate your current hand strength, she suggested first holding something heavy, like a cast-iron pan, and rotating it as if dumping out its contents.
Then, see if you can support your weight with your hands and wrists in a pushup position. If either of these things is difficult to sustain for a few seconds, you might benefit from grip training.
Here are a few exercises that experts recommend to increase your hand strength; they can be incorporated into your existing workout routine or done separately.
Add Functional Exercises To Your Current Workout.
Experts say that exercises that strengthen your grip while engaging other muscles are the most effective, because they mimic the movements of daily life.
