From Nick Nilsson
Author and Publisher of BetterU News
http://www.fitness-ebooks.com


Hey, got a good guest article here from "Home Made Strength II:
Grip Strength Edition" author Jedd Johnson. As you probably
gathered from the subject line of this email and the title of his
program, it's all about grip strength!

And as I mentioned in the subject of this email, he explains why
a stronger grip can actually help you squat more weight. Sounds
strange but it's really effective and very true.

Here's the link to his stuff, if you'd like to learn more:


==> http://www.fitstep.com/goto/1/grip-strength.htm


And if you want to check out four sample videos of the kind of
info Jedd is talking about:

Grip: The Secret Weapon
DIY Hub Lift
DIY Axle
How to Implement Grip Training


==> http://www.fitstep.com/goto/1/grip-strength-videos.htm


Nick

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The Common Thread...Grip Strength: Your Weakest Link

By Jedd Johnson
Diesel Crew

Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Muscle-ups, Snatch, Clean, Jerk, Curls,
Ropes, Pull-ups, Push-downs, Climbing.

What is the common thread between all of these awesome ways to
train, get stronger and build muscle?

It is your Grip.

If you are lacking in the Grip Strength department your
performance in any of these lifts will suffer.

While it may be clear to see why Grip Strength is important in
lifts such as Deadlifts and Pull-ups where your hands have to
Grip something and be able to hold on well enough execute the
movement, it may not be as obvious for other lifts, such as
Squats. After all, your upper back is taking the brunt of the
load when you Back Squat, right?

Let's look closer.


What is Grip Strength?

Grip Strength is often referred to as just Hand Strength, but
really it is much more than that. Yes, the hands are involved,
but they are only a part of the equation. Really to have a truly
strong grip, you must look as Grip as everything from the elbow
down. Here's why.

Many of the muscles in the hands actually originate above the
elbow at the medial epicondyle (some flexors, pronator) and the
lateral epicondyle (some extensors, supinator). And since these
muscles cross the elbow joint, they also influence the joint.
Remember that point.

Because so many hand muscles start so far up the arm, it really
expands the acreage that we have to consider when we set out to
train for Grip Strength effectively.

Not only do we have to include training for the hands, but we
also have to include work for the wrist, forearm and elbow.


Why Grip is Important for Your Training

Most trainees would agree that strong hands would be an asset for
strength training and muscle building. After all, if your hands
are strong, that means you'll be able to pull more weight in many
exercises, you'll be able to do more repetitions, and you'll be
able to train longer if need be, right? Yes.

Now, let's connect a few points. When your hands are strong you
will see better results in the weight room because it will
transfer to better performance when performing pulls like
deadlifts, rows, and pull-ups.

But what about all the other lifts that do not involve pulling?
Is Grip Strength important in those lifts as well? Yes it is.

A strong Grip, or in other words, a strong and balanced
hand/lower arm unit will also provide better stability during
lifts where the hands are pressing against the bar, dumbbell or
other implement. For instance, when performing the Bench Press,
Jerk, Kettlebell Press, etc, you will be better able to execute
these lifts when your grip is strong because you will have better
control over the implement.

So is Grip Strength important for lifts like the Bench Press,
Jerk, Kettlebell Press? Yes it is!

But what about other lifts like the Back Squat? It might seem
like the hands are just sitting there going along for the ride,
but if you are doing them right, they are doing much more than
that.

You see, the hands are also capable of producing what is known as
Radiant Tension. In other words, when you squeeze your hands, the
tension begins to radiate inward toward the body. By doing this,
you can actually increase the intensity of other contractions in
the body.

The Back Squat is a perfect example of this.

When performing this lift, you should apply appreciable tension
to the bar by squeezing it prior to descent and continuing to
apply this tension throughout each rep. By doing so, your upper
body will remain more stable, thus allowing you to Squat more
weight and do more repetitions.

So, now you can see that there are many benefits to be gained
from Grip Strength training, right? So the next question is how
are you going to get your hands on some equipment that will help
you build Grip Strength and do so by hitting the lower arms from
all angles?

Here are some examples of equipment you can buy to build Grip
Strength...

Grippers - These things are obsessive and people really love
training with them. They give you serious Crushing Grip and
provide hours of training fun. Cost - about $20 apiece.

Sledge Hammers - These are great as well because they not only
work the lower arms and hands, but they also incorporate a load
of upper body and arm involvement, also contributing to your core
training and cardiovascular health, especially if you use them to
hit tires or other dense objects. Cost - about $30.

Thick Rope - These take your Grip, Arm and Shoulder training up
another level of intensity, while also dropping bombs on your
conditioning. Fantastic training tool. Cost - $90 or more.

Unfortunately many people these days are on a limited budget and
it is tough to invest in tools like these and even though many
pieces of equipment can be used to train for Grip Strength and
other outstanding strength and conditioning benefits, their costs
prohibit many people from purchasing them.

Here is the solution => Home Made Strength II: Grip Strength
Edition. This on-line DVD is downloaded to your computer along
with the bonus manuals and reports so that you can start building
affordable pieces of quality grip gear that you can use to get a
better grip and thus improve all of your other lifts.

And until the stroke of Midnight on Friday night, you can get it
for the low price of $27, before the price goes up.

As you can see Grip Strength is the common thread for many lifts.
Don't let it be the weakest link in your chain of strength.


==> http://www.fitstep.com/goto/1/grip-strength.htm

---

P.S. If you pick up Home Made Strength II: Grip Strength Edition
this week through my link above, I will also throw in a bonus
book of my own, "The Best Core Strength Exercises You've Never
Heard Of." Just forward your receipt to me at betteru@fitstep.com
and I'll fire it over to you.

So when you get Home Made Strength II: Grip Strength Edition, not
only will you be getting Stronger Hand, Wrists and Forearms,
you'll also learn some of my favorite exercises for developing a
steel-girder strong core.

==> http://www.fitstep.com/goto/1/grip-strength.htm

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