Friday 05.01.15

Rachel might be enjoying this a little too much

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Let's Talk About GRIP Strength.

Y'all, you were BORN to hang on tight. Here is an excerpt from "5 Amazing Things You Didn't Know Babies Could Do" that explains your inane (and INSANE) grip strength:

"An infant's grip is so strong that he can support his own weight if you dangle him.

This could be the discovery that finally knocks duct tape off its pedestal. Photo credit: Science@home

Again: There are absolutely no real-world scenarios where you're allowed to put this knowledge to the test.

The reflex is called the palmar grasp, and it happens when you stroke an infant's palm or put anything in his hand (which makes the idea of the baby reaching for his mother's nipple before latching on even more painful -- he's going to squeeze the shit out of it first).

The instinct doesn't just appear out of nowhere at birth, either. It's seen even in the womb."

Where am I going with this informational factoid? Well, you may have noticed Coach Jacob's recent programming seems focused more and more on developing grip strength -- axel bars, chest-to-bar pullups, snatches, rope climbs, and kettlebell work. The stronger your grip, the more you can lift. The stronger your grip, the longer you can stay on the pullup bar or the rope. The stronger your grip, the better you can keep your toddler contained when he's having a full on tantrum and you're carrying him inside and up the stairs. (Oh wait, maybe that's just me. And maybe I should not have admitted that to the interwebs....Carry on. Nothing of note here.)

ANYWAY. Grip strength comes from not just your fingers and your palms, but your forearms (and you probably already knew that after experiencing the burn of a grip-tastic WOD and your forearms become as hard as rocks). Your grip helps you maintain contact with the bar, bell, or rope, which helps transfer the power of your hips, shoulders, and core to lift, pull, or climb.

So. The moral of the story. Challenge your grip with these movements. See how long you can go without that extra clap of chalk. Try for one more rep by squeezing a bit harder on the bar. Your mind is more likely to give up during grip work than your fingers and arms, so push them to the limit.

"Hold on with a bulldog grip, and chew and choke as much as possible." ~ Abraham Lincoln 

WOD

Run 1 mile for time 

--

Untimed 

25 Rounds

3 handstand push-ups 

3 strict pullups