Grip training should be a part of all athletes/trainers exercise regimen and doesn't have to cost the earth to do.
Jason Steeves of Shoggoth Basement is a seasoned grip trainer from Alberta, Canada with a keen interest in manufacturing his own grip implements.
Here are some of Jason's Grip/Training Achievements
505# Conventional Deadlift
405# ATG Squat
305# Bench Press
36kg Kettlebell Bottom up Press
46# Legacy Blob Deadlift
17.5# Sledgehammer Lever to Nose
172.5# Euro Pinch - Workout #5
Closed Ironmind #3 Gripper
MashMonster 0
B/H FBBC 3X Oldschool
2" V-bar - 190#
1" V-Bar - 260.75#
145# Rolling Thunder (I Suck)
Reverse Bend - 6" x 1/4" gr 5 & 80d
Half Playing Card Decks - Sabers, Caravans, Mavericks, Bee's, Bikes and a Mini Deck!
180' a SCF "1 Lite
Some of Jason Steeves grip tools are shown below.
The one that caught my eye the most is a device that Jason calls the wrist rocker, a forearm and wrist strengthener which is similar in design to an old style football rattle. Weight can be added to the end to increase resistance. This device is great for rehab to injury, good for warming up and at the top end a briliant device for armwrestling and grip ad forearm endurance.
If you have access to a welder or are pretty good with your imagination (alternative materials) then you can have a go at building one of these. Jason provided us with the necessary component parts below.
Jason Steeves Wrist rocker:Loading pin individual parts - 3" of 1" Cold RollHandle Core - 8" of 1" Cold RollHandle - 7.25" of NPS 1" Sch. 40 PipeArm - 9" of 1" x 3/8" Flat BarHandle Locking Washers - 1-3/4" with a 1" CentreHandle Washer - 2-1/2" with a 1.315" Centre
Also, in Jason's arsenal of grip tools are the pinch lever and the pinch grip trainer. The pinch lever requires some welding gear but the pinch grip trainer could easily be made using equipment found at your local hardware store.
Pinch Lever
Pinch Grip Trainer
DIY Grip training equipment is quite possibly as good if not better than off the shelf equipment.
If you don't have what it takes to build equipment like this or really don't have anyone to help you then take a look around you and find objects that could be hard to lift... think bricks, blocks, bags of sand, rocks, thick wood with weights attached, weighted plate discs, carpet wrapped around a dumbbell/kettlebel handle....etc just keep thinking and trying new stuff out and you'll discover some amazingly testing and useful grip equipment
There are always options, check out some of these articles to help
DIY Rolling Thunder
DIY Wrist Roller
DIY Ball Grip Pull Ups
