Hand Grip Strengtheners Must Be Diverse
Maximum hand grip strength & function is dependent on 3 factors:
1) the strength and stability of the ‘grip-action’ muscles (the 9 HAND CLOSING MUSCLES – i.e. the finger flexors & adductor muscles, located on the front of the hand, wrist & elbow) and,
2) the strength and stability of the ‘grip-stabilizer’ muscles (the 9 HAND OPENING MUSCLES – i.e. the finger extensors & abductor muscles, located on the back of the hand, wrist & elbow) and,
3) the strength and stability of the ‘wrist-stabilizer’ muscles (the 9 WRIST POSITION MUSCLES – i.e. the muscles of the forearm that flex, extend, supinate, pronate, ulnar- and radial-deviate the wrist for the specific activity.
To maximize grip strength, all 27 muscles of grip MUST BE strengthened and balanced.
Modern studies on grip strengtheners clearly illustrate that the ‘hand-opening muscles’ (grip stabilizers) act to ‘stabilize’ the ‘hand-closing muscles’ (grip action muscles) during all grip-related activities. This is new technology that only doczac Enterprises Inc has researched to this degree. If you are neglecting to train the hand opening muscles (extensors & abductors) and wrist position muscles directly, you are limiting strength, stability and performance at the fingers, thumb, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel, forearm and elbow. Traditional grip strengthening equipment ignores the finger extensors as well as the forearm muscles that position the wrist while gripping.
Comparison of Hand Strengtheners (pdf) (click here)
Handmaster Plus strengthens all of the 27 hand grip muscles (9 grip action muscles, PLUS 9 grip stabilizer muscles, PLUS 9 wrist position muscles) using one convenient continuous, easy-to-understand exercise. No need for multiple hand exercises or grip strengthening devices. Handmaster Plus combines 8 separate exercises into 1. No wasted effort. No segmented routines. No confusion. Complete training through full ROM’s.
-Used by athletic trainers, strength & conditioning coaches and athletes in all major North American sports (football, baseball, basketball, hockey) as well as in all grip-related sports (golf, tennis, volleyball, gymnastics, rugby, cricket, lacrosse, motor sports, BMX, extreme sports, MMA).
-Used by health care, fitness and ergonomic professionals worldwide for fitness & recovery.
-Used by musicians and music teachers worldwide in all string, wind & percussion instrument warmup & training.
‘It amazes me that serious grip strength training programs neglect the basic principles of the kinetic chain involved in grip. Wrist muscles position the hand opening muscles to support the action of the hand closing muscles. Simple. It is all an instant co-contraction. If not, the hand would fall limp when gripping any item. Handmaster Plus completes any grip strength program.’
– Dr. Terry Zachary, developer of Handmaster Plus hand strengthener