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Grip strength in grappling and wrestling is often overlooked, but it plays a crucial role in both your stand-up game and ground control. A strong grip can mean the difference between maintaining control or losing a dominant position. Below are several effective grip strength exercises to build an iron grip and improve your performance on the mats.
1. Indoor Rock Climbing
Rock climbers are known for having some of the strongest grips in the world, and for good reason. Climbing engages nearly every muscle in the hands and forearms, making it an excellent cross-training activity for grapplers. Not only is it highly effective, but it’s also incredibly fun.
My Jiu-Jitsu coach used to take students rock climbing regularly, emphasizing the noticeable improvements in grip strength and endurance during rolling. If you’ve never tried climbing, head to a local indoor climbing gym and give it a go—your grip will be forced to adapt and grow over time.
2. Towel Pull-Ups
Towel pull-ups mimic many of the grip demands seen in grappling. While regular pull-ups already target your grip, adding a towel increases the difficulty significantly. To perform this exercise, drape a towel over a pull-up bar, grab each end, and perform your pull-ups as normal. The instability and thickness of the towel make your grip work much harder.
This exercise is also highly affordable—all you need is a pull-up bar and a towel. You can even do them at home using a doorway-mounted pull-up bar, which is both inexpensive and convenient. To progressively overload, you can use a dip belt with weights, or simply hold a dumbbell between your legs.
3. Weight Plate Holds
Weight plate holds are a simple yet highly effective grip training exercise. All you need is a weight plate. Stand upright, pinch the plate between your fingers, and hold it for time. Start with a 10 kg plate for 20–30 seconds per hand and increase the weight or duration as your grip improves.
This exercise builds pinch grip strength, which is particularly useful for controlling sleeves, wrists, and other grip-based controls in grappling.
4. Kettlebell Turnovers
Kettlebell turnovers are an excellent way to build wrist and forearm strength—both critical for grip endurance. To perform this movement, place a light kettlebell on its side, grip the handle from the side with your palm facing upward, and rotate the kettlebell from one side to the other using only your wrist.
This movement is more challenging than it appears, so start with a light kettlebell and gradually increase the weight as your wrist strength improves.
5. Bar Dead Hangs
Dead hangs are a foundational grip strength exercise that require minimal equipment. Simply hang from a pull-up bar with your arms extended and hold the position for as long as possible. As your endurance improves, you’ll notice stronger grips during sparring sessions.
Track your progress by timing each hang and gradually increasing the duration over time.
6. Dedicated Grip Trainers
Grip trainers are compact tools that fit in the palm of your hand, allowing for convenient training anywhere. To use one effectively, squeeze it closed and hold for a few seconds before releasing. This simulates the isometric grip demands of grappling positions, similar to dead hangs but in a more accessible format. A great option is an adjustable grip trainer which allows to adjust weight for easy progression They’re ideal for use during downtime—while watching TV, commuting, or even during study breaks.
