Average Grip Strength by Age in Pounds

January 4, 2024

by Living Fit

Grip strength is a crucial aspect of physical fitness that many people overlook. It is often the reason why people plateau in their gym routines. Imagine trying to complete a heavy deadlift or a set of pull-ups, only to have your grip give out before your muscles fully fatigue. This can rob you of the last few important reps, inhibiting your muscles' ability to fully break down and repair. As a result, your progress can stagnate, leading to prolonged periods of plateau.

Athletes must work on their grip strength to avoid hindrances in their ability to max out on certain lifts. However, since it is impossible to expect the forearms to be as strong as larger muscle groups like the thighs and back, it is essential to have tools that reduce the strain on the forearms. Without such tools, one might spend a lot of time in plateau land.

Grip Strength

One such tool is a grip aid that can reduce the strain on your forearms by 80%. With such an aid, you can hit every last rep and make the most of your workouts. It is crucial to use grip aids in conjunction with exercises that target grip strength to build a well-rounded fitness routine. Workout gloves and grips are examples of these tools that can enhance your grip during workouts.

Grip strength is important not only for lifting weights but also for everyday activities. Strong grip helps you carry heavy loads, perform manual tasks, and maintain good posture. Research has also linked grip strength to overall health and longevity. Several studies and research articles have shed light on the association between grip strength and various health outcomes:

The study "Association of Grip Strength With Risk of All-Cause Mortality, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Cancer in Community-Dwelling Populations: A Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies" highlights the association between grip strength and mortality, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
Another research article titled "Association Between Handgrip Strength and Cognitive Impairment in Elderly People: A Systematic Review" examines the association between grip strength and cognitive impairment in older adults.
Furthermore, the research article "Grip Strength Predicts Cause-Specific Mortality in Middle-Aged and Elderly Persons" discusses the predictive value of grip strength for cause-specific mortality.
Lastly, the study "Grip Strength and Incident Impairments in Mobility and Independent Living: The Women's Health and Aging Study" investigates the relationship between grip strength and incident impairments in mobility and independent living.

These studies collectively demonstrate the significant impact of grip strength on various health outcomes, including mortality, cardiovascular diseases, cognitive impairment, and independent living. Incorporating grip strength exercises into your workout routine can improve overall physical performance and prevent injuries. It is important to remember that grip strength is not just about developing big forearms but is also about developing overall fitness and functional strength.

What is the Importance of Having a Good Grip During Workouts?

Having a good grip is crucial during workouts because it helps to ensure that you can perform exercises safely and effectively. Understanding what is considered a strong grip strength can guide you in setting realistic fitness goals.

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Here are some reasons why a good grip is important:

Safety:

A strong and secure grip on weights or exercise equipment can help prevent accidents and injuries. For example, if you're doing exercises like deadlifts or pull-ups, a weak grip could cause you to drop the weight, which could lead to injuries.

Performance:

A good grip can improve your performance during workouts by allowing you to maintain control and stability of the weight or equipment. This can help you lift heavier weights or perform more repetitions, which can lead to greater gains in strength and muscle mass.

Muscle activation:

A strong grip can activate more muscles in your hands, forearms, and upper arms, which can help you build overall strength and size in these areas. Additionally, exercises that require a strong grip, such as farmer's walks or kettlebell swings, can provide a great workout for your grip strength specifically.

Functional strength:

A good grip can also improve your overall functional strength, which is the ability to perform everyday tasks with ease. This is because many daily activities, such as carrying groceries or opening jars, require a strong grip.

Overall, having a good grip can improve your safety, performance, muscle activation, and functional strength during workouts, making it an important aspect of your fitness routine.

How Do I Increase My Grip Strength?

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There are several ways to increase your grip strength, including:

Grip training exercises:

You can perform specific exercises that target the muscles involved in gripping, such as wrist curls, farmer's walks, and grip squeezes. These exercises can be done with equipment such as dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and grip trainers. If you're wondering, can you use grip trainers everyday, it's important to allow for recovery time to prevent overuse injuries.

Use hand grippers:

Hand grippers are a popular tool for improving grip strength. You can find different types and resistance levels of hand grippers to suit your needs.

Increase weight and reps:

Gradually increasing the weight and reps of exercises that involve gripping can help build strength over time.

Incorporate grip strength into your workouts:

Try incorporating grip strength exercises into your existing workout routine. For example, holding a weight while doing lunges or squats can improve your grip strength.

Use everyday objects:

You can also use everyday objects like towels, thick rubber bands, or even a thick book to improve your grip strength. Simply hold the object with your hand and squeeze tightly for a set amount of time.

Remember to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and frequency of your grip strength training. Consistency and patience are key to seeing improvements in your grip strength over time.

Why is Grip Strength Important?

Grip strength is important for several reasons:

Daily tasks:

Having strong grip strength can make it easier to perform daily tasks, such as carrying groceries, opening jars, and turning doorknobs. Understanding the average grip strength by age in pounds can help you assess your own grip strength in the context of your age group.

Sports performance:

Many sports require grip strength, such as rock climbing, weightlifting, and martial arts. Improving your grip strength can enhance your performance in these activities.

Injury prevention:

Strong grip strength can help prevent injuries to the hands and wrists. This is particularly important for athletes who engage in contact sports or repetitive motions.

Overall strength:

The muscles involved in gripping are also used in other exercises, such as deadlifts and pull-ups. Strengthening your grip can improve your overall strength and performance in these exercises.

Aging:

Grip strength has been found to decline as we age. Improving and maintaining grip strength can help prevent age-related decline and maintain independence in daily activities.

Overall, grip strength is a valuable measure of overall physical fitness and health, and improving it can have a positive impact on many aspects of daily life.

What is a Good Grip Strength?

The measure of a good grip strength depends on several factors such as age, gender, and physical fitness level. Grip strength can be measured in pounds or kilograms using a handheld dynamometer or a hand grip strengthener. Knowing the average grip strength by age in pounds can provide a benchmark for evaluating your own strength.

As a general rule of thumb, a strong grip strength for an adult male is typically considered to be around 105-130 pounds (48-59 kg), while for an adult female it is around 60-95 pounds (27-43 kg). However, athletes and individuals who engage in strength training may have significantly higher grip strength than the average person.

It's important to note that grip strength is just one aspect of overall physical fitness and should not be used as the only measure of strength or health. Regular exercise, proper nutrition, and healthy lifestyle habits are all important factors in achieving and maintaining overall physical fitness.

Products Designed to Improve Grip

Raw Grips

The custom-made leather used for Raw Grips is soft, malleable, and pliable, making it more comfortable and easy to break in than other grips.
The shape of Raw Grips covers the entire hand except for the index finger, providing more range of motion when not on the rig.
The velcro strap on Raw Grips is superior to other brands and won't break down after a few months of use.

How to Choose Raw Grips

Gymnastics grips for CrossFit are a vital piece of equipment to enhance grip strength and avoid hand injuries. The market offers many different types of grips, making it difficult to determine which one is best suited for individual needs. JerkFit has launched the RAW Grips version 3.0, which we found to be the best option on the market due to several factors.
Leather CrossFit gymnastics grips are usually thick, stiff, and difficult to break in, causing discomfort and discouragement in users. A great grip should be made from high-quality materials that are durable yet supple enough to provide comfort and flexibility during movements. JerkFit's designers have worked with different tanneries for years to create the perfect leather material that is ultra-soft, comfortable, and broken in right out of the package.
JerkFit's RAW Grips 3.0 design is unique and offers maximum coverage with minimal finger holes and material. Unlike traditional three-finger grips, the two-finger design leaves the index finger free to allow for more range of motion of the wrist, which is beneficial for various CrossFit movements. The new and improved wrist strap of the RAW Grips is highly durable, solving the problem of straps wearing out quickly in other gymnastic gloves.
RAW Grips are versatile and ideal for a range of CrossFit movements, including pull-ups, muscle-ups, toes-to-bar, and kettlebell swings. They are designed to meet the needs of both beginners and experienced athletes, providing protection for hands and assisting with fitness goals.
In summary, JerkFit RAW Grips version 3.0 is the best option when choosing a leather CrossFit gymnastics grip. They are highly rated, with a global best-selling status on Amazon, and are unparalleled in terms of quality, softness, durability, and versatility. Anyone looking to improve their CrossFit training and grip strength should consider JerkFit RAW Grips 3.0.

Fly Grips

Fly Grips are a type of workout accessory designed for high repetition, high volume style workouts such as calisthenics, crossfit or gymnastics. One of the worst things that can happen during these types of workouts is when your hands fail or tear, which can be extremely painful and can take days to recover, hindering your momentum. Most people try to use gloves or different grips but they can be stiff, slippery, or even painful to use.
Fly Grips are a solution to this problem as they are designed to be the perfect solution to prevent hand failure or tears during high-volume workouts. Fly Grips are vegan-friendly, made from an extremely soft felt material that feels consistent all the way through. This is in contrast to animal hide grips which can be inconsistent, with some parts of it being very soft and flexible while other parts are stiff and hard. The composite material used in Fly Grips is very grippy and will stick to the bar like glue, making it perfect for muscle-ups or pull-ups. Additionally, the grips are virtually pain-free, making them very comfortable to use.
One of the standout features of Fly Grips is its full-handed design that allows your first finger and pinky finger to be totally free. This gives you more range of motion, allowing you to go straight from the pull-up bar to the front rack with a barbell without having to flip the grips on and off. Most other grips only allow you to go back so far with three fingers. Fly Grips have also made one minor change by adding a 1.5-inch wide strap instead of the usual 1-inch wide strap. This provides more surface area, ensuring that the grips do not fail during use.
Fly Grips are designed to be extremely comfortable and flexible, making them last for a long time. They are easy to use and virtually pain-free, making them perfect for high repetition, high volume style workouts. If you are looking for a solution to prevent hand failure or tears during workouts, Fly Grips are definitely worth giving a try.

WODdies

The WODies Workout Gloves are a pair of gloves designed for use during workouts, particularly during weightlifting and gymnastics exercises. They are unique in several ways:

2-in-1 design: The WODies Workout Gloves are designed to be a hybrid of a glove and a wrist wrap, offering both hand protection and wrist support in one product.
Material: The gloves are made from a high-quality blend of synthetic materials that are durable, comfortable, and offer a good grip. The material also has some stretch to it, allowing for a snug and customized fit.
Thumb hole design: The WODies Workout Gloves have a unique thumb hole design that ensures the gloves stay in place during exercises, while also allowing for full range of motion and flexibility in the hands.
Customizable fit: The gloves come in a range of sizes and colors, allowing for a customizable fit and look.
Multipurpose: The gloves can be used for a variety of exercises, including weightlifting, gymnastics, and calisthenics, making them a versatile addition to any workout routine.

Some Benefits of Using These Gloves Include:

Protecting hands:

The gloves are made with a durable synthetic material that provides a protective barrier for your hands against calluses, blisters, and other types of injuries that can be caused by gripping weights or other equipment.

Improving grip:

The gloves feature a textured grip that helps to improve your grip on weights or other equipment, allowing you to perform exercises more effectively and with greater control.

Supporting wrists:

The gloves also provide wrist support, which can be helpful during exercises that place a lot of strain on the wrists, such as push-ups, handstands, and front squats.