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This eBook is being offered for education and information purposes only. There is an inherent risk with any physical activity.
Please consult your physician before starting this (or any) exercise program.
Complete MMA Training or Phil Bennett cannot be held responsible for any injury or damage that may occur while participating in this program.

Complete MMA Grip Training

Copyright 2015 Phil Bennett. All rights reserved.
Layout by Phil Bennett
Edits by Lauren Todd
Important: If you have access to a printer, please take the time to PRINT this out.
Trust me when I say- Youll get a lot more out of this if you are reading it in your
hands rather than a monitor. Throw it in your gym bag as a reference.
This report is free and does not contain affiliate links. Feel free to share it with the
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Intro
MMA Applications
Types of Grip
Forearm Movements
Training Considerations

08

Part 2: Crush Grip

Grippers
Climbing
Towel Work
Squeezes
Odd Objects

10

Part 3: Pinch Grip

Weight Plates
Holds
Block Weights
Hubs

12

Part 4: Support Grip

Hangs
Holds
Walks
Rows
Shrugs

CONTENTS

05

Part 1: Why Grip Train?

14

Part 5: Open Grip

16

Part 6: Wrist/Forearms

18

Part 7: Fitting it Together

21

Part 8: Final Thoughts

Attachments
Thick Bars
More Towel Work

Curls
Rollers
Rotations
Isometric Holds

Programming
Applications
Samples Routines

Part 1: Why Grip Train?

Take a second (hard to do these days I know) and have a think about
how often you use your hands? Really sit and think about it.
Literally everything you do on a day-to-day basis involves some sort of
working of your hands.
In most gym goers routines, the hands and grip are often neglected. Perhaps more so than any other facet of training. This is a shame. Building
a solid grip is so much more than pumped Popeye forearms and a great
handshake.
Having strong hands, wrists and forearms aids in day to day activities.
Simple task like carrying groceries and opening jars will become easy.
The biggest carry over though, is in your sporting activities.
Tennis players for example put themselves at risk of injury when they
have a weak grip. A lax grip on the racket causes the risk of developing
lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) every time they return the ball. This
kind of stress over the course of an entire match is cause for concern.
Its common knowledge that in the weight room, more weight equals
more muscle. The amount of weight an individual can move is directly
related to what the hands can grip.
When we look deeper into weightlifting, other things become clear.
When you bench press for example, the harder you grip the bar, the
more control you have. This ensures cleaner, smoother reps. When the
rep is under greater control, more emphasis is put onto the target muscles, making the exercise more effective.
For those guys who do nothing but bicep curls, little do they know the
lack of grip training is impacting them in a negative way. Studies have
shown that if the bicep muscles are stronger than that of the forearms, an
uneven tension occurs. This tension in the arms is damaging to the soft
tissues and can cause significant elbow pain.
This is a surprisingly common injury that is often dismissed as a missed
rep, rather than a muscular imbalance.
Shoulder pain is incredibly common in anyone who lifts weights or does
sports. Again, its common to have this pain misidentified as a result of
incorrect form or an accident. Grip studies have shown a direct correlation on the health of an individuals rotator cuff and the strength of their
grip.

How does this benefit your MMA Training?

If you have trained in any combat sport or martial art, it should be pretty
obvious how a significant grip can be advantageous.
Having an iron grip when going for an arm drag is going to mean you
have a successful transition.

Supporting Grip

When you have any grip on an opponent in a takedown, the

last thing you want is to be worrying about your grip giving
out.

Supporting grip on the surface looks similar to the crush

grip, but differs in an important way. The crushing grip is a
concentric one, where as the supporting grip is isometric.

The same thing applies when locking up a submission. With

all the work it takes to obtain the position, the last thing you
want is to lose it due to weak hands, wrists or forearms.

Imagine, in one hand crushing an empty can. In the other

you are holding heavy bags. The hand crushing the can is
applying a concentric crush, whereas the hand with the
Having a stronger grip doesnt only benefit the grappling arts. heavy bags, is isometrically locked into position fighting an
When you have strong hands, wrists and forearms you are
external force.
less susceptible to injuries caused by striking. Your hands are
precious. If you have weak hands and wrists you will never be Open Grip
able to strike with 100% power.
The hands and forearms are complex systems. There are
35 individual muscles at work in moving the forearms and
hands. Certain muscles are used to flex, creating strength,
while extensors of the forearm stabilize the wrist.

The open grip is possibly the most awkward of all. It is usually done on objects that have no conventional handle or any
groove for gripping. In general, its objects that are so big the
thumb cant wrap around the fingers to form a conventional
grip.

The Types of Grip

This is grip that you will come across most in MMA training.

When broken down into its simplest form, grip training can
be covered in four main parts. Crush, Pinch, Supporting and
Open.
The most frustrating part of grip training however, is that
each of these has little carry over to the next. Certain guys
have amazing crush strength and could easily have a below
average pinch strength.
To have a well rounded grip, your training needs to be varied
and consistent.

Crush Grip
Crush grip is the one most associated with grip training. Its
the one used most and the one most are strongest at.
Anyone who has lifted a barbell, kettlebell or dumbbell will
be well versed in this type of gripping. For those of you who
have never lifted iron its the same grip used in a handshake.

Pinch Grip
The pinch grip is rarely trained in gym movements and isnt
generally addressed in every day life.
So why train it?
Without training it you will never have well rounded hand
and grip strength. Pinch gripping addresses tension in the
hand with straight fingers and the squeezing force of the
thumb. As humans we are blessed with a thumb, so make the
most of it by strengthening it.

The Movements of the Wrist and Forearm

Things to Consider

Ulna Deviation

Start out Slowly and Ease In

Ulna deviation is the downward movement of your hand at

the wrist.

This is a golden piece of information. This is something to

take into account, not just in grip training, but anything in
life.

Hold your arm out in front of you. Have your arm straight
and locked at the elbow. Your wrist in line and your hand
open with your fingers extended. Turn your hand so your
little finger is horizontal to the ground.

Grip training is intensive. The last thing you want is to have

to miss Muay Thai or BJJ because you have overly taxed your
grip. I have left myself in situations where I have been barely
able to make a fist. This is obviously something you want to
avoid.

Keeping the forearm rigid and the hand posture the same,
angle the wrist so your little finger is further down towards
the elbow.
This is ulna deviation.

Grip training is vital, fun and intensive, but at the end of the
day is just another facet of making you a better mixed martial artist.

Radial Deviation

Keep the Volume low

Radial deviation is the opposite movement to ulna deviation.

Instead of angling the hand down, your wrist is angled so the
thumb is further up.

As with any good strength training program, keeping your

reps quality and low is key. Progress is best made with 3-5
sets of 3-5 reps. I cant stress this enough, quality is always
better than quantity.

Flexion and Extension

Timing and Schedule

With your arm, wrist and hand straight as above. Turn your
hand so it is palm down to the ground.

Grip training is pretty easy to fit into your current weekly

plans, just make sure you do it smartly. Working hard on
your grip pre-deadlifts or sparring is just plain stupid. You
want to train your grip at the end of strength sessions when
your hands will be warmed up and your main training is out
of the way. As a beginner twice a week is enough to see quick
and measurable gains.

Flexion is bending at your wrist so your palm moves further

to the floor.
Extension is the opposite movement. The back of your hand
moves up as if you were signalling someone to stop.

Train Antagonistic Motions

Pronation and Supination

When you grapple, strike and grab weights, your hands

spend a lot of time in a closed position. It is easy to neglect
the antagonistic muscles on the back of your hands. Luckily,
these muscles need little work.

This is names given to the rotating of the forearm itself.

Pronation, like the term prone, implies that your forearm is
palm down.

The easiest way to target these muscles is with a rubber band

or two. Position your fingers and thumb inside the rubber
band. Have it rest on your nails. Open your hand, spreading
your fingers and thumb. The band will provide great resistance for these antagonistic muscles.

Supination is the opposite in which the forearm turns so

your palm is facing up.

Circumduction

This is something that doesnt need specific gym time. These

can be done at your desk in work, on the train during a commute or when you are sat at home.

Circumduction is the accumulation of the above. Here your

hand moves in a circular fashion around the wrist.

Part 2: Crush Grip

Grippers

Towel Pull-ups

Grippers are usually the first thing that comes

to mind with grip training. In essence, grippers
are two handles attached to a tough spring. The tension of this spring differs dramatically from gripper
to gripper.

The true beauty of grip training is how accessible it is to

anyone. If you have no access to a rope, no worries. Simply
throw a strong towel over a pull-up bar, branch or whatever
and perform your pull-ups or chin-ups using the towel grip.
Gripping the towel in this movement makes a massive
difference. In a traditional pull-up or chin-up, your hands
will passively hook onto the bar. By gripping the towel you
are forced to squeeze tight the second your feet leave the
ground. Those who compete in a Gi will appreciate the similarity in grip requirements. Play around with the thickness
of the towel. The thicker you have the towel, the harder the
exercise will be. I like to have athletes perform the required
number of reps, and then when the pull-ups are completed
just hang from the towel until the grip gives out. This hanging addition is not only physically tough, but also mentally
demanding.

Its worth noting early on that grippers available

in sporting stores are
useless. They offer
little resistance and will take no more than a few
attempts to master. Companies like Vulcan and
Captains of
Crush
are the
stand-outs
in the gripper world. The tension of these grippers is phenomenal. The Captain of Crush number 4 for example, takes 356lbs of force to fully close.

Towel Work

To set the gripper correctly, place one handle in the palm

of your hand. The other handle rests just under the fingers.
From this starting position squeeze the gripper as hard as
possible until the handles touch. When the handles touch,
you have done a full rep.

When training your grip, towels really can be your best

friend. With a little creativity an ordinary towel can become
a mega grip workout.

Loop the towel through the handle of a kettlebell and perThe beauty of grippers is in their convenience. I carry around form rows or swings. Everything about the movement remains the same. The only difference is the active squeeze you
two or three of the grippers with varying difficulties in my
have to do to hold onto the towel. This same principal can be
bag. Throughout the day I will take out a gripper and perform a few reps. Each rep is done with 100% intensity, but is done using a barbell. Loop two towels over a loaded bar, grab
one in each hand and again perform a set of rows.
still not enough work to break out a sweat. This grease the
groove method of training is perfect if you work in an office,
For a simple and deceptively demanding finisher, soak a towtravel or commute a lot.
el in water until it is completely saturated. Then using your
grip and forearm strength, ring it out dry. Expect to feel a
Rope Climbs
burn on this one, especially when done at the end of a tough
Rope climbing is perhaps one of the oldest strength exercises session.
performed. Its one that combat athletes have used throughout time. Rope climbing is mentioned as far back as 1569
by Hieronymus Mercurialis in his text De Arte Gymnastica.
Mercurialis wrote that only rope climbing and wrestling
were wholesome. Even today, rope climbing is still found
in nearly every military training program in the world and
within most wrestling gyms.

Another simple, yet tough finisher is towel tug of war. Partner up and both of you grip the towel tightly with one hand.
Have something as a marker on the ground and try to pull
your opponent over the line as they do the same. Be sure to
work both hands evenly and use a strong towel! A small thick
piece of rope works great for this too.

Bench Squeezes

When climbing a rope, it is best to leave your legs out of the

equation. Climb the entire length of the rope in a hand-overhand fashion. Not only will this give you an intense grip, it
will also be a great supplement to your back training and
pull-strength.

While the name bench squeezes sounds self-explanatory,

its likely you will never have seen them. Bench squeezes are
an obscure exercise, found mainly in strongman circles. Even
though it is a simple exercise, it is effective none the less.
Which is why its a shame it is underused.

Stand in front of a bench, bend at the hips and grab

the padded bit, double over hand, thumb-less grip.
For short intense intervals grip down and squeeze
the bench as hard as possible. For any onlooker it will
probably not look like nothing is going on. Chances are you will just look really angry at the bench as
youre pulling your best squeezing face. Well, regardless of the strange looks, work this into your program
to reap the benefits. No-one will give you strange
looks when you have a monster grip and mega forearms.

Rice Bucket
The rice bucket drill is another exercise that has been
used by combat athletes throughout the ages. The rice
bucket drill is unique in that not only are you working
your crushing strength, but, you also work the antagonistic muscles on the back of your hands. This makes
the rice bucket a very well rounded drill for your
hands, wrists and forearms.
Simply fill a deep bucket with rice. Dive the hands in
and open and close the hands forcefully twisting and
working down to the bottom of the bucket. Return to
the top and repeat.

Kettlebell Bottoms-up Press

The kettlebell bottom up press is another self-explanatory exercise. The bottom up press is performed by
inverting the kettlebell so the bottom is up. To keep
the bell in this position you have to crush the handle
to prevent it from falling.
The kettlebell bottom up press is a multi-faceted exercise. Not only will you train your crushing grip, but
the press itself will build your shoulders, triceps and
forearms.

Tennis Ball
While grippers are the greatest tool for crush strength, they
can be very demanding and costs can mount up when you
have to buy a few of them. Hockey legend Gordie Howe was
a fan of using the humble tennis ball for his crush and forearm work.
Whie watching TV, squeeze the tennis ball. At the office,
squeeze the tennis ball. Hold each squeeze tight for a count
of three, release and repeat. As simple as it sounds, it is demanding and works. Watch any footage of Howe and see just
how hard his slapshots were and the size of his forearms.

Part 3: Pinch Grip

Plate Pinch
master.

The king of all pinch exercises is the plate pinch,

easy to set up, easy to coach and impossible to

To begin, stand two ten pound plates next to each other,

smooth side out. With your fingers one side and your thumb
the other, squeeze and lift, until you cant hold the weights
any more.
This can be done one handed or two handed using bigger
plates, like 45s. Once you try this for yourself, youll come
to see the true difficulty of this exercise. Just some food for
thought, the current world record for the two hand pinch lift
is 270lbs set by Britains Dave Horne in 2014.

Pinch Holds

Block/Blob Weights
Blob weights have sadly slipped out of favour. The original
York Blob weights are incredibly hard too get hold of these
days. Block weights are essentially the same thing but are
made by cutting the head off an old dumbbell. In essence,
blob/block weights are the perfect tool for pinch grip training. But, they are pretty hard to get your hands on, and not
everyone will want to destroy a perfectly good dumbbell for
pinch training.
The set up is the same as the plate pinch holds. The goal is
also the same, hold as long as your grip will allow. The main
difference with block weights is the sheer size of them. They
are often 3 inches thick and more, making this one hell of a
pinch exercise.

Pinch holds are a very unique exercise. One that most will
Hub Pinch Lifts
have never seen. For the pinch holds you will need two short
pieces of wood. 2x4 is the best size to begin with, but feel free Hub lifts are different from the other pinch lifts. In all of the
to increase the thickness as you make progress.
other pinch lifts the fingers are kept together. In hub lifting your fingers are separate and your hand will resemble a
Begin on your knees, with the wood standing upright. Have
claw. Adding hub lifting into your program will ensure well
the pieces shoulder width apart. Pinch grip the pieces of
rounded development.
wood, with your fingers flat on one side, your thumb on the
other. Lean your weight forward, increasing your need to
To hub lift, place a weight plate flat on the floor and lift the
grip the wood tight.
plate using only the centre hub. The main problem with
This is a deceptively tough exercise. When you are able to
hub lifts is how different the hubs are from plate to plate. To
hold this position for 30 seconds, advance into a full push-up counteract this issue, there are hub lift tools available. If buyposition.
ing an attachment isnt your thing, its easy to make one using
a hockey puck, an eye bolt, a chain and a caribiner. A quick
search online will bring up plenty of helpful results.

10

11

Part 4: Support Grip

Bar Hangs

Heavy Dumbbell Shrugs

Bar hangs are possibly the simplest exercise in this entire

book. That doesnt mean they are easy though. To perform
bar hangs, simply jump up to a bar and hang. When you
first do these, use a double over-hand grip. The same grip as
you would in a pull-up. As you hang, be sure to engage your
upper back and shoulders. You are just hanging, but its an
active hang.
When you can do this active hang for 60 second sets, you
want to begin building up to the one armed version. If you
can actively hang for 60 seconds with just one arm, then you
will have a mega support grip.

There is a reoccurring theme with support grip training

-heavy weighted holds. For the heavy dumbbell shrugs, set
up in the same way as you would with the heavy static holds.
Grab a heavy dumbbell/kettlebell in each hand. Maintain
good posture with your head high, spine straight and shoulders back. From here shrug your shoulders up, pausing for a
count of three at the top. Slowly lower back to the start position and repeat for desired reps.

The main reason that I love and recommend bar hangs is

how easy they are to add into your current routine. When
you are next performing a set of pull-ups, instead of dropping off the bar after the last rep, perform a set of hangs. If
you are doing 5 sets of pull-ups, you have just added 5 sets of
bar hangs with little additional time needed.

Not only will this set of heavy shrugs build amazing levels
of grip strength, but it will also thicken your traps and neck.
Anyone who has ever wrestled understands the need for a
strong upper back and neck.

Heavy Static Holds

Heavy static holds are another simple to understand, but
tough and rewarding exercise. Grab the heaviest dumbbells
or kettlebells you can, and just stand with them. Heavy static
holds are an incredibly mentally tough exercise. Your hands
will try to open, your forearms will pump and burn and you
will want to put the weights down. The key is to fight and resist. Selling yourself short will be doing you no favours at all.
Be sure to keep a good posture when you are doing these.
Shoulders back and not rounded. Spine straight with head
held high.

Heavy Rack Holds

Heavy rack holds are a variation on the heavy static holds.
The rack holds allow you to go much heavier on the static
hold.
Set up in a power rack. Have the barbell set to just above
your knees. Load the bar heavy. The range of motion is minimal. Grip the bar using a double overhand grip, with your
hands just outside of your legs. Lift the bar using the same
mechanics as a deadlift and hold the weight for the maximum time you can. Not only will this supramaximal weight
handling build epic grip strength, but also enviable forearm
and trap size. These holds are tougher than the static holds,
so limit this kind of training to once, maybe twice a week.
The dumbbell/kettlebell variation can be done more often.

12

Kroc Rows
Kroc rows get there name from the
creator Matt Kroc Kroczaleski.
Kroc is a man who has an impressive resume. He is a competitive
bodybuilder, record breaking powerlifter and former marine. He is
also a man whose 150lb dumbbells werent heavy enough to
challenge him when performing rows. Enter the Kroc rows.
Grab the heaviest dumbbell/kettlebell you can and begin performing traditional single arm rows. Its definitely
worth noting that the form on Kroc rows will be somewhat
looser than traditional one arm rows. Dont be fooled or
disheartened though. When the weight is the heaviest you
can handle, anyone would struggle to row the weight from
arms length to chest without working the forearm, grip or
back hard. The true key to Kroc rows is heavy weight, high
reps. You are looking to complete somewhere around 20
reps. Once this is achievable, up the weight. Make sure at the
top of each rep, your elbow is back and high. Your shoulder blades should pull together at the top of the move and
drop to get a stretch at the bottom. Rowing in this manner is
incredibly beneficial to MMA, forearms and grip endurance
and strength. Pulling strength like that is used in clinches
and takedowns.

Heavy Farmers Walk

Heavy farmers walks are one of the best exercises for MMA
period. They are simple, tough and incredibly beneficial.
Through farmers walks you can increase strength, endurance
and fitness, lower fat and increase muscle mass. A series of
farmers walks has been shown to have a similar effect on
fitness as a series of sprints.
The exercise itself is easy to understand. Grab a pair of heavy
dumbbells/kettlebells and walk for either a specified distance
or time. Keep your strides natural. Be sure to keep your head
high, spine straight and shoulders back throughout. Shorter distances with heavier loads will work strength and grip.
Whereas lighter loads over a longer distances will build muscular endurance and fitness. Farmers walks are a full body
exercise that hits your upper back, core, grip, and glutes hard.
If you only have one take-away from this book, hopefully it is
the importance of adding farmers walks into your program.

13

Part 5: Open Grip

Fat Gripz

Kettlebell Palm Cleans

Fat Gripz are an amazing attachment. They are possibly the

single greatest thing you can add to your training to instantly
improve your MMA and grip. These little silicon attachments
have one purpose. To turn any dumbbell, pull-up bar or
barbell into in a thick handle. The thicker handle now means
your hands cant fully close around the bar. This makes the
exercise more grip intensive and more MMA applicable.
If you take away nothing from this book other than adding Fat Gripz I will be happy. I guarantee that even if you
keep your current routine exactly the same but add Fat
Gripz, your grip will improve. Not to mention forearm size,
strength and muscular endurance. Im not in anyway affiliated with Fat Gripz. I have just seen the amazing benefits of
using them.

The kettlebell palm clean is quite an obscure exercise. Its

one thats not for everyone and I would suggest staying away
from these if you have never performed a traditional kettlebell clean. If you are well versed with kettlebells though,
these make a great addition to your kettlebell arsenal.
The mechanics of the clean remain the same, the only difference here is that instead of the bell rotating to the racked
clean position, you let go and catch the bell in the palm of
your hand. In the top part of the exercise your hand will
resemble a waiter holding a tray, with the kettlebell being the
tray itself.
The hand holding the bell will be spread wide. Your fingers
will actively grip the bell to stabilize it and prevent it from
falling forward. If you are struggling to image this position,
visualize holding a basketball with one hand, palm facing the
sky. Not only does this require open grip strength, but the
movement will also require excellent hand eye coordination
and core strength to stabilize throughout.

Thick Bar
Thick bars are pretty uncommon outside of strongman
events. Events like axle deadlifts are a staple in strongman
competitions. Thick bars are generally available 2 and 3
thick. Training traditional exercises like deadlifts, bench
press and military press with a bar this size is an amazing
way to work your grip. If you can get your hands on one, use
it. If not, the Fat Gripz mentioned above will effectively do
the same job.

Newspaper Balling
Balling up newspaper sheets doesnt sound tough right? This
is a simple, but deceiving exercise. Have a newspaper sheet
flat on the ground. Begin in one corner and using only one
hand, drag and crush the newspaper into a tight ball. After
two or three sheets, your hands, fingers and forearm extensors will be on fire. Be sure to work both hands evenly.
When you become more proficient with one sheet, work on
two together. Work your way up to five sheets at once.

Odd Object Pull-ups

You know by now pull-ups work your grip. You also probably know that pull-ups are hard. Well, odd object pull-ups
not only work your grip harder, they also make the exercise
tougher.
There are hundreds of attachments available in all different
shapes and sizes to challenge your grip. My personal favourite is a globe grip attachment. In essence the globe grip is a
decent sized sphere that you have to grip open handed to
perform pull-ups. The beauty of this is it replicates a Thai
clinch perfectly. Alternatively attach a kettlebell to something
strong, using something strong and do your pull-ups while
Thai clinching that.
Another great attachment is cannonball grips. These are, as
the name implies, small spheres that you hang from. Gripping these cannonballs will force the hand into an open claw
shape- Perfect for strengthening your open grip and fingers.
Alternatively there are a ton of tutorials available online for
homemade versions using baseballs.
A final odd object pull-up option is tree branches. Tree
branches come in all shapes and sizes and vary significantly
in thickness. This makes for great grip training. Next time
you are out for a run, keep a look out for sturdy tree branches
to do pull-ups on. Be sure to grip the branch tightly throughout the set of pull-ups for maximum effectiveness.

14

Sadistic Swings
Anyone who has ever put together big reps of kettlebell
swings knows just how grip intensive they can
be. As the bell swings you have to release
your grip a little and rapidly retighten it as the bell swings back down.
After the first set of swings you are
very aware of just how much your
hands and forearms are working.
Well, I have a way to make them
even harder and push your grip
training further. Hence the title,
Sadistic Swings. The mechanics
of the swing remain the same. The
weight of the kettlebell you use can also
remain the same. The only addition is a thick
pair of gloves.
Now, be aware, this addition makes the exercise so much
harder on your grip. The slippery surface of the glove on
the handle of the kettlebell means you have to grip tightly
throughout. The thicker the glove, the less your hand can
wrap around the handle making this a great addition to your
open hand grip training. A note of caution though, take
care. The last thing you want is to release the bell
at the height of the swing, sending it forward.
Keep control of the kettlebell throughout.

Finger Push-ups

Finger Curl-ups

While technically not a grip exercise, finger push-ups should

still play a role in your grip training. The bulk of the grip
exercises provided in this book involve grabbing and squeezing. Its important that you counter this movement pattern
somewhat. Performing push-ups on your finger tips will
strengthen not only the extensors on the back of your hands,
but also your fingers and forearm flexors.

A great supplementary exercise for your fingers is finger curlups. Grab a dumbbell so it is only supported by your fingertips. Your hand will be very open at this point with a slight
bend right at the tip holding the weight. Using the power of
your fingers, curl the weight until you are holding the handle
tightly in your hand. Squeeze the handle for a five second
count and slowly lower back until the weight is just supported by your fingertips again. Repeat for the desired reps.

These may feel awkward and uncomfortable at first, but persevere. If you need to begin these from your knees and in no
time you will progress up to full push-ups.

Sandbag Training
Anyone who knows me is aware of how much I value sandbag training. I will happily choose a sandbag over a loaded
barbell any day. The sandbag allows for conventional exercises like deadlifts and presses but adds a unique grip element
to each. The grip you are forced to take on the sandbag is the
same as you would take on an opponent. It is simply impossible to grip a loaded sandbag with anything other than an
open grip. This alone makes the sandbag the go to choice for
MMA strength and conditioning.

15

Part 6: Wrists/Forearms

Wrist Curls

Plate Wrist Curls

Wrists curls are perhaps the most well know of all forearm
exercises. They are truly a great exercise, but there are plenty
of other, perhaps more MMA applicable options available.
The main problem with wrist curls is that they only work one
motion of the wrist. This is why it is vital to add other wrist
exercises to achieve well rounded development.

Plate wrist curls are the same as wrist curls. The only alteration being that you are holding a weight plate instead of
a dumbbell. Not only will this movement now work your
wrists/forearms but also your pinch grip.
The same applies as the wrist curls. Be sure to work with a
full range of motion and be sure to work both palms up and
down.

For the wrist curl, using a barbell or dumbbell is a viable

option. I have found though, that dumbbells tend to work
best. With dumbbells you can do this one-handed and focus
on getting a full range of motion. When doing sets of wrist
curls make sure you do these both supinated (palm up) and
pronated (palm down). Go through the full motion slow and
controlled to get the most out it.

Knuckle Push-ups
Knuckle push-ups are pretty self-explanatory. They are something you may have seen others doing and perhaps you have
done them yourself. Why choose these over traditional pushups? When you perform knuckle push-ups your forearms are
significantly involved. Performing push-ups in this manner
requires your wrist flexors and extensors to contract to hold
a rigid position.

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Wrist Roller

Supination Pronation Rotation

Wrist rollers are unfortunately non existent in many gyms

now. This is a shame because as far as building strength, size
and endurance in the forearms, wrist rollers are the king. If
you dont have access to one, luckily they are easy to make
and pretty cheap to do so.

Admittedly supination pronation rotation is

a bit of a mouthful. Despite this it is a great
exercise. There are several ways to perform
this, but the most common is with a sledgehammer.

When using the wrist roller, start light. You want to make
sure the weight reaches the handle on every rep. The same
principal as the wrist curls applies. Perform these palms up
and down to hit every bit of the forearms and wrists. As the
weight increases, your grip will become an issue. You will
have to crush the bar as you perform the movement so it
doesnt slip from your hands.

Start by gripping the sledgehammer tightly, roughly half way

up. Begin with the hammer head directly upwards. From
here, under control, rotate the hammer head until your palm
is facing the ground. Rotate the hammer head back around
until your palm is facing upwards. The hammer head will
travel in a semi-circle fashion. The beauty of using a sledgehammer, much like in BJJ, means you can use leverage to
make the exercise easier or harder. By gripping the sledgehammer at the handle, the head will have to travel much
further, making the exercise harder.

Certain individuals choose to use the wrist roller held out in

front at arms length. This way is fine, but if grip and forearm
strength is your goal, it may be best to reconsider. When
holding the roller out in front, more often than not its your
shoulders that will become the limiting factor in the exercise.
The best way to target your grip and forearms is to have the
roller held with a slight bend in your arms, near your waist.
As you are using the roller be sure to keep the bar parallel to
the ground. Any tilt in the bar either way will take away from
the goal of targeting your forearms.

Ulnar and Radial variations

Ulna and radial movements are very under trained. Luckily
this can be done using the wrist roller again.
Set up the same as a traditional wrist roller, but instead of
gripping the bar over or under hand, grip it by the outside
edges. You will have to hold the roller with a claw style,
palms facing each other. As before, under control, raise the
weight all the way to the top. This is a tough variation, so the
weight will need to be adjusted accordingly. Training in this
manner ensures well rounded development and strength in
all positions and movements.

Reverse Curl
The reverse curl is generally done with a barbell. It can also
be done with dumbbells, but more often than not, an EZ bar
works best. The reverse curl works not only your biceps but
your forearm extensors as well.
Regardless of what you choose, grip the implement with a
shoulder width overhand grip. Keeping your elbows tight
into your sides, curl the weight towards the top of your chest.
Pause for a count 5 count, fully contracting your forearms,
then slowly lower the weight back down.

17

Part 7: Fitting it Together

Now its time to put it all together. Luckily, when it comes to
grip training a little goes a long way. Implementing the principles you have read here is pretty simple. There will be no
need to devote big chucks of time or full routines to develop
a mighty grip. Instead, just choose to mix in grip exercises
into your current routine.

-Use Fat Gripz instead of regular barbell or

dumbbell handles.
-Add an active hang at the end of every set of
pull-ups or inverted rows.
-Instead of traditional pull exercise attachments, make use of towels, thick ropes or a
Gi.
-Be sure to include farmers walks as part of
your conditioning program.
-Train your antagonistic muscles periodically
throughout the day with elastic bands.
-Perform grip exercises as part of your active
recovery during conditioning drills.
-Use knuckle and finger push-ups along with
traditional versions as part of your warmups.
-Consider buying/making a sandbag and implementing it into your strength and conditioning.

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Some Simple Programming

Just Grip
Work

Perform the exercises either

during or at the end of your
strength or conditioning session.

Day 1- Pinch grip work

4-6 sets of maximal hold, quality

pinch work.

Day 2- Support grip

work

4-6 sets of heavy grip work.

Day 3- Open hand grip

work

All of your barbell or dumbbell

work using a fat grip.

Day 4- Crush training

Finish training with a set of rope

climbs or grippers.

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Grip, Wrists
and Forearms
With additional wrist and forearm work, the routine still doesnt
increase too much. Use the above
method, but add in the wrist and
forearm training below.

Day 1- Pinch grip work

Wrist roller (supinated, pronated,

ulna/radial) 2 sets of each.

Day 2- Support grip work

Superset with a series of knuckle
push ups.

Day 3- Open hand grip

work

4-6 sets of wrist curls (3 palms up, 3

palms down)

Day 4- Crush training

4-6 sets of supination/pronation rotation with a hammer.

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One Final Thought

This is the bit where I try to sell you something.
Well, not quite. I have nothing to sell to you. Sorry about
that. I do have a site full of information though, so go and
check that out if you havent already.
I have no desire for you to buy anything, unless it will truly
help you out with your fitness and life goals.
There is something you can do to help me out though, which
will cost you nothing

Spread the news of this eBook.

If you liked it and feel someone else can benefit from the
words contained within this, please pass it onto them.
Feel free to also send them over to my site:
www.completemmatraining.com

There you have it. All the grip training info

you need.

Get out there, train and dominate.

21

Dont explain your philosophy.

Embody it.
-Epictetus

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