When people think of grip strength, they usually picture holding onto a barbell during a deadlift—or maybe their forearms giving out mid-set on pull-ups. But if that’s your only reference point, you’re missing a huge part of what makes grip strength so powerful.

Grip isn’t just one thing—it’s a system. And like any system, it’s only as strong as its weakest link.

To truly build a skull-crushing grip and the kind of forearm development that turns heads, you need to understand and train all three grip types:

• Support Grip
• Crush Grip
• Pinch Grip

Each one plays a different role in performance, strength, and muscle growth. And chances are, you’ve been neglecting at least one of them.

1. Support Grip – Your Strength Endurance Foundation

What It Is:
Support grip is your ability to hold onto something for time. It’s the foundational type of grip—what most lifters rely on during compound lifts.

Where It Shows Up:

• Deadlifts and rack pulls
• Pull-ups, chin-ups, and rope climbs
• Farmers carries, yoke walks, and sandbag holds
• Static hangs and heavy holds

Why It Matters:
If you’ve ever had a set cut short because your hands gave out before your back or legs—your support grip failed you.

This type of grip is all about endurance and fatigue resistance. It keeps you holding the weight, even when everything else is screaming. And without it, your intensity—and your results—suffer.

How to Train It:

• Timed dead hangs from a pull-up bar
• Heavy barbell holds at lockout (rack pulls)
• Farmer’s carries for distance or time
• Dumbbell or kettlebell suitcase carries (unilateral)

Pro Tip:
If you have to reach for straps early, it’s probably a support grip issue—not a strength issue.

2. Crush Grip – Raw Squeezing Power

What It Is:
Crush grip is your ability to squeeze something hard between your fingers and your palm. It’s about how much pressure you can create.

Where It Shows Up:

• Gripper challenges
• Rope climbs and grappling sports
• Thick handle dumbbell work
• Strongman events with rolling handles or axle bars
• Arm wrestling or manual labor

Why It Matters:
Crush grip is where power meets dominance. Whether it’s a handshake, a rope pull, or closing a gripper, this type of grip shows how much force you can generate.

And it’s not just about showmanship. A strong crush grip helps stabilize lifts, especially when things start to shift, rotate, or require fast control under tension.

How to Train It:

• Hand grippers (graded resistance)
• Rolling thunder handle lifts
• Thick bar holds and curls
• Rope rows or towel pull-ups
• Plate curls or pinch grip reps with thick implements

Pro Tip:
Crush grip gets taxed fast—so don’t overdo it. Our manual cycles intensity and rest for max results without burnout.

3. Pinch Grip – The Missing Piece

What It Is:
Pinch grip is your ability to hold flat objects between your thumb and fingers. It’s not as flashy—but it’s probably the most neglected.

Where It Shows Up:

• Plate pinches
• Pinch block deadlifts
• Sandbag or stone loading
• Climbing, wrestling, and grappling
• Carrying anything awkward, like tiles or bricks

Why It Matters:
Your pinch grip is a direct measure of thumb strength and finger control. If you’ve ever had trouble holding two smooth plates together, this is why.

Pinch grip improves your ability to manipulate weight, not just lift it. That makes it critical for everything from Olympic lifting control to strongman to injury prevention.

How to Train It:

• Plate pinches (smooth side out)
• One-arm pinch deadlifts
• Pinch blocks or hub implements
• Towel or gi grips for combat sports
• Hex dumbbell holds (thumb and fingertips)

Pro Tip:
Don’t be surprised if this grip type is your weakest—most people avoid it. That’s why it yields such big gains when trained properly.

Don’t Forget the Wrists and Extensors

The muscles responsible for grip don’t end at the hand. Your wrist flexors, extensors, pronators, and stabilizers all play critical roles in forearm development and injury prevention.

To build a complete grip, you need to add:

• Wrist curls (flexion and extension)
• Radial and ulnar deviation drills
• Lever lifts (with sledgehammers or clubs)
• Rice bucket training for volume, rehab, and activation

Ignoring this means missing out on muscle symmetry and opening the door for elbow and wrist pain down the road.

Train All 3—or Stay Unbalanced

Let’s recap:

Grip Type	Key Function	Common Mistake
Support	Hold heavy weight	Only trained passively in lifts
Crush	Squeeze and crush	Neglected due to lack of tools
Pinch	Thumb and finger hold	Almost never trained directly

If you’re only hitting one or two of these—and skipping wrist and extensor work—you’re not training your grip. You’re hoping for it to improve.

And hope doesn’t build strength.

Build All 3 Grip Types with Our 6-Week Training Plan

The 6-Week Forearm Training Manual is built to:

• Train support, crush, and pinch grip strength
• Improve wrist and forearm development
• Integrate with your existing training
• Balance volume and recovery
• Help you add serious size and strength to your lower arms

Download the program and start building the grip strength your training deserves.

Get the Forearm Training Manual Now
Build strength from your fingertips to your shoulders—one squeeze at a time.

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