The 3 Types of Grip and the 8 Ways to Train Them | Breaking Muscle

You often hear me talk at the clinic or at the pool about the importance of grip strength with age and in competitive sports, especially swimming.  Upper extremity strength shoulder irradiate distal to proximal beginning in the finger tips and progressing through hand, wrist, forearm, shoulder and finally the core.

In freestyle, several key factors must be in play first such as posture, body line and balance with buoyancy points in the water.  These variables of PLB help set-up the alignment of the lead arm as it drops into the catch position, creating the opportunity for the hand, wrist and forearm muscles to anchor securely to the water.

Keys:

1. Lead arm sets-up the axis of rotation
2. Alignment directly in front of the shoulder line or 2 line.
3. Early catch results from wrist flexion to "lock" the fingers, hand and forearm to the water.
4. Pull along the contour of the body

Here is a link to a article on building grip strength.

Forearm muscles

Just as a rock climber must be able to reach and grip with the tips of their fingers, so must swimmers be able grip the water with the same conviction and up-front strength to propel them forward in the water. However, swimmers are a little different because they need to do it several thousands times in a training block which requires more endurance strength.

The 3 Types of Grip and the 8 Ways to Train Them''

There will be more on this subject later, but start thinking about how your going to train for better grip strength.

Dr. Brett

Mixed System Training - Basic

Today's workout focuses on a "mix" of middle distance swims with pace work combined with varied resistance training sets.  Tempo and sprint helps to up regulate the legs and core, and drill set help refine and clean-up technique issues.

500 free warm-up (light easy & relaxed)

High elbow with low hand recovery away
from the body. Notice the R. elbow, mid-
back & L. shoulder create a line of connection.

R. arm is lead arm creating the "line
of the body".  L. hand pulls from overhead
position along the side of the body.

Tubes & Training (TNT)

• Single step-back rows (blue tube) 10 each side 
• 123's chest presses in lunge position (3 rounds each leg)
• Triceps overhead press 15 reps

100 IM (light, easy and relaxed)

4X25 Hi-tempo Kick Free / 20 seconds rest

75 Kick / Drill / Swim by 25

5X100 free / 1:30 descend 1-5

75 Kick / Drill / Swim by 25

100 IM (light, easy and relaxed)

TNT 

• Single step-back rows (blue tube) 20 each side 
• 123's chest presses in lunge position (4 rounds each leg)
• Triceps overhead press 20 reps
• Alternating Curl N' Press with Step Pattern 20 each side
• Russian Twists in Sumu stance 10 right 10 left

500 free pull with Finis snorkel

• Emphasize posture, line & balance
• Elbow "pop" with rotation into horizontal body position and opposite lead arm entry (lines of body orientation are stressed)

100 IM (80%)

4X25 Sprint Kick Free / 20 seconds rest (faster then previous hi-tempo set)

75 Kick / Drill / Swim by 25

• 3/4 pause every 3rd stroke (PLB, high elbow recovery, forearm foreward, finger-tips down, superimposed recovery in the front quadrant)

10X50 free / 1:30 descend (70-80-90% effort) 1-3 repeats for 3 rounds, last 50 easy

75 Kick / Drill / Swim by 25

• Underwater recovery emphasizing a high elbow catch and elbow pop and pull along the side of the body.

100 IM (easy and relaxed)

TNT 

• Double arm rows (blue tube) 40 reps
• 123's chest presses in lunge position (4 rounds each leg)
• Triceps overhead press 20 reps
• Double arm curl, double arm row, double arm press 40 reps
• Russian Twists in Sumu stance 10 right 10 left

100 easy swim
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Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove.  Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar.  He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques.  You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.