The Grip Strength Superthread- Read Here First

[Navalsnpr]

but most of use think that the machine was set to large for our collectively small hands, giving false readings.  

The Hand Grip Dynamometer is adjustable and every express test I've completed, I've been given the opportunity to adjust the grip size to fit my own hands.

 

[bossi]

On a side note, how many people feel the grip test is an accurate way of testing fitness, or could a better exercise replace the grip test?   Or who would just like to see chin ups come back?

The grip strength measurement is intended to measure "the tip of the iceberg".
And, yes - it's entirely possible the device wasn't adjusted properly - mistakes happen.
Similarly, there are "issues" with pushup and chinups - similar to the debate on Olympic medals (i.e. as soon as "technique" or anything "judged" is involved ... it's not a score - it's an opinion ...).

The best advice has already been given:
1.  Don't just work on improving your score on the grip strength test - work on your upper body strength, and particularly your arms and ESPECIALLY your forearms.
2.  If it was good enough for Gordie Howe, then it's good enough for you (i.e. hockey is "War on Ice"!)

tie a weight to a rope and a stick or something (not really a stick, something solid that you can hold , like a bar) and roll the weight up and down with the bar... it works out your forearms  pretty well

 

[Kat Stevens]

The grip test is ludicrous as a gauge of fitness.  An old EME guy I knew couldn't run from his bay to the crapper without a smoke break in between, but he could squeeze the head off an anaconda...

CHIMO,  Kat

 

[bossi]

The grip test is ludicrous as a gauge of fitness ...

Ooops - thanks for the reminder!
The grip strength test is only a "litmus test" for a particular subset/aspect of muscular strength ... (i.e. to be viewed in concert with the remainder of the Expres test ...)

 

[FITSUMO]

On a side note, how many people feel the grip test is an accurate way of testing fitness, or could a better exercise replace the grip test?  Or who would just like to see chin ups come back?

by itself the grip test is nothing, but it is a measurable test.  In most cases( not Jazscam's) it would indicate a person that is doing some form of resistance training.  At civvie job we have a dyno and I asked a rather lazy s*(& if he try it, he failed really bad, this guy has to take the elevator to go one floor and cannot do 1 push-up, so in this case the test is accurate.  If Jazcam is a climber, I would say for sure that the dyno was set up incorrect.

As for chin's coming back, all you smaller guys love them, being bigger and struggling with them, I do em because I have to,  but I am glad they not in the test.  I think a better test would be a deadlift.  The reason:  It covers grip, leg and lower back strength............and being a bigger guy and doing 600lbs for sets I love em( but I am not biased at all).........

cheers

 

[Hopkins]

Yea I took all my tests today and failed the PT only cause I couldn't meet the limit of hand grip...Pissed off...

Personally...though it doesn't really matter, they should find some other way to test that part of muscular strenth...Or many m just pissed cause I failed it

Takin test in about another month...So we'll see...

 

[civvy3840]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this but I was wondering if there was a way to improve my chances of doing well on the grip test.


thanks

 

[George Wallace]

It seems, from other comments on other threads, that the best thing to do is right from the start, make sure you adjust the device for your hand.

GW

 

[civvy3840]

ok I will adjust it to my hand.


thanks

 

[civvy3840]

hey guys I just thought of something. I don't even know the minimum requirements for the grip test the reason I thought of this is because we are doing grip tests in gym and I thought it would be a good opertunity to see if I will have problems on the test.


thanks

 

[277to081]

AFAIK, there is no set minimum for the grip test, rather, they tally the total on your grip test (best for each hand out of two tries each) + total push ups (use proper form) + total sit ups, that total has to equal at least 175 or something, sorry cant remember the exact number. HTH!

Edit: come to think of it, that 175 number may be to achieve exempt status, it might be that grip must be at  least 75 but the higher you get the less push ups/sit ups you have to do in order to be exempt. The minimum for push ups and sit ups for males is 19 each.

 

[WATCHDOG-81]

"there is no set minimum for the grip test, rather, they tally the total on your grip test (best for each hand out of two tries each) + total push ups (use proper form) + total sit ups, that total has to equal at least 175 or something, sorry cant remember the exact number. HTH!"


According to PSP guidelines, there is a minimum for the grip test.  75 for males under 35, 73 for males 35 and over,  50 for females under 35, and 48 for females 35 and over.

 

[Inch]

"there is no set minimum for the grip test, rather, they tally the total on your grip test (best for each hand out of two tries each) + total push ups (use proper form) + total sit ups, that total has to equal at least 175 or something, sorry cant remember the exact number. HTH!"


According to PSP guidelines, there is a minimum for the grip test.   75 for males under 35, 73 for males 35 and over,   50 for females under 35, and 48 for females 35 and over.

Correct, however that's a total between your two hands. I used to wrestle in high school so I've always had really good grip, I got 70 on my RH and 67 on my LH on my last test. It has it's advantages, I only have to do 20 pushups and 20 situps to get exempt, now if only I could get 10.5 on the shuttle run  :'(

 

[civvy3840]

thanks guys I did the grip thing in gym today and it was harder than I thought. I only got 57 on my right and 33 on my left but thankfully that is enough to pass! but do any of you have a site or suggestions on who to improve your grip? I've started doing work outs involving forearm strength and whenever I watch tv I squeeze a stress ball until I can't anymore, but apparently I still need to work at it. So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

 

[putz]

thanks guys I did the grip thing in gym today and it was harder than I thought. I only got 57 on my right and 33 on my left but thankfully that is enough to pass! but do any of you have a site or suggestions on who to improve your grip? I've started doing work outs involving forearm strength and whenever I watch tv I squeeze a stress ball until I can't anymore, but apparently I still need to work at it. So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

Push ups, chin ups, and dips worked the best for me, and I increased big time on my grip test ( I had to re-test cause my old one expired)

 

[TheCheez]

Grip test is almost entirely how you postiion the device.  This is the easiest test but for free exempt points it pays to get a high score.

Unfortunatlely the setup that feels comfortable for me is the least effective

 

[civvy3840]

How do you get pionts on the PT test is it like for every 1kg on the grip test you get 1 piont and for every push-up/sit-up youget 1 piont?

 

[TheCheez]

Thats right 1 point per situp or pushup or kg of grip and to get excempt you need to get above x amount of points depending on your age.

 

[civvy3840]

Ok this may sound stupid but what are you geting exempt from? So I'd need to be able to do 43 push-ups and 42 sit-ups in a minute. Bettter start working lol

 

[Inch]

Pushups aren't timed, they only have to be continuous. It may be different for the entry fitness test, but that's how it is for the CF Expres test.

If you achieve exempt status on your Expres you don't have to do it the next year. Normally you do an Expres test every year, if you get exempt everytime you do it, you only do it every 2 years.