Grip Strength as an Indicator of Heart Health

Grip Strength as an Indicator of Heart Health. Did you know that a strong grip doesn’t just mean a firm handshake. But it could also be a good indicator of a person’s heart health?

Aside from that, it has also been reported that the strength of one’s grip could predict a person’s chance of experiencing or dying from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. In fact, various researches have proven this fact to be true.

Two separate but related types of research have reported.  That a person’s grip could be a great indicator of current cardiovascular condition. One study reported that a significant increase in grip strength. Could lower the chances of a person dying from a heart attack. Another research has also claimed that stronger grips could contribute to the heart’s ability to pump more blood into the body.

Let’s dig in deeper into these two types of research.

The Connection Between Hand Strength and Cardiovascular Health

A research published by The Lancet looked at the relationship between grip strength and heart health. Among adults from 17 countries aged 35-70 as a part of Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study. They used a device called dynamometer to measure a person’s grip strength. It recorded any changes in the person’s health within a span of 4 years.

Their results showed that a 5-kilogram decrease in a person’s hand strength was associated with the following:

• An increased 16% chance of dying from any diseases;
• A 17% chance of dying from a heart disease;
• 7% increase in their chances of experiencing heart attack; and
• 9% increased the risk of experiencing a stroke.

Even when the researchers considered risk factors such as age, lifestyle, and other contributing factors, they still found hand grip strength to be a strong indicator of heart health.

They also found out that grip strength was actually a better indicator of cardiovascular functioning than blood pressure. However, the researchers suggested looking more into the relationship between the two brings us to the next research.

Grip Strength and a Healthier Heart Functioning and Structure

To investigate the link between grip strength and heart functioning. The grip strength of 5,065 participants with no history or underlying heart problems was measured using a hydraulic machine. Where they were instructed to squeeze a handle as hard as they can. Researchers Sebastian Beyer and Steffen Peterson studied the MRI of the participants along with the data they obtained from the hydraulic machine.

The study revealed that people with stronger grips were associated with better heart functioning. Since their hearts were able to pump more blood into the body despite having a lower heart mass. This finding, in turn, indicated that the heart muscles are less likely to experience remodeling. Which happens during hypertension or heart attacks. This was a breakthrough for the study since it gave a better understanding of the connection between the hand grip and heart structure, which was not known previously.

In Conclusion

With the researches to prove it, there is no doubt that there is a strong correlation between grip strength and cardiovascular health. You don’t have to limit doing your hand strengthening exercises at the gym.  Even when you’re at home watching television, you can do some hand strengthening exercises by using hand grippers or by squeezing tennis or rubber balls.

But of course, developing stronger grips wouldn’t be as effective without giving your muscles proper nutrition. Make sure to eat healthier and avoid eating unhealthy foods as much as possible. And finally, remember that a healthy, strong grip means a healthy heart.

by Biel Fit
www.bielfit.com
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Don’t Lose Your Grip: Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Neglect Hand Strengthening Exercises

Don’t Lose Your Grip: Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Neglect Hand Strengthening Exercises. Our body’s strength starts in our hands. Essentially when you have stronger hands, your entire body also becomes stronger. This is why grip strength is a critical aspect in sports, such as gymnastics, and even in our daily lives.

A lot of people focus on working their arms, legs, and back to get that perfect muscled look. What they often overlook is the importance of combining grip strength with their usual workout routine. Believe it or not, having a stronger grip could actually benefit boost your overall gain as well as help lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Our grip is basically what makes our body strong. It’s the one that allows our body to move, lift, and carry stuff from one place to another. Aside from that, these 5 reasons will tell you why you shouldn’t neglect hand strengthening exercises:

1. Injury Prevention

Having a weak grip can affect the way you live. When your grip and forearm muscles are not conditioned properly, you could suffer from certain types of injuries. These types of injuries are also common among athletes.

For instance, tennis players suffer from a tennis elbow which is characterized by extreme pain on the outside of the elbow. Climbers can have the same pain but on the opposite side of the elbow. Like the athletes, ordinary people with desk jobs can suffer from the same injuries.

Although these can be treated with injections or massage, these issues will keep on coming back if you won’t do anything about your forearm and grip conditioning.

2. Overall Health Indicator

The benefits of having a strong grip does not stop with injury prevention. Grip strength can also be a great overall health indicator. Sports scientist, Thomas Kurz, suggests using a dynamometer in measuring the strength of a person’s grip. If the results show that the grip strength falls below the previous measurement, it could be mean fatigue or lack of optimal recovery.

3. Grip Strength Affects the Core

In order for your core to achieve its maximum gain, the muscles in both your upper and lower body must also be placed under tension. In addition, one of the most effective ab exercises is the hanging leg raise. The problem is, many people can’t go through long periods of hanging leg raise because their weak grip is holding them back. However, with a stronger grip, leg raises become much easier and achieving rock-hard abs won’t be so hard anymore.

4. Increased Hand Strength

Hand strengthening exercises are also great for building a strength on your wrists and arms. It’s especially effective when done at the gym since you’re workout program will involve lifting heavy weights. Athletes, gymnasts, and climbers benefit from these exercises since their sport requires a good grip for them to be able to support their weight.

5. Builds Endurance

When you have a strong grip, it becomes easier for you to carry your groceries, open a jar, and carry out activities for an extended period of time. Developing endurance also helps you perform more reps at the gym before your target muscles give out.

The importance of incorporating grip strength into our daily workout routine can’t be stressed enough. Aside from these benefits, hand strengthening exercises can help improve dexterity as well as enables you to lift heavier weights for maximum gain. Start by doing hand gripper exercises or tennis ball squeeze and build up to a more challenging exercise when you’re ready. Starting slow is already a big step to take and it will make a huge difference in your overall health and power.

by Biel Fit
www.bielfit.com
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Improve Your Grip with These 5 Hand Strengthening Exercises

Improve Your Grip with These 5 Hand Strengthening Exercises.While some people can open a jar of pickles without having much difficulty, not everybody is blessed with having a strong grip. According to Harvard physical therapist Maria Cole, we often rely on our hands to stay active and independent. She also added that having weak hands could hinder a person from enjoying life’s pleasures.
Having a strong grip is an important part of every person’s life. This is why it’s extremely important for us to be able to develop a strong grip we still can. With that said, here are 5 easy hand strengthening exercises you can do at home or at the gym to help you achieve a strong and firm grip.

1. Dumbbell Rotation

Aside from strengthening the muscles in your arm, dumbbell rotation is also perfect for improving your grip strength.

How to do it:

With a dumbbell on each hand, bend your arms and position it on a 90-degree angle in front of you. Keep your shoulders relaxed as you turn the dumbbells as far away from you as possible without putting so much strain on your wrists and then slowly bring your arms back to the original position. Do 12 to 15 reps before moving on to your next exercise.

2. Wrist Curls

This exercise is extremely beneficial for your wrist flexors which can improve the strength of your grip.

How to do it:

Grabbing a pair of light dumbbells, place your hands on top of a bench or a counter. Position your hand so that your palm would face downwards and flex your wrists toward you then down towards the floor making sure that your wrists are in contact with the bench or countertop the whole time. Do 2 sets of this exercise with 12 to 15 reps in each set.

3. Gripper Exercises (Speed Repetitions)

Hand grippers are the easiest and most convenient way to improve the strength in your hands. You can do it when you’re at your desk at work, or even when you’re just watching television at home.

How to do it:

With one hand, try to squeeze the hand grippers as many times as you can for a set amount of time. Repeat the same with the other hand with the same amount of time. You also have to make sure that you’re exerting the same pressure on each hand with every grip session.

4. Tennis Ball Squeeze

This is another simple exercise that everyone can do anytime. This is especially helpful when you’re having trouble with holding on to things. This exercise can also help you open that jar of pickles easily.

How to do it:

Hold a tennis ball or a rubber ball in one hand and start squeezing it as hard as you can for 3 to 5 seconds before releasing. Repeat 10 to 15 times before moving the ball to the other hand.

5. Towel Hangs

Towel hangs can actually help improve your grip by making your hands and forearms work harder to maintain its hold.

How to do it:

Start this exercise by hanging two towels shoulder-width apart over a pull-up bar. Grab the towels with each hand and lift your knees up so that your body will be hanging. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds per set.
Hand grip exercises are extremely important in every person’s workout. Aside from the fact that it improves your grip, these exercises could also improve dexterity as well as improve the quality of a person’s life as he/she ages. Start incorporating these routines to your workout weekly and work your way up from there and you’ll be sure to achieve that firm grip you’ve always wanted in no time.

by Biel Fit

www.bielfit.com

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The Benefits of Hand Strengthening According to Research

The Benefits of Hand Strengthening Exercises According to Research. Being healthy is probably the topmost priority for most people. In this modern age, we all know how important it is for us to maintain a healthy body to prevent diseases such as heart attack or stroke. For some, it means going regularly to the gym and doing some resistance workout but to others, simple hand strengthening exercises will do the trick.

A lot of people may not know this, but having a good grip can actually have a lot of benefits. For instance, hand strengthening exercises are extremely important for rock climbers in order for them to develop their grip and maintain their hold. For stroke survivors, these types of exercises are essential for them to regain their fine motor skills.

Aside from these, developing a strong grip could have other wonderful benefits. Let’s explore some of them below:

 1. Lowers the Risk of Heart Attacks and Stroke

Growing old is inevitable. The older the person gets, the more likely it is for him/her to experience stroke or suffer from cardiovascular diseases. And as nature would have it, their muscle mass would slowly start to decline as well.

A study published in The Lancet in July 2015 assessed the hand strength of 140,000 adults from ages 35 to 70. The results showed that a 5-kg decline in grip strength was associated with 17% increased risk of dying from a heart attack. 7% risk of having a heart attack and a 9% risk of experiencing stroke. They then concluded that stronger grips were associated with more muscle mass. The more muscle mass a person has, the less likely it is for him/her to experience heart diseases or stroke.

2. Improves Mobility

Did you know that your grip could also predict your mobility in your golden years? In fact, a study published by Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences established a connection between grip strength and mobility. The results showed that men who have weaker grips (less than 26 kg). Are more likely to face issues relating to mobility in the future compared to men who have normal strength grips.

3. Improved Quality of Life

Stronger grips are also associated with an improved quality of life especially at an older age. A study in 1999 concluded that among older people. Hand grips are a great indicator of functional limitations in later life. They also added that having good muscle strength is a great way to avoid any old age disabilities in the future.

Another study published by Oxford Academic in 2010 showed that people over 85 with weak hand grips. Are more likely to experience faster cognitive decline.

Hand strengthening exercises is usually the type of exercise most people often overlook. They think it’s a complete waste of time and effort. To perform an exercise that would only affect less than 5% of the body when in truth, it’s just as important as any other workouts.

The ones listed above are just some of the many advantages of having a strong grip. Although it’s just a small part of our body. Having a good grip could be actually be beneficial to a person – athlete or not – in a lot of ways. If it isn’t part of your exercise program yet, it might be a good idea to start incorporating it now.

by Biel Fit
www.bielfit.com
Check out our products and eBook