Grip Fiends, I need some Advice on a complete grip program

[Ideal Paradigm]

I read in another thread, that grippers are not the only part of a good grip program? What exactly would consist of a good grip program?

I would like to tear a deck of cards (with ease), will normal training with Kettlebells (VWC, ETK, etc.) and using grippers be enough to learn how to rip a deck of cards? Or will I need something else to further supplement? What about pinch training, how does that play into grip training? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[androushka]

I'm not a grip-guy, so take this for what it's worth, but i researched it once, for when I'm getting in to grip-training more seriously:

You shoud train different aspects of ypur grip:
Crush-grip: is when you use all the fingers and thumb to squeeze things (grippers)
Pinch-grip: is when you pinch between finger-tips and thumb (more dependent on thumb-strength than crush if I remember correctly.
Support-grip: is hooking things with your fingers and statically holding on to them, like farmers-walks (not much, if any thumb involved)
Then there is extending your fingers agains resistance (not everyone cares about that one), and wrist strength. I might have forgotten something, I'm sure the grip-peeps on here will make the picture clearer

[inferno]

androushka is correct except he forgot wrist work.
From my limited understanding about grip I think you should begin with the basics for a strong foundation. David Horne years ago posted on the gripboard a very fine routine for beginers that consist of:
1st - 2 hands plate pinch (3 sets 10-15 sec)
2nd - finger rolls (curls) ( 3 sets 15-20 reps)
3 th - wrist curls ( 3 sets 15-20 reps)
4 th reverse wrist curls ( 3 sets 15-20 reps)

And thats it! Do the exercises in that order, 2/3 times per week for a few months is all you need to build strong base.
Later on, you should then specialize on what your looking for (bending, rip cards, rip phone books, etc).
I think i'm on the same boat as you. I want to rip cards and books and later i will try bending but till then its a long work ahead. Im working on the PM and that very grip routine but with a few adds. Its something like this:

day1 and day4: tgu, 2 hands pinch, finger rolls and fat bar holds
day2 and day5: swings, wrist curls, reverse wrist curls and levering

hope it helped

[inferno]

actually grippers work is only a tiny fraction of the grip universe and is only need if you are looking for the goal of closing a harder gripper for example the coc3. Grippers work will only get you good at crushing and does little for pinching, support grip, etc.

[Zach Coulter]

The basics of any grip program are Pinch, thickbar, grippers and wrist work.

Pinch:
2 hand pinch
1 hand pinch
Multiple plate pinching(5's, 10's, 25's, 35's, 45's, etc)
Thin pinch(pinching surface less than 1" thick)
Odd pinching(random objects that present unique challenges, can be found ANYWHERE)

Thickbar:
Axle lifts(deadlifts, cleans, presses, rows, etc)
Thick DB lifts
Rolling Thunder
FBBC Crusher(better made than the RT I might add)

Grippers: Self explanatory

Wrist Work:
SLEDGE LEVERS
Formulator(or one of it's similar brethren)
SLEDGE LEVERS
Wrist Roller(2" or thicker)
SLEDGE LEVERS
Bending in all techniques
SLEDGE LEVERS
and finally
SLEDGE LEVERS

The beauty of grip is that you can almost hold a contest with what's in most athletic fellow's gyms. Weight plates, random bars, odd objects, etc. You just have to be a bit more creative when on a budget.

[ARODRNSN]

For grip endurance give this a try-3 minute sets hanging from a pull up bar. I had a college coach who was a grad assistant at Penn State and the players were supposed to be able to max out at 3 minutes x 3 sets. Best players at it-those who grew up on a farm.

[xafier]

For grip endurance give this a try-3 minute sets hanging from a pull up bar. I had a college coach who was a grad assistant at Penn State and the players were supposed to be able to max out at 3 minutes x 3 sets. Best players at it-those who grew up on a farm.

Dead hangs? Yeah I've done those in the past, was recommended it by several rock climbers. Absolutely kills your arms towards the end, think the max I ever did was about 1min 30s, and I was practically swearing near the end before my grip died and I dropped.

Not done them in ages though, might give them another go as I'm working on my grip a bit more recently.

[YanV]

I would like to tear a deck of cards (with ease), will normal training with Kettlebells (VWC, ETK, etc.) and using grippers be enough to learn how to rip a deck of cards? Or will I need something else to further supplement?

Not sure how it translates into ripping a deck of cards, but Bottom Up Presses work the grip very well, you may want to give it a try.

[boozeyslick]

My grip rocketed after i started using my macebell again. COC #2 went from 2 closes to 5 easy closes 2.5 is almost nailed.

[Ideal Paradigm]

The basics of any grip program are Pinch, thickbar, grippers and wrist work.

Pinch:
2 hand pinch
1 hand pinch
Multiple plate pinching(5's, 10's, 25's, 35's, 45's, etc)
Thin pinch(pinching surface less than 1" thick)
Odd pinching(random objects that present unique challenges, can be found ANYWHERE)

Thickbar:
Axle lifts(deadlifts, cleans, presses, rows, etc)
Thick DB lifts
Rolling Thunder
FBBC Crusher(better made than the RT I might add)

Grippers: Self explanatory

Wrist Work:
SLEDGE LEVERS
Formulator(or one of it's similar brethren)
SLEDGE LEVERS
Wrist Roller(2" or thicker)
SLEDGE LEVERS
Bending in all techniques
SLEDGE LEVERS
and finally
SLEDGE LEVERS

The beauty of grip is that you can almost hold a contest with what's in most athletic fellow's gyms. Weight plates, random bars, odd objects, etc. You just have to be a bit more creative when on a budget.

Wow, thank you so much for the detailed post. I would give you some more reputation, but apparently I need to give others before I can give more to you, haha.

What would you say would be the most efficient way to work grip without spending the most money? I'm generally a minimalist when it comes to working out, and I like purchasing tools that have the most carryover and I can do the most with.

For the pinching, it's easy to find plates, and for the thick bars, I was thinking of buying one of those thick barbells. And for gripping, I was thinking about getting the Vulcan Gripper, or that other Gripper Superstore Gripper that someone suggested in my other grip thread. And since sledge levers are such a large part of wrist work, I figure that getting a sledgehammer (used or something for cheap) would be good enough. I'm not really looking to specialize, just get a really strong grip, pinch, and wrist all around.

What do you think, Mr. Coulter?