Grip Strength: One of the Basics We Overlook
- Dawn Roe
- Mar 4
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 27
Grip strength supports far more everyday tasks than many people realise, from carrying bags and opening jars to using a rail or getting up from the floor. It is a basic skill, but an important one.
A post about grip strength popped up today and reminded me how often we overlook the basics.
Grip strength is quietly important in everyday life.
It helps with carrying bags, opening jars, using a rail, getting up from the floor, and feeling more secure when using a stick.
The list is longer than many people realise.
It is one of those abilities that often sits in the background, until it starts to matter.
That is one reason I like to include it in class.
One of my favourite ways to work on grip strength is an exercise called Round the World.
A kettlebell or dumbbell is passed around the body in a steady, controlled way. It is simple, functional, and often more effective than people expect.
What I like about it is that it can be adjusted sensibly.
We can scale it by:
choosing a weight the person feels confident with
keeping the pass in front of the body if the shoulders do not like movement behind
reducing the base of support for more challenge, while keeping posture steady
This makes it useful, adaptable, and progressable.
It does not need to be fancy.
It needs to be practical and relevant to real life.
And if you are thinking about home alternatives, there are a few simple options.
A loaded shopping bag can work well, provided the handle is sturdy.
A resistance band can also be used for a “wringing” type drill.
And yes, I may even have suggested hand-washing clothes as an old-school grip exercise - not the one for me.
Not glamorous perhaps, but effective.
Grip strength is one of those ordinary things that supports all sorts of ordinary life.
Which is exactly why it deserves attention.
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