Workout of the Day for Wednesday August 14, 2013
Push-ups
Running
excerpt below from: Diane Fu:
Do you hook grip? If you said no, today’s common fault is for you. The hook grip is a method of gripping the bar using the thumb as a hook (“J”) and the first two fingers as a support to lock the hook in place. This overlooked technique is the weightlifter’s version of the mixed hand grip powerlifters use for deadlifting acting as a powerful counter to the torsion that occurs in the lifter’s hands as they take off and then violently explode during the second pull.
Hook gripping gets put on the back burner during the learning phase often due to it’s reputation for causing much initial discomfort on the thumb making the thumb feel painful, tender and sometimes even sprained, but this is all nothing a little flexi-tape around the thumb won’t help.
So condition your hook grip now and I promise it’ll become as comfortable as that cup of hot cocoa in front of the fireplace during Christmas. Otherwise, be prepared to be a sad panda when you’re finally lifting enough weight to have to learn how to use the hook grip; but only now, you have to take your weights down cause your thumbs can’t keep up with the work load. Bummer. And you know, nobody likes a sad panda.