GET a GRIP-the sequel
Depending on the clinical profile of an athlete presenting at VOITTO, we don’t just jump into exercise prescriptions. We start with data. Rigorous, targeted, and often expansive diagnostic testing—coordinated with primary healthcare—forms the launchpad of any meaningful intervention. Whether addressing dysfunction or driving high performance, risks must be understood, mitigated, and tracked.
Among the many metrics we pull, one test is non-negotiable: Hand grip strength, measured via a calibrated electronic dynamometer.
Why Grip Strength?
The Science Behind the Metric
Grip strength has emerged as a surprisingly omnipotent biomarker. Bohannon (2019) synthesized decades of clinical data and concluded:
“Grip strength is largely consistent as an explanation of concurrent overall strength, upper limb function, bone mineral density, fractures, falls, malnutrition, cognitive impairment, depression, sleep problems, diabetes, multimorbidity, and quality of life.”
That’s not a throwaway variable. It’s a neuromuscular gateway into everything from systemic resilience to sport-specific integrity. Yet in the context of hockey, grip strength is rarely isolated for training attention—typically treated as a background adaptation from bench presses, pull-ups or other compound lifts.
At VOITTO, we disagree with that passive model. For us, grip strength is a primary outcome, particularly in pre-season when foundation work sets the tone for a competitive calendar. It’s a controllable metric with acute relevance to on-field performance.
Grip in Hockey
More Than Just Holding the Stick
Reflect for a moment on the occupational load your forearms carry in a typical hockey match. Stick turnovers, flat tackles, drag flicks, high-pressure aerials—every technical action pulses through your grip mechanics.
The left forearm, in particular, bears asymmetric loading due to its dominance in:
Counter-control during tackles
Reverse stick maneuvers
Defensive interceptions
Stick stabilisation under collision tension
This localized stress builds both capacity and vulnerability. Without explicit grip work, athletes run the risk of overload pathologies or imbalanced shoulder-forearm mechanics.
Anatomy & Injury Logic
A Case for Intelligent Grip Training
The forearm houses over 20 muscles spanning flexor and extensor compartments. Achieving neuromuscular symmetry and motion fluency across these antagonistic groups is crucial. Tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, wrist tendinopathies—all stem from dysfunctional loading and incomplete conditioning.
We don’t just train grip—we scaffold it across wrist stability, pronation control, and eccentric unloading mechanics.
Key Exercises in the Voitto Library
The following exercises are indicative—not exhaustive—and should always be supervised, especially during ramp-up phases. Once an athlete plateaus, we rotate drills to maintain stimulus integrity and neuromuscular adaptation.
Subheadings have video links for how-to
Activates wrist extensors, promoting balance across flexor-dominant sport actions
Use controlled tempo to emphasize eccentric phases
2. Plate Pinch
Improves thumb strength and radial stabilization
Builds compressive force critical in stick battles
3. Hand Gripper (Variable Resistance)
Allows progressive overload and left-right asymmetry correction
Useful as part of travel kits for micro-dose training
We also integrate grip into compound movements like kettlebell carries and pull variants with towel grips or rope handles to drive adaptive generalization.
Bridging Clinical Metrics to Performance Outcomes
Grip strength is not just a clinical or geriatric tool—it’s a performance lens. Athletes with below-threshold grip metrics often exhibit:
Reduced tackle retention
Poor aerial control
Higher wrist injury susceptibility
Lower collision resilience
By making grip training a prescriptive priority, we close the gap between primary healthcare markers and elite sporting execution.
Disclaimer: Content on Voitto.life is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making health-related decisions. Voitto.life assumes no liability for actions taken based on this content.
Bibliography
Bohannon, R. W. (2019). Grip Strength: An Indispensable Biomarker for Older Adults. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 14, 1681–1691.
Buckner, S. L., et al. (2017). Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations between Low- and High-Load Resistance Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(2), 350–358.
McGrath, R., et al. (2020). Grip Strength is Associated with Cognitive Function in Aging Adults. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports, 4(1), 101–107.
Visser, M., et al. (2005). Low skeletal muscle mass and grip strength as predictors of physical disability in older adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(5), 1063–1070.
