How To Use Dumbbell Hand Grip Adjustments To Maximize Your Weight Training Routines

A feature article by an Alumbo member, Apr 14, 2008         

Summary: In the pursuit of your physical goals you must always be receptive to education. If an opportunity to improve your training presents itself grasp it, learn it and apply it. Sometimes it is huge change such as a brand new training program other times it is a subtle concept like the one I will discuss today.

 
In the pursuit of your physical goals you must always be receptive to education. If an opportunity to improve your training presents itself grasp it, learn it and apply it. Sometimes it is huge change such as a brand new training program other times it is a subtle concept like the one I will discuss today.

Once you have taken your physique to a respectable level you need to pay attention to these sort of details to fine tune the various areas of your body you consider to be sub-par. There will be sections of your body that lag compared to your dominant muscle groups. Therefore you must devise strategies to create symmetry and balance throughout. This will make you stand out from the crowd.

By adjusting something as basic as the hand grip on a dumbbell you can perfect the execution of an exercise. This will increase the specificity of the movement, which means the target muscle will be stimulated to its full potential. That is an unstoppable step forward.

I won’t go through the full exercise technique descriptions as they are fully explained at Global Weight Training. Only the hand grip adjustments will be discussed.

The Exercises…

1. ALL DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE MOVEMENTS

Change – Hold the back of the dumbbell so that the little finger is against the outside plate. Let the front of the dumbbell rotate forwards slightly as you lift it.

Result – The lateral deltoid (side of the shoulder) will move into a position where it will become the prime mover. This will reduce the involvement of the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulder) and broaden your shoulders.

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2. ALL DUMBBELL CHEST PRESS MOVEMENTS

Change – Hold the inside of the dumbbell so that the thumb is against the inside plate.

Result – The dumbbell will tilt outwards slightly aligning the wrist and hand into a safe and comfortable position.

3. ALL DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS MOVEMENTS

Change – Hold the inside of the dumbbell so that the thumb is against the inside plate.

Result – The dumbbell will tilt outwards slightly aligning the wrist and hand into a safe and comfortable position.

4. ALL DUMBBELL BICEP CURL MOVEMENTS (DOES NOT INCLUDE HAMMER CURLS)

Change – With palms facing up hold the inside of the dumbbell so that the little finger is against the inside plate. Let the thumb and dumbbell rotate outwards.

Result – The biceps will move into their position of greatest contraction. This will cause the greatest amount of muscle fiber innervation building peak and volume.

Experiment with these techniques for the greatest results in your training. For any more information contact us at Global Weight Training where your questions are important to us and will be answered as soon as possible. Train hard and smart!

Joey Sheather is the head trainer at Global Weight Training, which provides step-by-step instructions on how to get into shape in the shortest possible time. For more information, visit Personal Trainer.

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