In many of the activities we participate in as CrossFit athletes, our grip strength can be a major advantage or set back. Cleans, the Snatch and Deadlift are a few that come to mind immediately. It is absolutely critical that these movements have a secure grip and maintain it through the entire range of motion.
The single leg hook grip...
The preferred grip of most athletes is called the traditional grip, where the thumb raps over the index and middle finger. This grip position (white comfy) is highly susceptible to fatigue. The “Hook Grip” is a technique developed many moons ago by Weightlifters to prevent or delay the fatigue that causes your grip to fail. In this post I wanted to briefly cover the hook grip, provide some basic instruction on how to incorporate it, and finally encourage you all to give it a try in your next lifting session.
The correct hook grip method is:
Start by stretching the thumb and index finger as far apart as you can so that the skin between the two fingers is tight. With the elbow in a straight and locked position press the skin between the thumb and index finger against the bar. The result of this action will cause the two fingers to move together and your grip to tighten. With pressure still being applied to the bar wrap the thumb around the bar. Reach your index and middle finder over the bar, grabbing the bar and thumb at the same time. Your grip should now be locked in the hook position.
This grip should only be used in “pull” phases of your lifts. When the bar rotates your thumb should automatically come unlocked and leave the bar resting in the traditional grip position. The first few times you attemp this grip, its probably going to cause some discomfort. But the same could be said with just about everything you do in CrossFit 
Adding this technique to your lifts has been shown to add anywhere to 2%-10% additional load to your lifts. Another great benifit to using it during a WOD is that it will dramatically reduce the level of fatique that carries over to other movements like the Kettlebell swing, pull ups, muscle ups, etc.
See what a hook grip can do for you?
Workout of the Day 8/27/2010
A. 3 Hill sprints – Holding fastest time + or – 2 seconds. Use the walk back down the hill as your rest.
B. AMRAP 12
21 double unders
15 slam balls (30/20)
9 push press or jerk (135/85)
Oh thanks Forrest… Hill sprints on a Friday… Again, just what I’d like to be doing at 4pm today. Great.
Jon at least it is only 3. Looks like my hamstring will be good for hill sprints this time. See you at 4.
Yeah some of the Mira Costa kids this morning got the fastest times of the day at 24 seconds, but then they threw-up and couldn’t do the WOD.
no puke ‘n’ rally? must not be santa barbara kids. anyway… the point of this post is to let everyone know that there is a bag of figs up for grabs at xfit south bay. Beautiful, fresh, delicious figs. Take one.
Dear hill sprints,
Thank you for the pulled hamstring, ice on my leg, not being able to do the WOD and the inability to move, you are awesome, its gonna be a long weekend.
I cant wait for the next time.