The hook grip maintains a nice tight grip to the bar and helps maintain the bar in your hands. But with these great benefits,  you will have to deal with the initial intro pains. The hook grip at first hurts like a mofo and doesn’t even feel right, but you’ll eventually get over the pain and soon realize the benefits of the hook grip.

When to Use the Hook Grip

The saying “Too much of a good thing, can be bad” should be advised when using the hook grip. The draw back of lifting constantly with the hook grip can cause injury to the thumb and it’s ligaments.

I typically maintain the hook grips for heavier work sets and utilize a regular grip throughout the warm up. For those new to the hook grip, the weightlifting coach can introduce this grip to the weightlifter during their warms up with the bar. Slowly expanding the hook grip to their initial warm up sets. Once the Weightlifter feels more comfortable with the grip, the weightlifting coach can back down and eventually introduce it to the lifters work sets.

Small Hands

If you have small hands growing your thumb nail out, can help increase your grip strength. BTW do NOT cut your thumb nail too low before a lift day, especially heavy days. If you ignore my warning you’ll probably start bleeding from the pressure…just saying. Back to growing your thumb nail. The extra length gives the weightlifter a more mass to grip onto. The lifter can take this method further by creating lateral ridges on the thumb with a filer. This will be sure to give the weightlifter even more gripping strength.

Stronger Grip

Another way to increase your grip strength during the lift is to use your dominate hand to help the non-dominate hand into the hook grip and then use your knee to lock the dominate hands thumb in place. I’ve never thought to use the knee until someone showed me this video of Halil Mutlu. So far it’s work pretty well for us.

Stay strong,

Team Fusion Weightlifting