Senior Sneakers: Getting a better grip

Q. I’ve heard about foam rolling, but I don’t really understand what it does or why it is good to do. Can you explain more about it? – Arabella T.

A. Hi, Arabella! This is such a great question, as many people have never even heard of the magic of foam rolling!

Foam rolling is a form of self-myofascial release (which is a fancy way of saying self-massage) using a foam or rubber log-shaped tool. You’ve probably seen it at your gym or even in a physical therapy office, as they come in all shapes and sizes. The main benefit of foam rolling is to break down tissue and release trigger points in the muscle. By doing so, you can improve circulation within your body by increasing blood flow, reduce muscle tightness or pain, reduce your chance of injury by improving mobility, and even increase strength while bringing your muscles back to normal function. Remember: a healthy, elastic, and moveable body is a normal body – not the other way around!

Another great thing about foam rolling is that you can use it for both warm-up and cool down portions of your workout. You can even use it in many core-engaging movements to make it a workout on its own!

Here are a few key tips to ensure you are doing things properly. First, foam rolling should be done slowly. You need to take your time rolling over certain points and adhesions in order to get a deep compression. Second, don’t be surprised if it is painful. Similarly to deep-tissue massage, it may “hurt so good” once you hit certain areas; in which case you want to pause and relax onto the tender spot for about 30 seconds before slowly continuing to roll back and forth. That said, if an area is too sensitive, then ease off onto surrounding muscles. It shouldn’t be a pain tolerance test, but it should be an effective means to bring your body back to optimal function.

I strongly suggest scheduling a session with one of the experienced trainers at Anytime Fitness in Winter Park to help show you exactly how to foam roll your way into feeling awesome!

Q. I’ve noticed that the older I get, the weaker my hands seem to get. My grip gives out so easily during every day activities like raking leaves and using a can opener. What are the best ways to build hand and grip strength? – Daniel W.

A. Daniel, I am so sorry to hear that you have noticed struggles during such routine tasks! Luckily, there are a few ways you can not only increase grip strength – but reinforce your wrists and build up your forearms in the process.

Here are my two top exercise-based tips that will help you feel strong again in no time.

Compound exercises without using straps or hooks: If you have experience training, you have probably noticed that your grip always gives out first during back-focused exercises (especially if you are pulling heavier weight). How many times have you felt like you really could use heavier weight for lat-pulldowns or deadlifts... if your grip didn’t give out first? Typically, the first thing weightlifters will do is grab lifting straps or hooks when this happens. Although they do help to lift heavier weight by taking slack off your grip, this also puts unnecessary strain on the wrists. As a proponent of strength and function, I believe in building each component up as a collaborative chain. Meaning, if your grip isn’t allowing your back to pull a certain weight – allow your grip and wrists to build enough strength to where they do before defaulting to compensatory tools. This will encourage more balanced strength, help you avoid wrist injury, and build up grip strength!

Monkey hangs: This is one of my favorite, most effective exercises to build grip, wrist, forearm and back strength. It is also an ideal starting step for pull-up progressions. All you need is a pull-up bar, monkey bars, or even tree branch. Make sure it is tall enough to allow you to hang freely. Hold onto the bar with an overhand grip and avoid shrugging by engaging your lats (the large wide, lateral muscle of your back directly below your armpits). Then, as still as you can, just hang! Your goal should be to increase hanging time week to week. It’s much harder than it sounds, and an amazing grip-builder!

I hope those tips help you gain strength and confidence in your hands, as well as your daily activities. If you want to learn more ways to help, don’t hesitate to stop into Anytime Fitness for your free fitness consultation!

Jasmin Bedria, Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist, is an experienced health and fitness expert at Anytime Fitness, Winter Park. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Anytime Fitness, Winter Park provides a friendly, well-maintained environment featuring top-quality exercise equipment. Email your questions to: [email protected] and get a free personal training session!