Get A Grip

[1SOW]

All the AASA shooting sports members were sent this from Ted Bonnet and thought I'd pass it along for your consideration.

Subject: Team Springfield's Rob Leatham Shares Gun Grip Tips
"Get a GRIP! How many times have y'all heard me say that? Rob is one of the most decorated competitive shooters in our sport's history. From his experience of winning countless firearms championships of all types, he knows what he is saying. You Ladies and Juniors, start exercising your arms, wrists and hands to strengthen your ability to GRIP the gun and keep recoil and movement to a minimum.  The less the gun moves off target, the faster and more accurate your initial and follow-up shots will be". 

https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017/1/27/team-springfields-rob-leatham-shares-gun-grip-tips/#.WJRuCZNsDL8.email

[Scarlett Pistol]

I've noticed a few videos of Rob lately where he talks about this. Here is another one.



    I realized this concept a while back when I was frustrated with my front sight shaking while I squeezed hard and focused on seeing the front sight. I sucked. Then I decided that my hands were shaking, not the gun. So I just saw the front sight while I focused on a steady and strong grip. Specifically, for me, it was the front to back of my strong hand being constant, so I could stop doing exactly what Rob shows with clenching the gun downwards. It worked! Steady hands, secure grip = steady pistol.
    Even in practicing transitions now I just look to the next target and move the pistol there, all while feeling the same steady grip as it arrives. Pistol arrives with sights aligned to where I am looking.
    When things go wrong now I know it's just that I've fallen back to old habits. Quick adjustments and my grip, trigger pull, stance, and focus bring me back.
    Side note, I haven't heard Jerry Miculek harp on this concept in the same way... But if you watch the slow motion videos of him rapid firing pistols like the S&W 500 Magnum he has forearms that look stronger than some peoples' thighs! His grip is clenched down through the whole firing process, like vice grips.
    This is a great subject 1SOW, thanks for sharing! Joe L is a big proponent of this too, I'm sure he'll be along to validate and share his wisdom.

   PS -  I'm no Rob Leatham or Joe L. But I figured I'd share my progress. Shooting 2 weeks ago, for my first 2 magazines I was off. Made my adjustments. Next two magazines (4 rounds each) with half second splits at 15 yards produced this group with my SP-01 Compact. Big improvement compared to the bottom picture from a year ago on that smaller paper version of the USPSA target at 7 yards.





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[IronicTwitch]

Absolutely agree!  Grip the crap out of it!!

The hard part is isolating the trigger finger.

Coming from a B class USPSA shooter, I'm convinced if I can figure out this grip thing I'll get to A class...

[ThompsonCustom]

I see some of the top people like Robert Vogel use grip strength trainers like Captains of Crush. This approach makes sense to me if you need to grip the gun with 100lbs of force for zero movement it's alot easier if your max grip strength is 300lbs vs 150lb and probably takes all the stress/movement off the trigger finger.

[IronicTwitch]

Reading as I sit here struggling to completely close the 80# (Sport) CoC with my support hand for more than 15 reps...yeah.

[RenegadeDave]

Reading as I sit here struggling to completely close the 80# (Sport) CoC with my support hand for more than 15 reps...yeah.

Nah that's for the birds.  Buying new gear is where it's at.  Clearly it's the gear's fault.

Maybe a shadow 2 will get me that GM card....

[IronicTwitch]

Amazing how quickly grip strength can improve...up to 30 reps on the 80# CoC Sport version.  Maybe 2-3 times a day.  I've got a #1 CoC (120 lbs?)...still can't close it though.

[SlvrDragon50]

Amazing how quickly grip strength can improve...up to 30 reps on the 80# CoC Sport version.  Maybe 2-3 times a day.  I've got a #1 CoC (120 lbs?)...still can't close it though.

I've found farmer's walks to be much better at improving grip strength especially since you're often doing sustained gripping, not repetitions. That said, one machine I love using at the gym is this:

[rhart]

I see some of the top people like Robert Vogel use grip strength trainers like Captains of Crush. This approach makes sense to me if you need to grip the gun with 100lbs of force for zero movement it's alot easier if your max grip strength is 300lbs vs 150lb and probably takes all the stress/movement off the trigger finger.

Just a word of caution about using CofC grips if you are older - I bought them and used them for about three weeks until I developed tendonitis in my trigger finger. That was about two years ago when I was only 63. It still bothers me and I've only shot about four matches in the last year and none the year before that - all because of the tendendonitis. While recovering, I developed some joint issues in that same finger. Doctor says its arthritis. I'm not saying the CofC caused the arthritis, but they may have accelerated its progression. You young guys have at it, but I wish someone had warned me that old farts ain't young anymore. YMMV

[ThompsonCustom]

I've found farmer's walks to be much better at improving grip strength especially since you're often doing sustained gripping, not repetitions. That said, one machine I love using at the gym is this:

Wouldn't gripper holds do the same thing kind of? Stages don't last very long only a couple seconds so you probably don't need a lot of duration either way. Hanging from a pull-up bar is a another good duration exercise tho.

[SlvrDragon50]

I've found farmer's walks to be much better at improving grip strength especially since you're often doing sustained gripping, not repetitions. That said, one machine I love using at the gym is this:

Wouldn't gripper holds do the same thing kind of? Stages don't last very long only a couple seconds so you probably don't need a lot of duration either way. Hanging from a pull-up bar is a another good duration exercise tho.

I prefer farmer's walks because it's more of a full body exercise that requires core strength as well. You could accomplish the same thing with gripper holds I suppose, but I don't feel the same workout as a farmer's walk.

[rhart]

Amazing how quickly grip strength can improve...up to 30 reps on the 80# CoC Sport version.  Maybe 2-3 times a day.  I've got a #1 CoC (120 lbs?)...still can't close it though.

I've found farmer's walks to be much better at improving grip strength especially since you're often doing sustained gripping, not repetitions. That said, one machine I love using at the gym is this:

That's an interesting machine. I'm not sure how it works, just looking at the picture. Do you rotate the handles inward using grip strength or grip strength plus maybe lat and shoulder muscles? Does it offer resistance both inward and outward? Or am I way off base?

[SlvrDragon50]

You basically pull on the metal bars with your fingers towards your palm which lifts the plates so it is a purely forearm machine. I like doing 30 reps (I'm at 90lbs now) followed by a sustasined hold about halfway closed as long as possible.

[rhart]

You basically pull on the metal bars with your fingers towards your palm which lifts the plates so it is a purely forearm machine. I like doing 30 reps (I'm at 90lbs now) followed by a sustasined hold about halfway closed as long as possible.

I see. Thanks.