Grip Strength: The Longevity Marker You Can Train
Luke RogersThis article is part of my Longevity Training Guide for busy professionals- see the full guide here
Hi all,
A large cohort of research found that for every ~5 kg drop in grip strength, all-cause mortality risk climbs by about 16%. I'll include a link to this study at the bottom. The good news is, you don't need anything fancy to improve this. Just a plan and some consistency will do.
Functional Implications of Grip Training
In our day-to-day, most real-life tasks require holding, lifting, and pulling objects towards us rather than pressing them away. Your hands are important because they are traditionally the limiting factor in how successful you are at interacting with said object. If your hands can't secure the load, your hips, back, and legs never get to do their job. Some real-life scenarios include:
- Carrying groceries
- Home & yard work
- Fall prevention & balance
- Performance in the gym (deadlifts, rows, pull-ups, kettlebell swings, etc.)
How To Build It
Think big movement first, then you can sprinkle in isolating grip work if needed. 2-3 times per week is plenty.
-Carries: Farmers carry or suitcase carry. 2-3 sets of 20-50 yards. Go heavy, keep posture tall.
-Hangs: Bar hangs, 2-4 sets as long as you can. Focus on trying to improve the time for each session. Towel hangs or thicker bars can make it more challenging.
-Heavy Pulls: Deadlifts, rows, pull-ups, or pulldowns are excellent ways to improve grip strength and overall stability.
-Fat grips: I have no affiliation with this product, but by slapping these on regular barbells or hanging bars, it creates a harder challenge and is fun once you progress a bit. https://a.co/d/9beIgjO
A Sample Weekly Outline
- Day 1: Full body strength + farmers carry
- Day 2: Zone 2 cardio/active recovery
- Day 3: Full body strength + hangs
- Day 4: Zone 2 cardio/active recovery
- Day 5: Full body strength + suitcase carry
(If you have done zone 2 for about 5-6 months, include a zone 5 session to improve VO2 Max further.)
Download my free "7 Evidence-Based Habits for Lifelong Strength" guide for more helpful tips.
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Link to the research paper- https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)62000-6
Have a wonderful day,
Coach Luke
About Luke Rogers, B.S. Exercise Science
I help busy professionals move better, get stronger, and extend health-span with functional strength + hypertrophy, a joint-by-joint, core-first approach, and Zone 2/5 conditioning for VO₂ max and energy. Former college baseball athlete and in-person trainer.
- 40-lb fat loss (Peggy) with sustainable habits + strength
- Back to basketball (Aimee) after rebuilding a functional base
- Amado: stronger with form tweaks + appropriate programming
- 70–80+ clients reclaiming daily function with targeted training
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