What are some good exercises to increase wrist and forearm strength for the purposes of improving controllability when shooting pistols?  It seems like lots of the competition shooters have pretty large forearms (usually disproportionally larger on their strong side), so I can only think that this would help a bit.  

Rocko

I don't know how these pertain to shooting, but those squishy foam balls that people sqeeze for stress relief work very well.  

While I was in the Marine Corps, I started sqeezing one of those every day for a couple of hours while I worked.  I increased my pullups by 5 in one month, just by sqeezing that little ball.  I couldn't believe that just sqeezing that ball could help that much, but it really did.  I got several of my Marines doing it, and theirs increased also.

**This almost sounds like an infomercial, doesn't it?**

Try some of this:

The grip march..
[img]http://www.ironmind.com/Grip01March.jpg[/img][img]http://www.ironmind.com/Grip02March.jpg[/img][img]http://www.ironmind.com/Grip03March.jpg[/img][img]http://www.ironmind.com/Grip01March.jpg[/img][img]http://www.ironmind.com/Grip04March.jpg[/img]



Brick rows...
[img]http://www.ironmind.com/images/griptip4a.jpg[/img][img]http://www.ironmind.com/images/griptip4b.jpg[/img]

The fron hammer lever...
[img]http://www.ironmind.com/GRIP1.jpg[/img][img]http://www.ironmind.com/GRIP2.jpg[/img]

plate curls...
[img]http://www.ironmind.com/images/griptip3a.jpg[/img][img]http://www.ironmind.com/images/griptip3b.jpg[/img]

weighted stool lift...
[img]http://www.ironmind.com/images/grippin.jpg[/img][img]http://www.ironmind.com/images/grippin02.jpg[/img]

Take up playing the guitar or the piano. Both will build your wrists, forearms, and provide your family with pleasant entertainment (unless you suck).

That would build tone and endurance, but not real strength.

You no not of what you speak. :)

Actually, if you play guitar right-handed, your left hand will develop tremendous crushing power. Believe me, shake hands with a pro guitarist some time.

rocko have you tried using dumbells for palm up and palm down wrist curls? Grab a dumbell, support your arm on a bench, let your hand hang over the side with palm facing up. Curl the dumbell up like a bicept curl. You can do the same with the palm facing down to hit the top of the forearm. I get stress fractures in my wrist if I use a 75 lb dumbell or more so I am going to try the twist o grip. Here is a link.
Hope this helps.

ARH

[url]http://www.twist-o-grip.com/[/url]

Take a length of pipe or broom handle a couple feet long.  Tie a coupl feet of cord to a weight and then fasten it securely to the center of the pipe.  

Grab one end of the stick in each hand and use your wrists to rotate the pipe to wind the cord around it and lift the weight.  Do it both palm up and palm down and adjust the weight to get the difficulty you want.

Thank God, Lordtrader hasn't responded to this question!

You have gotten some excellent suggestions. I would add two things for variety. Not strictly a forearm exercise, but will benefit the whole arm, inlcuding the forearm.

Reverse curls with a cambered bar and hammer curls.  You will be strengthening the brachio-radialis (supinator longus), extensor carpi radialis longior. The former arises from the upper 2/3 of the external supracondylar ridge of the humerous, and from the external intermuscular septum and the fibers terminate above the middle of the forearm in a flat tendon, which is inserted which is inserted into the outer side of the base of the styloid process of the radius. The latter arises from the lower 1/3 of the external supracondylar ridge of the humerous and from the external intermuscular septum by a few fibers from the common tendon of origin of the Extesnor muscles of the forearm. The fibers terminate at the upper 1/3 of the forearm in a flat tendon, which runs along the outer border of the radius, and finally to its insertion at the base of the metacarpal bone of the index finger.  

It is funny to see someone do as many "regular" curls, hand in a pronated position-palm facing forward with hand by your side. Then then they cannot do another rep, have them rotate their hand so the thumb faces forward and they can crank out reps. Thanks to the muscles above.

Get a Payboy mag they work great!




(Come on,you know somebody had to say it)

I simply do the $10 squeeze bars you can buy at Walmart.  It has two plastic grips, with a metal coil at the top, that you squeeze together.  Been using it for years, and it has done wonders for my punching strength.


That's not for muscle building, that's for [i]tone[/i] *pinky to mouth*
[img]www.auburn.edu/~littlcb/E-vil.jpg[/img]

This is BY FAR the best way and the we do it.  Just make sure to get your wrists into it.

This is BY FAR the best way and the we do it.  Just make sure to get your wrists into it.

The "Captains of Crush" hand grippers are the way to go:
[img]http://www2.mailordercentral.com/ironmind/images/1251F.JPG[/img]

Those cheap plastic ones aren't difficult enough. Like benching 40 lbs. You don't get "strong" by doing something 50 times, that's called endurance.

The Crushers come in #1, #2, #3, #4, and Trainer.
I can always do the #1 a few times, and have done the #2 once (I only know one other man who can do it).  #3 is almost impossible, and unless you're genetically gifted, it ain't gonna happen. #4 has been done by one man on Earth.

[url]http://www.ironmind.com/faq_grippers.shtml[/url]

Forget working with weights you are likely to injure yourself.
These exercises are based in Aikido which is a defensive martial art that is mostly grapling. This is why wrist strength is paramount.
The first exercise: hold both hands flat in front of you. Set one hand on top of the other. Thumb grabs thumb, pinky grabs the pinky. The hand that is being grabed is the one being exercised. Slowly take your hand upwards, cocking your wrist, trying to touch the fingers to the wrist. Then lower your wrist to the flat position. Be careful that you do not over extend yourself as with any exercise, go slowly at first. This should be a vertical movement. Repeat this 5 to ten times a hand. When doing the exercise you should feel the pressure in your wrist and forearm. I swear by these exercises as they cured my tendonitis. IF this discription sucks I will try to scan some pics in. This is exercise one. I will post 2 and 3 later.

The forearm muscles are EXTREMELY resiliant, and can handle frequent weight training without fear of injury.

It all depends on how one defines "strength".

You need to use the theory of Progressive Overload, and weights, to achieve REAL strength.

Isometrics and Calestenics are great for toning, building endurance, and burning calories.
Not for building IMPRESSIVE strength.

No one ever became a 600 lb. Squatter by doing "deep-knee bends".
No one ever became a 400 lb. benchpresser by doing pushups.

True enough.  But Rocko's question was in regards to conditioning for the purpose of pistol shooting.  In that case, being able to maintain a firm grip over hundreds of rounds is more important than being able to crush a stone or two with one's bare hands. [;)]  

BTW, here's another exercise:

Spread out a sheet of newspaper.  Using only one hand, grasp it and crumple it until it fits within your fist.  Repeat (with fresh sheets) until sore.

A friend of mine has a plastic ball with a device like a gyroscope in it. You get the inner device spinning and then rotate your wrist. It works well to strengthen and condition the forearms. It is designed to help climbers improve grip strength and endurance. I will try and get more info about it.

[edit] here is what my friend said...
"http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/productview.jhtml?pid=24666600&pca
tid=2&catid=203

There is the address for the product that you can post in the forum.  

A lot of Sharper Image stuff is cheesy, overpriced or undeveloped, but this
thing works pretty well.  He may want to do some more research into this
product, because I doubt SI invented this thing.  Rock climbers have been
using this device for several years now."  

No offense, but you don't know what you're talking about.  Don't sweat it too much, not many people who are cursed with Aikido do.  Weights, when used properly, are the [b]only[/b] way to maximize your body frame's potential.  Your technique might work for marginal strength gain or therapeutic purposes, but it will not do the job a good freeweight or coiled-weight will.

One thing to try when doing forearms extensions is using a reverse grip on an EZ-bar, on the wider grips.  This keeps your wrists slightly tilted(thumb side slightly above pinky side). Put your elbows on your knees and bend your wrists back and up.

This will strengthen your forearms while reducing the amount of stress on your wrists.

ARH has the right idea, and obviously huge forearms(I can only use 55s). Also if the stress fractures seem to be a problem, I like to stand with the bar behind my back, then I lift it off of the rack and curl it behind me. I find that it puts a lot less stress on the wrist and more stress on the upper part of the forearm. I would try these once per week alternating with the dumbell over bench tequnique until satisfied with your results.

The 5 nuckle shuffle does not count! [BD]

Yes! please get pics i need to cure my 2 year long injured wrist from a biking crash.There normal bot half the month then hella sore for the other half,one time itll be the left the next time is the right.I can use any help curing them & makeing them stronger.

Rocko if u watch alot of tv or just some,get a broom stick or somthen light that u can grip in the same way & hold it out like u where a pistol,keep it like that when u watching tv or somethen like it & u sould hold a handgun firm & straight in no time.A freind of my father did it for years & can hold a handgun & shoot it like nothen.Just a side thought,having strong forearms might help a little too.later.

MisterHappy[:D]