At a glance
- Health link: in large cohort studies, lower grip strength is associated with higher mortality risk. That is an association, not a cause.
- Clinical use: handgrip is a simple marker of overall muscle strength (Bohannon 2019).
- Training: no trial shows that training grip changes health outcomes.
- Testing: a dynamometer measures force in kg. A timed dead hang is a personal measure and a different test.
What are the benefits of grip strength for health?
Grip strength is associated with lower mortality risk in large cohort studies, but no trial shows that training grip improves health. Handgrip strength is a widely used simple marker of overall muscle strength in clinical settings (Bohannon 2019). Clinicians read dynamometer results alongside other assessments when they track function and recovery.
A 2015 Lancet study (the PURE cohort, Leong et al.) followed 139,691 adults aged 35 to 70 in 17 countries for a median of 4 years. Each 5 kg lower grip strength was associated with a 16% higher risk of death from any cause. Grip strength was associated with all-cause mortality more strongly than systolic blood pressure was.
Low grip strength is used in sarcopenia screening (Bohannon 2019). Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength.
The grip strength findings above are associations from observational studies. No trial shows that training grip changes mortality risk. The longevity research guide sets out the evidence and its limits.
What is grip strength linked to, and how strong is the evidence?
Grip strength is linked to several outcomes, and the evidence is observational in every row. The table separates each link from the type of evidence behind it.
Scroll the table horizontally on smaller screens.
| Area | What is linked | Evidence type | Shows cause? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortality | Each 5 kg lower grip, 16% higher all-cause risk (Leong 2015) | Observational cohort | No |
| Overall strength | Handgrip as a simple marker (Bohannon 2019) | Narrative review | Not applicable |
| Disability in older adults | Low grip associated with later disability (Bohannon 2019) | Review of observational studies | No |
| Falls and frailty | Low grip linked with both | Observational | No, and grip training trials are lacking |
| Cognition | Lower grip linked with poorer test results and decline | Observational | No |
Does grip strength matter for sport?
Grip is a limiting factor in many pulling movements, including deadlifts, rows and pull-ups, and climbing and grappling rely on grip endurance.
The athletic performance guide covers sport-specific grip training.
Does grip strength matter for everyday tasks?
Opening a tight jar lid, carrying grocery bags from the car, shaking hands and turning a wrench on a stubborn bolt all depend on grip strength.
Low grip strength is associated with later disability in older adults (Bohannon 2019). The tasks that get harder first are often small ones, such as opening medication bottles, buttoning shirts and gripping a handrail.
Parents load their forearms every day by carrying a toddler, pushing a stroller, opening child-proof caps and assembling furniture. Painting, gardening, plumbing and carpentry tire the forearms in the same way.
Is grip strength linked to falls and injury?
Researchers have linked low grip strength with falls and frailty. Trials of grip training for prevention are lacking. No trial reviewed here shows that grip training prevents elbow tendinitis or wrist fractures.
Is grip strength linked to brain health?
Some observational studies link lower grip strength with poorer cognitive test results and a higher risk of cognitive decline. These studies show an association only. No trial shows that grip training protects brain health.
How do you build grip strength?
Dead hangs are the main grip training tool on this site. Hang from a bar with full bodyweight and stop a second or two before your grip gives out. Perform 3 to 4 sets with 60 to 90 seconds of rest on 3 non-consecutive days a week. This is common training practice, not a tested prescription.
Weekly Grip Training Plan
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday: Dead hangs, 3 to 4 sets, stopping a second or two before your grip gives out
- Tuesday and Thursday: Supplemental work such as farmer's walks, wrist curls and plate pinches
- Optional on any day: Rubber band finger extensions, 3 sets of 20 repetitions
Supplemental exercises cover grip types that dead hangs miss. Farmer's walks train support grip under movement. Plate pinches develop thumb strength. Wrist curls work the flexors through full range. Rubber band extensions work the finger extensors that oppose the flexors. The grip strength training guide has detailed protocols.
Many people train grip at any age. Start at a level that is comfortable for you and build gradually.
How do you test your grip strength?
You can test grip strength with a hand dynamometer or a timed dead hang, and the two measure different things. Two methods give a baseline to track against your own later results. A grip dynamometer measures force in kilograms. A timed dead hang measures endurance in seconds.
Grip Dynamometer (Standard Clinical Measure)
A grip dynamometer measures peak squeeze force in kilograms. Squeeze the device with maximum effort for 3 to 5 seconds. Take three attempts per hand and record the best score. Compare your own results over time with the dead hang calculator for hang times. Pooled data from 12 British studies with 49,964 participants showed a peak median grip of 51 kg in men aged 29 to 39 and 31 kg in women aged 26 to 42 (Dodds et al., PLOS ONE 2014). Force in kilograms is not hang time. The grip strength by age page lists measured handgrip force by age and sex.
Dead Hang Time (Practical Personal Test)
Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip at shoulder width and record the time from feet leaving the ground to release. No published norms exist for dead hang time. The only measured samples are on the dead hang time by age page. Repeat the test under the same conditions and compare your own results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is grip strength important for health?
Grip strength is associated with lower mortality risk in large cohort studies including the PURE study of 139,691 adults aged 35 to 70 (Leong et al., Lancet 2015). Handgrip strength is also a widely used simple marker of overall muscle strength in clinical settings (Bohannon 2019). These are associations. No trial shows that raising grip strength changes health outcomes.
What is a good grip strength?
Pooled data from 12 British studies of 49,964 people found a peak median grip of 51 kg in men aged 29 to 39 and 31 kg in women aged 26 to 42 (Dodds et al. 2014). That is force on a dynamometer, not hang time, and it declines from midlife.
How do I test my grip strength at home?
Time a dead hang and repeat it under the same conditions. Dead hang time is a rough personal measure and not a validated test. No published norms exist for it. A hand dynamometer is the standard clinical measure.
Does grip strength affect brain health?
Some observational studies link lower grip strength with poorer cognitive test results and a higher risk of cognitive decline. These studies show an association only. No trial shows that grip training protects brain health.