How's your hand strength.

[k0ua]

I'm not sure the 'bathroom scale test' is all that accurate. Depending on the thickness of the scales compared to your hand size would make a big difference with some people. I've frequently been told that I have a good grip when shaking hands, even by people with larger hands than me.

The bathroom scales probably measures forearm strength more than actual 'grip' strength.

I shake hands a lot and there is definitely an art to it.


TBS

I believe you are correct. Our scales are thick, and I would want them slimmer to apply more pressure, or better yet something shaped more like a hand exerciser grip you could wrap your finger around. But it is the only thing we have to even attempt a measurement with.

 

[PhysAssist]

Be careful when you shake people's hands given your grip strength

No worries, my dad taught me well- firm but controlled.

What's sad is that after a couple of turns of a screwdriver or wrench, not only does the grip strength quickly attenuate, but I have to be really really careful and concentrate or I'll drop the screwdriver or wrench.

 

[PhysAssist]

I believe you are correct. Our scales are thick, and I would want them slimmer to apply more pressure, or better yet something shaped more like a hand exerciser grip you could wrap your finger around. But it is the only thing we have to even attempt a measurement with.

Grip strength IS forearm strength- those are the muscles that pull on the flexor tendons in the hand and fingers and close the grip.

The other things that forearm muscles do is flex and extend the hand on the wrist, and help bend the elbows to a small degree.

Right now mine are cramping because I spent all day using a chainsaw and moving logs...

 

[MossRoad]

I know this little skinny guy that has the handshake of a vice. I could never figure out how such a little guy had such grip strength. He used to challenge the kids on the high school football team and they'd just stand there for 10-15 minutes shaking hands. He'd just keep talking and smiling and the kids would be laughing, then grimacing, and then they'd all give up. I never saw him lose. But he always wears long sleeves. I imaging his forearms look like Popeye's!

 

[Redneck in training]

While working in Malayisia years back I checked in a hotel that had a spa. For every week of stay you got to go to the spa for free. I took advantage of it and when this little 5 ft tall women asked me what force she could use during the massage I told her to use all the force she could muster. Big mistake. That little petite thing had hands like vices. I was still feeling it three days later.

My brother had a friend who was flat water canoe champion of Czechoslovakia from many years in row. I thing he was already forty years old and nobody could beat him. The joke was that to win over him they would have to drown him first. This guy was known for extraordinary strength and he would take up any challenge. He had a pull bar in every door way in his apartment and did few pull ups anytime he was walking through the doorway. One time guys told him that they saw in TV a guy ripping in half thick telephone books. One day he showed in the pub with a telephone book about 4" thick and ripped in half like broiled chicken. So they made up a story about a guy bending steel bars by bare hands. He took the bait and few days later asked one of the guys from the group who worked in reinforced concrete company to cut him 50 cm long chunks from rebar. Then they waited for some time and when they finally thought that he was not able to bend any of the rebars he showed in the pub pulled one of the thick rebars from his bag and bent it in a U.