Grip Strength and Longevity: How to Test and Improve It

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Grip Strength Predicts Lifespan Better Than This Test

How hard you can squeeze your hand might tell you more about how long you’ll live than your blood pressure.

That’s not a hot take.

That’s from a study of nearly 140,000 people across 17 countries.

And here’s the problem: most people never train their grip.

They train chest, they train arms, and they let their hands become the weak link.

So on today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m breaking down why grip strength matters for longevity, how to test yours at home, and the exact exercises and weekly plan to build it.

I’m also testing my own grip, so stick around to the end to see where I land.

Let’s get into it.

First, let’s talk about what the research actually found.

Grip Strength And Longevity Benefits

Every 11 pounds of grip strength you lose is linked to a 16% higher risk of death.

That comes from this PURE study.

Researchers measured grip strength in nearly 140,000 adults with a simple hand dynamometer and followed them for about four years.

The weaker the grip, the higher the risk of dying from any cause, including heart attack and stroke.

And the part that blew people away?

Grip strength was a stronger predictor of death than systolic blood pressure.

One squeeze test beat one of the most-checked numbers in medicine.

Grip Strength Isn’t About Your Hands — It’s About This

Your grip strength isn’t magic.

It’s a window into how strong your whole body is.

Just like VO2 max and muscle mass, grip strength in midlife tracks with how long and how well you’ll live.

And when grip drops in older adults, it’s one of the first signs of sarcopenia, which is age-related muscle loss.

So care less about how big your biceps are and more about how much weight you can grip and carry.

Because the goal isn’t your deadlift today.

It’s opening a jar, carrying the groceries, and grabbing a railing to stop a fall 20, 30, even 40 years from now.

So how do you know where your grip strength stands today?

Let’s test it.

Hand Dynamometer Grip Strength Test: My Score at 46

This is the exact tool researchers use to test grip strength, and you can test yourself in under two minutes.

It’s called a dynamometer.

Here’s how to test your grip strength with it:

1. Stand tall, arm by your side.
2. Squeeze as hard as you can for 3 to 5 seconds.
3. Do three attempts per hand, rest about 30 seconds between, and keep your best score.

Alright, let’s see where I’m at.

I got 126.2 lbs on my right and 122.6 lbs on my left.

Here’s a link to the dynamometer I use.

Now, what’s a good grip strength score by age and gender?

Grip Strength Norms by Age & Gender: Where Do You Rank?

Here’s the grip strength you want to beat based on your age and gender.

I’m 46 years old.

So for men between 45-49, a rough average normal strength is between 76.5 to 120.2 pounds.

If you’re above 120.2 pounds, you’re strong.

Below about 76.5 pounds is the clinical red flag for low muscle strength.

My wife is 41 years old.

So for women, between 40-44 a rough average normal strength is about 41.7-72.1 pounds, with the red flag below about 41.7 lbs.

Also check the grip strength gap between hands.

A big difference is worth working on.

Write your number down, because we’re going to retest later.

If you don’t have a dynamometer, no problem, try the dead hang test.

Dead Hang Test: How Long Should You Be Able to Hang?

A 90-year-old just hung from a bar for almost 3 minutes.

Here’s how you compare.

Test your grip strength by completing a dead hang from a pull up bar.

Grab a pull-up bar overhand, hang with straight arms, and time how long you can hold.

This also helps strengthen the scapular shoulder stabilizer muscles.

Aspirational Dead Hang Targets (“strong for your age”)

These targets drop roughly 15 to 25 seconds for each decade past 40.

Remember, these are aspirational targets, not averages.

Most people can’t hang for even 60 seconds, so if you’re under these numbers, that’s normal.

Your real benchmark is you test today, retest in 8 weeks, and beat your own time.

When it gets easy, drape two towels over the bar and hang from those.

You could also add in paused pull ups with the pause during the dead hang.

No pull-up bar?

Grab some weights.

Farmer’s Carry Test: Can You Carry Your Bodyweight?

Can you carry your bodyweight for 60 seconds?

Most people can’t.

Carrying is one of the most important strength skills for aging well, whether it’s dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, or your groceries.

The Farmer’s Carry is an exercise that tests your grip, core, and posture at the same time.

Grab a pair of dumbbells, kettlebells, or a trap bar and walk until your grip gives out.

Stand tall, keep your shoulders down and back, and walk.

• Start: select a weight you can carry for one minute then slowly increase the weight.
• Work up to: 1/2 your bodyweight in pounds in each hand, until you can get to a minute.

If you don’t have space to walk, complete dumbbell static holds following the same protocol.

Aspirational Farmer’s Carry Targets (“strong for your age”):

• Men’s Load: 100% bodyweight (1/2 in each hand)
• Women’s Load: 75% bodyweight (1/2 in each hand)
• Time: 60 seconds

Beginners should start with light weights, as low as 10 pounds, and continue to progress in weight.

Retest every 4 to 8 weeks.

Before we get to the best grip strength exercises, you need to know this.

3 Types of Grip Strength (Most Guys Only Train One)

Grip strength isn’t just one thing.

There are three types, and most people only train one:

1. Crush grip: this is squeezing something closed, like a grip strength gripper.
2. Support grip: this is holding on for time, like farmers walks, dead hangs, and deadlifts.
3. Pinch grip: this is holding something between your fingers and thumb, like carrying a plate or a vertical dumbbell.

A strong, functional grip needs all three.

You’ve already got two of the best grip strength exercises, the dead hang and the farmer’s carry, because the tests double as training.

Here are four more to cover every type of grip.

Grip Strength Exercises Almost Nobody Does (But Should)

These three exercises fix the weak spots that carries and hangs miss.

The Plate Pinch:

Put two weight plates together, smooth sides out, and pinch them with your fingers and thumb.

Hold.

• Start: 2 rounds of 10–20 seconds with two 10 lbs plates per hand
• Work up to: 3 rounds × 20-30 seconds with two 25 lbs plates per hand

Dumbbell Grip Holds:

If you only have access to dumbbells complete Dumbbell Grip Holds.

• 3 sets of 45 seconds, and then one to failure.
• Once you can get to 60 seconds, increase the weight.

Hand grippers:

This is pure crush strength.

• Squeeze fully closed, hold for 3 to 5 seconds, then release under control. That’s one rep.
• Do 2 sets of 10 reps per hand.

Here is a link to the grip trainer I use.

Kettlebell bottoms-up hold:

Flip the kettlebell upside down and hold it vertically by the handle at shoulder height, keeping your wrist straight and your elbow bent at 90 degrees, as though you were carrying it through a crowded room.

Squeeze too soft and it falls.

It builds grip and shoulder stability together.

• 3 × 20 to 30 seconds per side

And these last grip strength exercise turns your regular workout into grip training.

Build Grip Strength Without Adding One Extra Exercise

This is the easiest way to build grip without adding a single extra exercise.

Use Fat Gripz.

Snap them on your dumbbells for rows, curls, holds, deadlifts or any pulling movements and complete your normal sets and reps.

The thicker handle forces your hands and forearms to work way harder.

Here is a link to the fat gripz I use.

So how do you put all of this together?

Weekly Grip Strength Workout Plan: 10 Minutes Is All It Takes

Training for grip strength does not need to be complicated.

Here’s the simple weekly grip strength plan that takes 10 minutes or less.

Train grip strength 2 to 3 times per week on non-consecutive days.

Do it as a finisher at the end of your workout, not before heavy deadlifts or pull-ups.

• Day A: farmer’s carry, plate pinch, and grippers.
• Day B: dead hangs or towel hangs, Fat Gripz rows, and bottoms-up holds.

Alternate A and B.

Add weight or time when the last set feels easy.

Then retest every 4 to 8 weeks.

If your number’s going up, it’s working.

Here’s one more thing.

Grip Strength Mistake That’s Making You Weaker

When training for strength and longevity, your grip is one of the simplest longevity markers you can measure, and one of the easiest to improve.

However, your grip is only as strong as your fingers.

Almost every movement in the gym and in life starts with your hands.

They’re the last link in the chain.

And since daily life doesn’t train grip anymore, you have to train it on purpose: start every lift by squeezing with all five fingers.

So make sure you tap subscribe to my Live Lean TV YouTube channel so you don’t miss that and tap the LIKE button if you’re going to try these grip strengthening exercises.

Drop your grip strength score or dead hang time in the comments.

I want to see where everyone’s starting.

If you want me to program your training for you, grip work included, come train with us in the Live Lean app.

Keep Living Lean.