Opinions on the effectiveness of finger lifts

[Geremy Freeman]

I'd like to hear your opinions on the effectiveness of lifts that isolate one or two fingers at a time regarding the carryover you get to other grip exercises like closing a gripper or lifting a fat bar. My interest in using finger lifts in my training is limited to this potential carryover; getting strong(er) in a finger lift for its own sake is not really the goal. As far as injury goes, do you find the risks outweigh the rewards?

[Mike Corlett]

I am definitely not an expert in finger isolation movements, but I do use IM Tugs for my ring and pinky. I do the ring and pinky together (except for pinky only on the easiest Tug). I think Randy said pinky only work on the Tugs could court injury. And I do ring finger only on the Tugs. The results are mixed for me. I "think" it helps me with the final close part of grippers, but it may only be psychological. Sometimes things don't even give you that, so I take it. Others use the Titan's Telegraph, but I have only done it for the thumb. The thumb is extremely important in Thick Bar... As far as "finger lifts" themselves go, they scare the heck out of me. I think of those as Old Time Barbell Strongmen stunts that are lifts that are a near dead-end compared to more standard grip stuff. If there was a modern guy who might know the answer to the question, I would go with Chris James of Wales, as he has done some extreme things with finger only deadlifts.

[James Fuller]

Middle Finger Deadlifts(MFD) did...

help my pinch grip I believe. 300lbs MFD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4afo...yer_detailpage

[Steve Gardener]

Painful and come with a high risk of injury

[Mike Corlett]

Painful and come with a high risk of injury

No sooner than I suggested Chris James, I thought of you. Thanks for chiming in.

[James Fuller]

Steve, you are probably ten times the lifter I am....

Painful and come with a high risk of injury

---

but I am going to disagree on the 'high risk of injury'. My experience is with finger lifts using a bar and I've gotten injured ONCE attempting a World Record. Squats can be high risk,so can Benches or Snatches. Just train the lifts don't strain them and you should be fine. Some of us will get alot out of training the finger lifts and some of us won't. You won't know which until you try. Painful? Yes, but I don't think anyone here trains in their comfort zone much. Again, I know you're a heck of a better lifter than I am but I think the 'high risk of injury' can apply to anything not done carefully!!