Anybody else here who uses a gripmaster?

Playing Technique
#1

I just started to use a gripmaster to stenghten my left hand. I 've noticed how weak my pinky and ringfinger are, and how they work together.

Does any one overhere have more excercises to get them to work more seperate?

Preferably away from the guitar. (i only have one hour and a bit of practice time)

#2

You’re probably better off doing “chromatic” exercises on a surface/your other forearm, as finger strength isn’t anywhere near as important as finger independence/dexterity*.

All the permutations possible are here:

*Also when it comes to grip strength the little finger is actually the stronger finger.

3 Likes
#3

I use the similar D’Addario tool for warmup rather than as an exercise in itself. I like to wake up my left hand that way coupled with stretches. If you’re looking for an exercise to practice string changes with, there’s this one.

One that said, I don’t really like chromatics since I don’t find they often match most scale patterns.

#4

How well you can squeeze a spring down has nothing to do with guitar playing.

#5

A little more strenght in the fingers never hurts

Thanks for the reply’s!

#6

If you really want grip strength then I would go for fat bar deadlifts with a long hold at the top.

And as you’re squeezing on for dear life, reflect on whether you would find it helpful or musically useful to press a guitar string to the fretboard with that level of force.

#7

Nothing wrong with increasing hand strength and dexterity. Also many are overlooking how hand health contributes to longevity on the guitar.

Check out Ironmind - expand your hand, resistance bands.

The digit training grippers on Amazon are good as well.

Excercises like these help specifically with certain areas of guitar technique. People think there’s a trick here but thatd not the case.

On a side note, I’m not a big fan of chromatic excercises, but guys like Govan, Petrucci, and Vai hold them in high regard.

They help the brain and fingers get untangled and synched up

#8

I think that the chromatic exercises make more sense with CTC knowledge, for example practicing 1WPS motions - equal numbers of notes on each string allow you to focus on motion across strings whilst working on the left hand independance as well…

#9

Yes, agreed you can kill 2 birds with one pick…