MEN’S GRIPS ARE WEAKER THAN EVER

Research published in the Journal of Hand Therapy says that men today are weaker than they were 30 years ago. In the study, men aged 20-34 have lower grip and pinch strength – which measures how strong your hand and upper extremities are – than the same aged men did three decades ago. The average grip strength for men ages 25-29 is nearly 12 kilograms lower today than it was before. One’s grip serves as a good indicator of your overall strength. A 2011 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that grip strength was predictive of strength in push-ups, leg extensions and leg press. What’s more, research in previous generations has linked lower grip strength to a variety of serious health problems including arthritis, heart disease, stroke and neurological conditions. So why are men today so much weaker? They are less likely to be employed in manual labor jobs, such as in the manufacturing and agricultural fields.
* Yes, but our thumb typing prowess is unsurpassed.
* This story doesn’t grab me.
* Oh, grip this.
* Talk to the hand.
* I’d applaud this study but who has the strength?
* Does this make you want to start doing push-ups, leg extensions and leg presses? Me neither.
* Pinch strength? What the hell is that used for?
* The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research? Stop with the sexy, you maniacs!
* Is there some rule that all Journals have to be boring?
* If you’re trying to say we’re losing our grip on things, you couldn’t be more right.