Champion strongman Brian Shaw retired from the world of competitive strength sports earlier this year and is now teasing a pivot to MMA—but he still can’t pass up the opportunity to take on a new strength challenge.
In an Instagram video clip from one of his recent training sessions, the four-time World’s Strongest Man title holder tries out a notoriously difficult exercise for the first time: a set of double hub curls, a variation designed specifically as a test of grip strength.
“Playing around with the Marcy 45 lb plates and doing some hub curls,” Shaw wrote in the caption. “Never tried this before but was fun!”
Shaw performs a set of three curls with visible ease, lifting 45-pound plates on each side using the hub grip at the center of each plate—but most beginners will find this a lot harder. That’s because unlike a regular curl, which engages the biceps, grip strength-focused exercises target the hands, wrists and forearms, which can frequently be under-worked areas.
Training for a stronger grip isn’t just for world-class strongmen; whether you’re lifting a kettlebell or simply opening a jar, giving your wrists and forearms attention in your workouts is key to everyday fitness.
A popular and classic way to work on your grip is the standing plate pinch, a deceptively difficult move which requires you to stand holding a plate between your thumb and four fingers on either side of your body. Sure, it sounds simple enough, but you’ll likely end up reaching failure on this static exercise faster than you think.
Another tactic is to use a thicker barbell or dumbbell on your lifts: if you can’t find a thick bar, you can add size to your own by wrapping them in towels or progressively adding tape to increase thickness over time.
Pullups and dead hangs are also useful for developing strength in your hands—as well as building your back.
Philip Ellis is News Editor at Men’s Health, covering fitness, pop culture, sex and relationships, and LGBTQ+ issues. His work has appeared in GQ, Teen Vogue, Man Repeller and MTV, and he is the author of Love & Other Scams.