In a past entry, a quote from Earle Liederman’s book Secrets of Strength was included.

Strong wrists are indispensable to strength. In most ordinary feats of strength the object to be moved or lifted, swung or broken, is gripped by the hands; and those hands must be strongly coupled to the arms, so that there will be no break in the delivery of power. A famous veteran, advising a new-comer in the professional ranks said, “Young man, you will never be any stronger than your hands and wrists.”

Strong hands and wrists offer obvious benefits to athletes from various backgrounds (Ex. the grappler who grabs his opponent or the strength athlete who handles immense loads).  As a former fighter who experienced repeated hand injuries, I wish I knew what I know now about the importance of hand strength.  It wasn’t until after I hung up the gloves and began coaching that I recognized the benefits of dedicated grip work.

Hand training has been discussed on this site before, but for those seeking additional ideas, take a look through the manual below.  The author, Edward Aston, was once dubbed Britain’s Strongest Man.  He held this title for 23 years.  As for his accomplishments, there are several, including a one-hand swing with 162.5 pounds and a one-hand snatch with 180 pounds.  He is also listed as the first Englishmen to lift 300 pounds overhead with one hand.   Aston obviously knew a thing or two about strength development.

How To Develop A Powerful Grip – By Edward Aston