Why does grip matter in rugby?
Think about every rugby action that involves your hands: carrying the ball into contact, holding onto it when tackled, offloading to a support player, binding on a jersey in the scrum, gripping a lifter’s shorts in the lineout, grabbing an opponent in the tackle, holding a ruck position. Every one of these requires grip strength. When your grip fails, the ball comes loose, your scrum bind slips, or the tackled player breaks free.
How does grip affect ball carrying?
- Ball security — stronger grip keeps the ball locked against your body through contact
- One-handed carries — carrying in one hand (to fend with the other) requires significant grip strength to maintain control
- Offloading — the ability to control and release the ball accurately while being tackled depends on hand and finger strength
- Wet conditions — grip strength becomes even more critical when the ball is wet and slippery
How strong should your grip be?
Grip strength is typically tested with a hand dynamometer. The following table describes typical values seen in rugby populations (these are reference ranges, not targets):
| Level | Dominant hand | Non-dominant hand |
|---|---|---|
| Club/amateur | 45–55 kg | 40–50 kg |
| Academy/semi-professional | 55–65 kg | 50–60 kg |
| Professional | 60–75+ kg | 55–70+ kg |
How to develop grip strength
Grip can be trained as part of your regular gym sessions — it does not need a separate session. The simplest approaches include:
- Farmer's walks — carry heavy dumbbells or kettlebells by your sides for distance or time. Trains endurance grip and core stability.
- Dead hangs — hang from a pull-up bar for time. Progression: add weight, use a towel over the bar.
- Fat grip attachments — wrap a towel around a barbell or use fat grip sleeves during rows and pulls. Forces the hand to work harder.
- Plate pinches — pinch two weight plates together (smooth sides out) and hold for time. Targets thumb and finger strength.
- Towel pull-ups — drape a towel over a pull-up bar and grip the towel ends. Dramatically increases grip demand.