Grip strength is getting a lot of attention thanks to a recent study that shows a correlation to living longer and healthier—but improving your grip can also make you a better cyclist. Fitness editor Kristine Kearns convinces our somewhat doubtful editorial director and fanatic traditionalist Bill Strickland to give it a try. True to form, Bill seems more excited by the potential to change flats faster or stave off fatigued arms on Pyrenean descents than adding a few years to his life.
Whatever your motivation, be sure to find out more about the exercises and studies Kristine references, and if you’re really intrigued, take our grip-strength test.
If you want to know more about grip strength or any other topic, we'd love to hear from you in the comments!
Bill Strickland is the Rider-in-Chief of Bicycling. His equal passions for cycling and writing have led to the books Ten Points: A Memoir; Tour de Lance: The Extraordinary Story of Cycling’s Most Controversial Champion; Mountain Biking: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Ride; and The Quotable Cyclist. His Bicycling story, “100 Pedal Strokes” won a National Magazine Award for Interactive Feature in 2008. In 2009, he assigned and edited the story “Broken,” which won the National Magazine Award for Public Interest. “The Escape,” the December, 2011, edition of his Bicycling magazine column The Pursuit, was named a Notable story by The Best American Sports Writing. Various editions of his books have been translated into Dutch, German, Hebrew, and Japanese. He uses commas by rhythm and sound, which is a terrible way to do it but makes him happy.
