Is this a sign that humans are de-evolving, or have we just stopped putting the same demands on our bodies like we did 100 years ago? 200 years ago? 2000 years ago?

A recent study on Americans ages 20-34 found something alarming: men under 30 have significantly weaker hand grips compared to their counterparts in 1985. Same story for women ages 20-24. This research, published in the Journal of Hand Therapy, shows that today’s grip strength is a shadow of what it used to be.

The results suggest it’s time to redefine what “normal” hand strength is. These grip strength norms aren’t just numbers – they’re critical for evaluating injury recovery and overall health.

“Work patterns have shifted dramatically since 1985, when the original grip strength norms were set,” says Elizabeth Fain of Winston-Salem State University, who conducted the study alongside Cara Weatherford. “As a society, we’re no longer built on agriculture or manufacturing. We’re all about tech now, especially for millennials.”

Back in 1985, men ages 20-24 averaged a right-hand grip of 121 pounds and a left-hand grip of 105 pounds. Today? That’s down to 101 and 99 pounds, respectively. Men 25-29 weren’t much better off, losing 26 and 19 pounds from their grip.

Women haven’t been spared either. Those aged 20-24 have right-hand grips of 60 pounds today—down about 10 pounds from previous generations. And while grip strength diminished in men 30-34 too, there were only four participants in this age group, so take that data with a grain of salt.

This isn’t just about a limp handshake. A strong grip indicates a high level of emphasis on training and/or manual labor.

Can’t have a strong body and a weak grip. Usually a weak grip is equal to weak body.

Another 2012 study, “Long-term Changes in Handgrip Strength in Men and Women – Accounting for Right Censoring Due to Death”, found a similar drop in grip strength across the board. For men aged 31-41, grip strength decreased by about 3.5 Newtons (N) annually. After 75, that rate nearly doubled to 7.3 N per year. Women also saw declines, but the drops were less severe—2 N per year before age 45 and 4 N annually after 80.

And if you think this is just about physical strength, think again. Yet another study, “Declines in Grip Strength May Indicate Early Changes in Cognition in Healthy Middle-Aged Adults”, discovered that grip strength could be a biomarker for early cognitive changes. That’s right – your grip isn’t just a measure of physical fitness. It might be tied to your brain health too.

So, if your grip strength is weak AF, you might want to consider what that says about the rest of your body – and your future. Time to stop the decline and start putting in the work.

Here’s a list of six ways to boost your grip strength and make sure you’re not one of the people slipping into cognitive decline:

Heavy Pulls

Nothing challenges your grip like pulling heavy weight. Having heavy pulls like deadlifts, rack pulls, and RDLs in your training program puts your grip front and center as the primary connection point. Your grip will be the limiting factor, so remember to squeeze the bar rather than just hold on for dear life. Working heavy pulls strengthens your hands, wrists, and forearms, and demands the mental toughness to hold the fuck on.

Farmer’s Carries

Farmer’s carries differ from deadlifts because, rather than pulling a bar through a full range of motion, you’re holding a weight static at waist height and walking with it. This requires strong shoulders, back, and trunk, as the primary weak link in the chain. The walking motion coupled with the isometric hold places a slightly different demand on the body.

Fat Bar

Using a fat bar, or thick handles, for everything from pulls to curls to floor presses puts the grip front and center. The increased surface area forces your hands and forearms to work harder, building the grip strength we’re after.

Captains of Crush

Iron Mind sold them. Pops Sorin made them famous. The Captains of Crush train the grip and test it with progressively harder versions. You’d be surprised how quickly your grip improves with the Captains of Crush.

Eccentric-Focused Pull-ups & Chin-ups 

At Power Athlete, we use accentuated negatives on pull-ups to challenge the grip and upper body. These have been a staple in training long before the words CrossFit Football or Power Athlete were ever spoken. This comes from my coach, Raphael Ruiz, and the training we did back in Tampa in the early to mid-2000s. Nothing trains the grip better than fighting to hang on while a very strong Filipino man drags you to the ground.

Rice Buckets

I always remember the smell of old, stale rice fermenting in buckets in my high school weight room. I avoided them like the plague, out of fear of flesh-eating disease spread by some kid that shit on his hands before dumping them in the buckets. When I got to college, we had to use the rice buckets in rehab after hand and finger injuries. After dislocating a finger, I realized their value for hand and wrist health – and they’re pretty damn effective for building strong hands. Fill a bucket with rice and work your hands towards the bottom, squeezing, grabbing, and twisting.

Incorporating these into your training will boost your grip strength, keep your brain sharp, and help fight the weakness infecting our current population.