Improved finger strength can increase your ability to perform certain tasks, hobbies, and sports. It can also help alleviate symptoms of arm and hand related injuries. Popular activities such as rock climbing and guitar playing often require you to improve finger strength to advance to higher levels of proficiency. There are a number of effective exercises that specifically target the fingers, including individual physical exercises that can be done with or without the use of secondary equipment. There are also finger-specific devices that only require the use of your arms and hands.
A combination of finger strength exercises and arm and grip training can improve the overall strength of the arms, hands, and individual digits. Getting started with finger training can be more difficult than expected, especially if the fine motor skills in your hands have not been extensively developed with consistent exercise. Improving finger strength is a gradual process that takes time and persistence. As fingers are some of the most fragile appendages, they should be exercised cautiously.
Most gym-like exercises aim to improve finger strength through resistance training. Hand-held exercise equipment such as dumbbells can be used to achieve this effect. If gym equipment is not readily available, common household objects that can be securely gripped by the hand, such as water bottles and milk jugs, will suffice.
One simple exercise calls for you to walk 100 feet (30.5 meters) with free weights held in a loose grip. It is important to make sure that most of the weight rests on your fingers. Set the weights down, wait 10 seconds, and then repeat the process at least three times.
Finger roll exercises can provide a trifecta with results in the fingers, hands, and arms. With arms at your sides, hold the free weights in both hands with palms facing forward. Settle the weights near the fingertips in a light grasp, and roll them up again until the hands firmly grasp the weights. While still holding the weights, curl both wrists up for a few seconds and bring them back down to a straight arm position. Repetitions and consistent application of both exercises a couple of times a week can significantly improve finger strength, while increasing the weight of the equipment as you adjust to them will provide maximum strength training.
Small grip devices that are specifically designed for finger and grip strength training are portable and efficient. They can offer resistance training for all fingers at once or individually. The device is contoured to fit comfortably in the hand and built with spring mechanisms that provide a specific amount of tension against the hand and fingers.
You can improve finger strength by slowly squeezing the device with the entire hand while endeavoring to keep the muscles tensed. Some models are created to allow additional individual finger training. The latter design is beneficial for ensuring equal strength buildup in each finger, especially the little finger, since it is usually the weakest digit.