• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BarBend

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Whey Protein Powders
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
Training Workouts

Could a Stronger Grip Suggest Higher Cognitive Functioning?

Written by Jake Boly
Last updated on August 6th, 2023

You can tell a lot by an athlete’s hand, and no, I’m not referencing palm reading or any other form of visual assessment that make claims based upon…uh…science.

In this article, I’m referencing physical characteristics of the hand, more specifically, grip strength. Over the last few years, there’s been a fair amount of research done on grip strength and how it can relate to things like overall health, mortality rates, athleticism, and maximal strength.

In academia, grip strength tests are great because they’re relatively easy to use and multiple populations can use them. For this reason, it’s always cool seeing new research focused on grip strength and its relationship to other life attributes. Because after all, if you’re a strength athlete, then you most likely have a strong(er) grip, so research showing positives to having a great grip is always good news.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Janis Finkelman (@janisfinkelman)

[Did you know finger length also positively rates to an athlete’s maximal grip strength? Check out what the research has suggested, here!]

Grip Strength and Cognitive Performance

A study published a few days ago looked at how grip strength related to cognitive performance in both the general population and a population that has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Researchers were interested in how one’s grip strength influenced their cognitive performance in multiple domains, and they were interested in analyzing those with schizophrenia and other cognitive deficit disorders.

For this article, we’ll focus a little more on the general population findings, as this will most likely relate best to those reading this article.

Procedures & Methods

Researchers pulled data from 475,397 participants from all over the United Kingdom. They compiled their data by utilizing information from the UK Biobank. To analyze cognitive performance, researchers assessed the brain using multiple tests, which included,

  • Reaction Time
  • Reasoning
  • Numeric memory
  • Visuospatial memory
  • Prospective memory

To assess grip strength, researchers used a grip dynamometer. They had participants record both their left and right hands in the same manner throughout the study to keep test results consistent. In addition to assessing grip and cognitive functioning, researchers documented every participants age, weight, gender, and education.

[In strength training, grip can be a limiting factor. Here are 9 movements to make sure your grip doesn’t hold back your performance.]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cailer Woolam (@doctor.deadlift)

Findings & Suggestions

For the general population, researchers found that higher grip strength was significantly/positively related to visual memory, reaction time, reasoning, number memory, and prospective memory. In addition to the general population, researchers saw similar positive relationships with some cognitive performance markers and those with schizophrenia and other cognitive deficit disorders.

Head study author Dr. Joseph Firth told the University of Manchester in a press release, “We can see there is a clear connection between muscular strength and brain health. But really, what we need now, are more studies to test if we can actually make our brains healthier by doing things which make our muscles stronger – such as weight training.”

What’s also unique about this research was that both age group above and below 55 saw positive relationships, as opposed to only the older population. Hopefully as the year and research progresses there will be findings about strength and cognitive function. We know there’s a relationship, but why exactly?

About Jake Boly

Jake holds a Master's in Sports Science and a Bachelor's in Exercise Science. Currently, Jake serves as the Fitness and Training Editor at BarBend.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

Brooke Wells Shifts From PRVN to HWPO Training

The Selection Round of Selection for the 2024 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships Complete

Dr. Layne Norton Explains New Study: You Don’t Need a Caloric Surplus To Build Muscle

Mitchell Hooper Shocks Five-Time Fittest Man on Earth® Mat Fraser With a 660-Pound Pig Flip

Four CrossFit Games Athletes Join Cast of “Gladiators” Reboot in Australia

Latest Reviews

Alaskan Cold Plunge Feature

Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Review

Living.Fit Grip Strengthener Review

Bells of Steel Competition Kettlebell Review

Bells of Steel Barenaked Powerlifting Bar 2.0 Review

REP BlackWing Feature

REP Fitness BlackWing Weight Bench Review

Be the smartest person in your gym

The BarBend newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I Want In!
BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2023 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap