body

Grip Strength Improvement

Grip Strength Improvement is categorized as a body effect. Explore the surrounding information for a focused view of this outcome.

18Practices

These are research findings, not promises. Most options have little evidence, and results differ from person to person.

What may help

What studies found for each option, best evidence first.

18 options:3 some evidence2 mixed11 not enough evidence1 not tested in people1 no benefit found

What studies foundSize of effect

Strength TrainingpracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 4 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.
Open the Strength Training page
Hatha YogapracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 5 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
A review of studies whose designs were not recorded found grip strength improved in two studies but not in one. A randomized trial of 30 people also found increased handgrip strength in both yoga groups compared with the other groups.
Open the Hatha Yoga page
Vinyasa YogapracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Small
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
In a 12-week randomized trial, 18 people in the yoga group improved their handgrip strength from 41.2 (8.70) to 44.9 (8.06) kg; the reported effect size was small.
Open the Vinyasa Yoga page
Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)practiceMixed resultsSize of effect: Not known
Studies disagree: some found a benefit, others found none. Do not count on it.
2 of 3 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.
Open the Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation) page
PilatespracticeMixed resultsSize of effect: Very small
Studies disagree: some found a benefit, others found none. Do not count on it.
7 of 8 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.
One trial found handgrip strength increased by 1.76 kg among 104 people. Findings conflict: a pooled analysis of randomized and non-randomized human studies found no statistically significant effect among 163 people.
Open the Pilates page
QigongpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
1 of 4 studies found a benefit; 3 found none. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.
A 2025 meta-analysis of randomized trials reported improved grip strength with Fitness Qigong among 1,029 people, including older adults and people with sarcopenia.
Open the Qigong page
YogapracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
1 of 2 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a systematic review of studies.
A review of studies involving people with conditions including back pain and rheumatoid arthritis reported increased hand grip strength compared with no intervention. The size of the increase was not stated in the finding.
Open the Yoga page
AcupuncturepracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.
A pooled analysis of randomized trials in people with Sarcopenia (Muscle Loss) reported improved grip strength.
Open the Acupuncture page

Heating Pads / Warm CompressespracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.
Open the Heating Pads / Warm Compresses page
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)practiceNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
3 of 6 studies found a benefit; 3 found none. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
In a trial of 61 people, the HIIT group had a within-group handgrip-strength improvement of +10.1%. Another trial found less decline on the affected side with HIIT than with control, while a pooled analysis involving 176 people did not find a statistically significant effect.
Open the High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) page
CyclingpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
1 of 2 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
A randomized trial involving 20 people with dementia found grip strength increased significantly only in the seated cycling group.
Open the Cycling page
Tai ChipracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
1 of 3 studies found a benefit; 2 found none. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
A 2023 trial of 80 people found higher grip strength in the experimental group than in the control group. However, a pooled analysis whose study designs were not recorded found no significant improvement in handgrip strength among 351 people.
Open the Tai Chi page
Latin Dance FitnesspracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
Open the Latin Dance Fitness page
MassagepracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
In a trial of 30 people with Rheumatoid Arthritis, median handgrip strength in the intervention group increased from 55 to 65 kg at the end of treatment compared with baseline.
Open the Massage page
TENS / EMS TherapypracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
In one randomized trial of 28 healthy participants, the daily electrical stimulation group had a greater increase in left-hand grip strength than the group that did not receive electrical stimulation.
Open the TENS / EMS Therapy page
Brisk WalkingpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
1 of 2 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
A 2023 trial in healthy people found handgrip strength increased by 3.1 kg. The results differ across studies: a 2017 trial found a 4.14% difference in grip-strength variation that was not statistically significant.
Open the Brisk Walking page
Gardening TherapypracticeNot tested in people
Only tested in animals, cells or theory. Results like these often do not carry over to people.
The one study found a benefit.
Digging, weeding, and pruning are proposed to support hand grip strength and dexterity.
Open the Gardening Therapy page
CalisthenicspracticeNo benefit found
Studies looked for a benefit and did not find one.
1 of 4 studies found a benefit; 3 found none.
A 2023 randomized trial of 69 found no significant change in handgrip strength, so the trial did not support this effect.
Open the Calisthenics page

Show all 18

Comparing practices

Hatha YogaSome evidence it helps5 trials
Vinyasa YogaSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Small2 trials
PilatesMixed resultsSize of effect: Very small7 trials

The expert view shows every study, dose protocol and source.

What may help

Linked to improving it18 listed

Start here

Most likely to help, from the evidence we have

PracticesStrength TrainingCertaintyMediumSourceMeta-analysis4 other sources
A pooled analysis whose study designs were not recorded found improved grip strength among 1,302 people in its outcome analysis (ES = 0.55, 95% CI [0.34, 0.76]). A separate analysis reported only a small increase in manual grip strength after more than 6 weeks, with uncertain evidence.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Study result
A meta-analysis of 19 studies evaluated the effects of RT on GS, revealing a significant improvement (ES = 0.55, 95% CI [0.34, 0.76], p < 0.01)
Open Strength Training
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PracticesRed Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)CertaintyMediumSourceRCT3 other sources
Pooled randomized trials reported improved grip strength: one analysis favored low-level laser therapy over placebo, and another found a difference of MD 5.03 kg [4.29, 5.78] at 4 weeks among 95 people. The findings came from studies involving people with Parkinson’s Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Parkinsons Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Study result
The pooled mean difference (MD) showed a significant improvement in grip strength favoring LLLT over placebo, with an MD of -12.38 (95% CI: [-17.42, -7.34], z = -4.82, p < 0.01).
Open Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)
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PracticesPilatesCertaintyMediumSourceRCTTrivial effectconflicting findings8 other sources
One trial found handgrip strength increased by 1.76 kg among 104 people. Findings conflict: a pooled analysis of randomized and non-randomized human studies found no statistically significant effect among 163 people.
How big is the effect
Trivial effectReal in studies, but too small for most people to notice.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Breast Cancer
Diabetes Type2
Gestational Diabetes
Hypertension
Menopause
Obesity
+1 more
Study result
After 8 weeks of Pilates intervention, the Pilates group demonstrated significantly greater grip strength, improved hamstring flexibility, and reduced spinal curvature compared to the control group (P < 0.05)
Open Pilates
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PracticesHatha YogaCertaintyMediumSourceClinical5 other sources
A review of studies whose designs were not recorded found grip strength improved in two studies but not in one. A randomized trial of 30 people also found increased handgrip strength in both yoga groups compared with the other groups.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Breast Cancer
Overweight
Study result
Grip strength improved significantly in two studies (MD 3.56, P<0.01; MD 3.58, P=0.01) but not in one (P=0.26).
Open Hatha Yoga
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PracticesVinyasa YogaCertaintyMediumSourceClinicalSmall effect2 other sources
In a 12-week randomized trial, 18 people in the yoga group improved their handgrip strength from 41.2 (8.70) to 44.9 (8.06) kg; the reported effect size was small.
How big is the effect
Small effectA small but noticeable difference on average.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Study result
Wilcoxon signed rank test results show a significant difference in the intervention group (W=0.00, p=0.006) for handgrip strength comparing baseline values with the post 12-week yoga intervention values; yoga group improved from 41.2 (8.70) to 44.9 (8.06) kg; Cohen's d=0.445 (95% CI 0.213, 0.757), p
Open Vinyasa Yoga
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Low probability(12)

PracticesQigongCertaintyLowSourceMeta-analysisTrivial effect4 other sources
A 2025 meta-analysis of randomized trials reported improved grip strength with Fitness Qigong among 1,029 people, including older adults and people with sarcopenia.
How big is the effect
Trivial effectReal in studies, but too small for most people to notice.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Elderly
Sarcopenia
Study result
Fitness Qigong significantly improved grip strength (MD = 2.39, 95 % CI [1.42, 3.36], P ... (abstract truncated)
Open Qigong
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PracticesYogaCertaintyLowSourceRCT2 other sources
A review of studies involving people with conditions including back pain and rheumatoid arthritis reported increased hand grip strength compared with no intervention. The size of the increase was not stated in the finding.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Back Pain
Carpal Tunnel
Frozen Shoulder
Herniated Disc
Neck Pain
Rheumatoid Arthritis
+1 more
Study result
Yoga provided significant increase in hand grip strength (Kg) (P<.002) and a significant reduction in self-reported drug score (NSAIDs/day) (P<.013) in comparison with no intervention control group (Dash & Telles 2001). Hatha yoga caused self-reported pain reduction (P<.05) and significantly improve
Open Yoga
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PracticesAcupunctureCertaintyLowSourceRCTModerate effect1 other source
A pooled analysis of randomized trials in people with Sarcopenia (Muscle Loss) reported improved grip strength (SMD = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.49–0.83).
How big is the effect
Moderate effectA clear difference on average.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Sarcopenia
Study result
grip strength (SMD = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.49–0.83)
Open Acupuncture
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PracticesHeating Pads / Warm CompressesCertaintyLowSourceRCTSmall effect1 other source
A pooled analysis of randomized trials in people with osteoarthritis found improved grip strength (SMD = 0.43, p = 0.01; effect SMD 0.43 [0.1, 0.76]).
How big is the effect
Small effectA small but noticeable difference on average.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Osteoarthritis
Study result
improved grip strength (SMD = 0.43, p = 0.01)
Open Heating Pads / Warm Compresses
→
PracticesHigh-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)CertaintyLowSourceClinicalTrivial effectconflicting findings6 other sources
In a trial of 61 people, the HIIT group had a within-group handgrip-strength improvement of +10.1%. Another trial found less decline on the affected side with HIIT than with control, while a pooled analysis involving 176 people did not find a statistically significant effect.
How big is the effect
Trivial effectReal in studies, but too small for most people to notice.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Breast Cancer
Copd
Obesity
Sarcopenia
Study result
The individual HIIT group showed within-group improvements in ... handgrip strength (+10.1%, p = 0.003)
Open High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
→
PracticesCyclingCertaintyLowSourceClinical2 other sources
A randomized trial involving 20 people with dementia found grip strength increased significantly only in the seated cycling group.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Dementia
Study result
Grip strength increased significantly only in the seated cycling group (p-values not legible in abstract).
Open Cycling
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PracticesTai ChiCertaintyLowSourceClinicalconflicting findings3 other sources
A 2023 trial of 80 people found higher grip strength in the experimental group than in the control group. However, a pooled analysis whose study designs were not recorded found no significant improvement in handgrip strength among 351 people.
Who was studied
Healthy people and patients
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Study result
After intervention, the strength (F_(1,78)=23.395, p<0.001, eta_p^2=0.231) of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of control group; strength was measured by grip strength (kg).
Open Tai Chi
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PracticesLatin Dance FitnessCertaintyLowSourceClinical1 other source
A 2020 trial of 98 healthy participants reported a handgrip-test result of 0.274 ± 0.08 for the ET group and 0.352 ± 0.08 for the CnT group.
Who was studied
Healthy people
Study result
handgrip test: 0.274 ± 0.08, p < 0.001, CnT = 0.352 ± 0.08, p < 0.001
Open Latin Dance Fitness
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PracticesMassageCertaintyLowSourceClinical1 other source
In a trial of 30 people with Rheumatoid Arthritis, median handgrip strength in the intervention group increased from 55 (40-75) to 65 (45-80) kg at the end of treatment compared with baseline.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Study result
In the intervention group, a statistically significant increase in handgrip strength was observed at the end of treatment (T2) compared with baseline (p = 0.008); median increased from 55 (40-75) to 65 (45-80) kg.
Open Massage
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PracticesTENS / EMS TherapyCertaintyLowSourceClinical1 other source
In one randomized trial of 28 healthy participants, the daily electrical stimulation group had a greater increase in left-hand grip strength than the group that did not receive electrical stimulation (p = 0.007).
Who was studied
Healthy people
Study result
the daily EMS group had a significantly greater increase in left-hand grip strength (p = 0.007) compared to the no EMS group
Open TENS / EMS Therapy
→
PracticesBrisk WalkingCertaintyLowSourceClinicalconflicting findings2 other sources
A 2023 trial in healthy people found handgrip strength increased by 3.1 kg. The results differ across studies: a 2017 trial found a 4.14% difference in grip-strength variation that was not statistically significant.
Who was studied
Healthy people
Study result
handgrip strength (mean difference: +3.1 kg; g = 0.89)
Open Brisk Walking
→
PracticesGardening TherapyCertaintyLowSourceTheoretical1 other source
Digging, weeding, and pruning are proposed to support hand grip strength and dexterity.
Study result
Gardening activities such as digging, weeding, and pruning improve hand grip strength and dexterity.
Open Gardening Therapy
→

Very low probability(1)

PracticesCalisthenicsCertaintyVery lowSourceTheoretical4 other sources
A 2023 randomized trial of 69 found no significant change in handgrip strength, so the trial did not support this effect.
Who was studied
People with a condition
Overweight
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Open Calisthenics
→

Practices compared

Practices with at least one trial of their own for this goal. Ranked by how sure the evidence is, then effect size.Top 10 of 14

Practice	How sure	Effect size	Own trials	What worked in trials
Vinyasa Yoga	CertaintyMediumSourceClinical	Small effect	2 trials or pooled analyses	12 weeks
Pilates	CertaintyMediumSourceRCT	Trivial effect	7 trials or pooled analyses	50–55 min · 2–3×/week · 8–12 weeks
Hatha Yoga	CertaintyMediumSourceClinical		5 trials or pooled analyses	60 min · 2×/week · 8–12 weeks
Strength Training	CertaintyMediumSourceMeta-analysis		4 trials or pooled analyses	2–2.2×/week · 8–13 weeks
Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)	CertaintyMediumSourceRCT		2 trials or pooled analyses
Acupuncture	CertaintyLowSourceRCT	Moderate effect	1 trial or pooled analysis
Heating Pads / Warm Compresses	CertaintyLowSourceRCT	Small effect	1 trial or pooled analysis
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)	CertaintyLowSourceClinical	Trivial effect	3 trials or pooled analyses	8–9 min · 2×/week · 10–12 weeks
Qigong	CertaintyLowSourceMeta-analysis	Trivial effect	1 trial or pooled analysis
Cycling	CertaintyLowSourceClinical		1 trial or pooled analysis

What worked in trials: From the smallest to the typical amount in the trials that found this benefit. Not the most anyone did, not a target and not a limit.

How to read the evidence

Evidence tier — overall strength of the evidence for the whole compound

StrongWell established — backed by strong, consistent human research.
ModerateSome genuine support, but mostly from small or lower-quality studies. Promising, not proven.
PreliminaryEarly-stage evidence — a promising hypothesis, not an established effect yet.
LimitedVery limited evidence — treat this as a hypothesis, not proof.
InsufficientNot enough good evidence to draw conclusions yet.

Certainty — how sure we can be that the effect is real

Very highVery sure — strong, consistent evidence
HighFairly sure — consistent evidence from good studies
MediumModerately sure — new studies could change this
LowNot sure — little or mixed evidence
Very lowVery unsure — almost no usable evidence

Source — where the data comes from

Meta-analysisPooled analysis of many trials — the strongest evidence
RCTRandomized controlled trial — a strong human study design
ClinicalA human clinical study
Reference knowledgeFrom general health-science or pharmacology references, not a study of this exact claim
Animal researchStudied in animals, not humans
Community reportsAggregated user reports — anecdotal signal, not evidence
TheoreticalMechanism-based reasoning, not yet tested

Study grade — quality of each underlying study (A best, D weakest)

AHigh-quality — strong, consistent human trials
BGood — solid evidence with some limitations
CModerate — limited, small, or mixed-quality studies
DWeak — preliminary, indirect, or animal-only

Confidence — how strongly the sources back a finding

A 0–100 score from study quality and agreement

Most supplement evidence is graded C–D. Read it as preliminary signal, not proof.

Full write-up

What is it

Grip Strength Improvement is a body effect describing an increase in the force produced when a person squeezes with the hand. It is a specific physical measurement, commonly expressed in kilograms, rather than a general claim about overall strength, endurance, muscle size, or exercise performance. Results may reflect either a short-term change or a change after a longer intervention, depending on when grip strength is assessed.

How interventions help

Interventions associated with improved grip strength fall into several practical patterns. Caffeine was studied as an acute pre-exercise intervention, with an immediate onset and no requirement for daily use. This differs from approaches intended to produce change over weeks or months, such as Whey Protein at 20 g/day for 3 months, Krill Oil at 4 g/day for 6 months, and Collagen at 15 g/day for 12 weeks.

Movement-based approaches also differ from nutritional interventions. Tai Chi and yoga practices were evaluated over structured interventions, with Tai Chi studied in mixed health-status groups, Hatha Yoga in people with a clinical condition, and Yoga in healthy participants. These populations are not interchangeable, so results from one practice or group should not automatically be generalized to another.

Some findings suggest that continuity may matter. Glycine was taken daily for 24 weeks; grip strength increased from 24.5 to 27.2 kg, and the reported effect persisted for weeks after stopping. Maca Root was studied at 5000 mg/day (2500 mg twice daily) for 8 weeks, while Shilajit was studied at 500 mg/day for 28 days, illustrating that studied schedules range from several weeks to months.

The evidence does not establish one shared mechanism for all of these interventions. Applicability is also limited for findings that were not based on human evidence, including Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR), which was studied in null mice rather than people.

Choosing guidance

For a short-term, session-linked approach, Caffeine is the option studied with acute pre-exercise administration and an immediate onset. It may suit someone seeking an effect around a particular exercise session rather than a daily regimen. Tai Chi and the yoga-based options are better viewed as ongoing practices, with evidence drawn from human intervention studies in different populations. Hatha Yoga was studied in people with a clinical condition, while Yoga was studied in healthy participants, so those findings may not apply equally to every reader.

Whey Protein, Krill Oil, Citrulline, Collagen, Magnesium, Vitamin K2, Maca Root, Shilajit, and Glycine were examined over periods ranging from weeks to months. These options suit readers willing to follow a sustained plan rather than expecting an immediate change. Glycine specifically involved daily use, whereas the available information does not establish that every longer-term option requires daily use. Meditation may be relevant when grip strength is considered alongside broader performance outcomes rather than as an isolated target.

The human applicability of the evidence should guide interpretation. Caffeine, Tai Chi, Whey Protein, Krill Oil, Hatha Yoga, Vitamin K2, Yoga, Meditation, Maca Root, and Shilajit have human evidence flagged, while Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR), Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma), and Valerian Root are supported by animal research only. Several other entries are based on limited or indirect evidence, so they are less suitable for firm conclusions about people. No listed option is flagged for conflicting evidence, but some findings are based on small studies, brief interventions, or comparisons that do not show a clear between-group difference.