Joe DeFranco’s 60-Second Grip Challenge for Ultimate Strength
Renowned strength and conditioning coach Joe DeFranco loves to challenge his clients to push beyond their limits. As the founder of DeFranco’s Gym, he has successfully trained a wide range of high-level athletes across the NFL, UFC, and WWE. Recently, he introduced an upper body strength and grip challenge on Instagram that has garnered attention for its ability to enhance functional fitness.
If you’re seeking an effective exercise that not only improves posture but also prevents injuries and fortifies your back strength while developing grip strength, this challenge is an excellent addition to your routine.
How to Execute the Upper Back & Grip Challenge (Step-by-Step)
- Position yourself under a Smith machine barbell, aligning it with your body.
- Set a bench at foot level to support your heels.
- Place a yoga block vertically against your chest.
- With your heels resting on the bench, pull yourself up until the yoga block makes contact with the bar.
- Maintain this position, pulling the bar closer to the yoga block, and time yourself until you can no longer keep them in contact.
“Your heels should be the only contact points with the bench,” emphasized DeFranco. If you find this exercise too challenging, you can adjust the bench to be closer so that it’s positioned beneath your ankles or calves. Regardless of the modification, the challenge ends immediately once the yoga block loses contact with the bar. DeFranco also notes that a straight line should be visible from your shoulders, hips, knees, and heels during this workout.
Muscles Engaged: The Strength-Building Power of This Challenge
Beyond the fun aspect, this exercise effectively activates the posterior chain—the muscles that extend along the back of your body, from the neck to the ankles. As you work to maintain stability close to the bar, your trapezius and deltoid muscles become engaged, enhancing your hang time. This not only helps in strengthening and tightening your posterior chain and core for improved posture but also results in substantial improvements in grip strength.
Joe DeFranco’s Grip Strength Standards (Measuring Your Progress)
DeFranco has established a set of standards for this challenge, allowing participants to gauge their performance from good to impressive.
- 20 to 30 Seconds: Good
- 31 to 44 Seconds: Great
- 45 to 49 Seconds: Strong “AF”
- 60 Seconds or more: SUPERFREAK
“Be warned, this is much more challenging than it appears,” cautioned Joe DeFranco. Now is the time to test your grip strength and see how you stack up!
